Women's glasses: Get the look you love
Women's spectacle frames are available in many shapes and sizes to suit nearly every taste, but choosing the perfect frame for the look you'll love can be confusing.
The following tips will make your shopping for popular women's glasses styles easier and more fun:
Narrow down your women's spectacle frame choices
Before you visit your optometrist to buy glasses, think about what you want your eye care professional to know:
Do you want a frame that's delicate or bold, retro or modern, conservative or "out there"?
Are there any current fashion trends you really like?
When will you wear the glasses — all the time, at work, or just for specific occasions or activities?
Do you want a designer brand?
What colours do you like that go with your skin tone and colour of your hair?
What are the main colours in your wardrobe?
What is your face shape? (For tips, read our article on the best frames for different face shapes.)
What do you like — and dislike — about your current glasses?
How to find spectacles that are comfortable and fit well
Consumer studies have shown that women tend to be more interested in the way glasses look, while men tend to be more interested in comfort and fit.
Let's face it though — even if spectacles looks great, you're not going to want to wear them if they aren't comfortable and if you don't like wearing your new glasses, you certainly aren't getting your money's worth.
This is where an optometrist can be very helpful. For example:
If a frame looks good, but it slides off your nose, your optometrist can fix this during the final fitting, by adjusting the length of the temples or the way they fit behind your ears.
If the front is too wide and doesn't fit your face, your optometrist can order the frame in another size. If the spectacle frame you like isn't available in a size that fits, your optometrist can help you find a similar style that does.
If the nose pads are uncomfortable, your optometrist may be able to replace the pads with more comfortable ones or find you a similar spectacle frame style that fits well and feels more comfortable.
If the frame has a bridge that's too steep over your nose, your optometrist can help you find frames that will fit your nose comfortably and securely.
Durability of women's spectacle frames
Durability is another factor that seems to appeal more to men than to women but you really don't want to buy a frame that falls apart after a few months.
When purchasing spectacle frames, your optometrist can point out the quality differences between frames that may look similar but have different levels of material quality and craftsmanship. [For more, read 10 reasons to avoid cheap glasses.]
Optometrists are experts on frame durability because they know which frames customers bring back for repairs, and which ones create few or no complaints. So be sure and ask for advice.
How many frames do you need?
Most women don't hesitate to buy more than one handbag or pair of shoes, so why baulk at purchasing more than one pair of glasses?
It's okay to view glasses as another fun fashion accessory when you consider that:
You can find great deals on eye-wear. Check with your optometrist or optical dispenser. Sales run frequently throughout the year as new collections come and go, including"buy-one-get-one-half-free." Often you can buy new spectacles for far less than the price of new shoes or a designer handbag!
Unless they are bottom-of-the-barrel, spectacle frames usually last a long time.
If you are like most spectacle wearers, your prescription isn't going to change every year, and you'll likely hold onto those frames for a while and get plenty of value from them. Do you wear the same shoes or earrings every day? Probably not, so why would you want to wear the same spectacles every day?
Eye-wear is more than a medical device.
Some women think gold or silver frames go with everything, and that might be true for them but is it true for you?
You might be more interested in a copper-coloured metal frame for when you're wearing jeans, a sophisticated tortoise plastic frame for the office and a pretty frame with semi-precious stones for an evening out. It's fun to consider the options. If you are on a tight budget, then by all means choose one frame that you'll be happy wearing with any outfit and in any situation. Optometrists excel at helping their customers find such frames.
Anti-reflection coating: Look and see your best
Appearance is the key factor for women when choosing eye-wear. Nothing interferes with the appearance of an otherwise attractive pair of glasses than distracting reflections on the lenses.
For the most attractive eye-wear possible, choose lenses that include an anti-reflection coating.
Anti-reflection (AR) coating eliminates reflections of light from the front and back of your lenses, making the lenses almost disappear so people see the beauty of your frame and your eyes. Why spend time putting on eye make-up if no one can see it past the reflections on your lenses?
By eliminating reflections, AR coating increases the clarity and comfort of your vision — especially in low-light conditions such as driving at night.
AR coating truly helps you look and see your best and should be considered essential for any pair of women's glasses.
Page published on Tuesday, 17 March 2020
