Change of hairstyle now I have to wear glasses?

[Lillyludge]

It seems that my eyesight has deteriorated so much that I won't be able to wear contact lenses anymore (worn them every day for the last 30 years!). I hate wearing glasses as I don't think they suit me...but I'm wondering if a change of hairstyle will help?

Can you wonderful MNetters tell me what hairstyles you think suit glasses?

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Sympathies, I've been wearing contacts for 30 years and am on the strongest possible now, so this could happen to me, I only wear glasses occasionally as I hate them too, slthough they do suit me, it's the practicsl aspects I dislike. I find it best to keep my hair off my face when wearing them otherwise I look a bit cluttered. Fringe blow dried or clipped back and I suit it better up than loose with glasses. A lot depends on your hair though.

Also have you chosen new glasses? If you are getting some, ask for an appointment with the dispensing opthalmologist who will help you choose ones that do suit you as well as optimising your vision.

[Floisme]

I don't think hairstyle makes any difference - it's not as if glasses change the basic shape of your face. However a new haircut may make you feel better about wearing them so it might be worth doing for that reason.

I partly agree with Whoknows about not cluttering your face. Glasses make quite a strong statement and while I think long hair and /or a fringe are fine, I don't wear earrings any more (a shame as I had some great ones).

I wore contacts till I was in my 40s but I love my glasses now and think I look better with them. I hope you feel better about them soon.

[Lillyludge]

Thanks for the replies WhoKnows and Flo....


I have got a pair of glasses I quite like. I wear them in the evenings/early mornings at the moment but I guess I'll be wearing full time soon. They're are heavy plastic frames (which I need because of my severe prescription), but quite modern looking black/grey with a touch of pink.

However, I have a full fringe, long thick wavy hair and always wear earrings....maybe it does look too cluttered when I wear my glasses and that's where I'm going wrong!

So a restyle might be in order...and get rid of the fringe for a start. It will take me ages to grow it out though, and a while before I can clip it back. What do you think about headband with glasses? Or maybe I should take the plunge and go for a short haircut? Aargh...

Somebody recommend me a style consultant!

[dotty2]

IME experience a headband with glasses will be uncomfortable, style considerations apart, because they will catch on each other behind your ears. (I wear glasses and feel a bit of a mess at the moment and splashed out on some ££ Tom Ford frames but just feel like the rest of me doesn't live up to them! So I have no other helpful advice, but clicked on this to see if I could steal some of yours...)

[MissStoHelit]

Would you consider swapping your full fringe for an asymmetric, sideswept fringe? I find my glasses look much better since I did that and neatened up my eyebrows a little. I also stopped wearing lipstick and spent a little more time on eye make-up.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Stud earrings, or small sleepers are fine IMO, but busy, dangly ones do add too much clutter. I never go out without earring, glasses or no glasses.

I agree about the headband and glasses, they will get in each other's way. When I want my fringe off my face just twist it up and over onto the top of my head and clip it with one of these clips.

I wouldn't do anything drastic on the hair front yet, maybe buy a few hair clips and things and experiment, although it takes a while to grow out a fringe completely it doesn't take long to grow it an inch or so to sweep to one side. Perhaps put your glasses on, try a few hairstyles and get someone to take photos (or do selfies), you can analyse your style better from a photo than looking in a mirror IMO.

The thing I struggle with is make-up, I tend to want to wear more eye make-up when I am wearing glasses but I can't see to put it on without my contact lenses.

[SpicyBeat]

Don't cut your hair off! A nice big frame and long wavy hair is a great look. Start with toning down the earrings and if it's still too cluttered, look at a lighter or sideswept fringe.

[Lillyludge]

Well I've had a play around with my hair this evening and it's definitely my fringe causing the problem!

I've found a few ideas online of how to style hair when growing a fringe out. I'm going to give it a go, and if it looks awful I'll try a shorter style.

So....thanks ladies. I'm going to get myself some nice hair clips tomorrow....oh and chuck out my dangly earrings

[burnishedsilver]

Is laser eye surgery an option?

[dotty2]

Bit drastic surely? I think suggesting laser eye surgery in a S&B context implies you can't possibly look good with glasses, which is obviously very far from being the case!

[burnishedsilver]

I suggested laser eye surgery because she said she hates wearing glasses. Thats why most people get it.

I wear glasses myself and I like them.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I detest wearing glasses, nothing to do with how I look in them as they do actually suit me, so definitely not a S&B issue (apart from the fact that I can't style my hair properly or see to put on make-up without contact lenses). On that basis I don't think laser eye surgery is an unreasonable suggestion, however I think I would only get a partial correction by laser eye surgery as my prescription is so strong, sounds as though this may be the case for the OP too.

[Floisme]

This is purely anecdotal but at least half the people I know who've had laser eye surgery had to go back to wearing specs as age caught up with them. Of course some people may still think it's worth it but it doesn't sound like a permanent solution.

[specialsubject]

no, and it isn't sold as such. It certainly doesn't deal with the middle-aged short arms thing which makes us all unable to focus closely, so you WILL need at least reading glasses.

one in twenty chance of complications with laser surgery. Same as the space shuttle..

(wanders off, trying not to bump into things...)

[Instituteofstudies]

Another word of caution about laser eye surgery. DP's sight (especially his night time vision) has been wrecked by it :( He has problems adjusting to changing light conditions and finds most lights dazzling to the point they gives him a searing headache. He can't make out faces until people are really close to him. And glasses don't solve the problem as it's distortions causing them, not poor vision. He has blepharitis and dry eyes that are so sore he has to bathe them twice a day. He said if he could have one wish, it would be that he had never had it done. He wanted it because he's a keen runner and found glasses a nuisance.

I think the complications are often downplayed and it's sold as something that you get done in your lunch hour etc. But if your eyes aren't properly assessed by someone who really knows what they're doing, the effects can be horrendous.

Back to glasses and hair - I agree don't do anything drastic yet. You will soon find a way of doing your hair or sorting the fringe that will set off your new face furniture.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I've read a few horror stories on the web about the eye surgery, definitely not something to be underaken lightly, I'm sorry your DP has had such an awful experience Institute

[bryonyelf]

Just be careful of having a fringe with any length as it will scratch your lenses.