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Style and beauty

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Original poster

Spectacle wearers unite

79 replies

julesjam · 21/11/2013 12:41

Help me feel better about having to be a glasses-wearer again! Up until recently I would wear contacts about 80% of the time but now I've got a recurring dry eye thing and have been 'downgraded' to occasional lens wear only.

I've got terrible eyesight and have worn glasses for years but I'm still feeling a bit about giving up regular lens wear.

So I need to remember what's great about glasses! And also figure out the best way to put on make up without actually pressing my face against the mirror to see what I'm doing. And also HOW MUCH make up to put on?? More? Less?? I would usually wear less/hardly any on a glasses day, but 'borderline zombie' is not a great look for work

OP posts:

MrsOakenshield · 21/11/2013 21:07

I have a similar prescription to you and astigmatism too. When I started wearing glasses again, in my mid-30s, I got a lot of comments, from DH and male friends, on how sexy they were!

I find the wide styles at the moment quite awkward as I have a narrow face. I also find that I have to sit quite far back in the cinema, otherwise the whole screen isn't visible through my glasses!

CMOTDibbler · 21/11/2013 21:07

Bunbaker, no, they aren't sure if varifocals will work with my prisms. My luffly lens man had some ideas to try things next pair as I can still read with my distance glasses on though its not very comfortable.

But I was delighted to get my first ever pair of corrective swimming goggles recently. £25! Revolutionised swimming for me

Bunbaker · 21/11/2013 22:18

I think I will need to get swimming goggles. Where did you get them from?

Floisme · 21/11/2013 22:24

TravelingColour, interesting that you don't think more make up is needed. I had assumed I should slap more on because glasses make my eyes look smaller.

Sorry but no way am I going to use a magnifying mirror at my time of life!

capsium · 21/11/2013 22:29

I slap loads of make up on regardless. Gorgeous me!?

capsium · 21/11/2013 22:31

I got swimming goggles of the net. About 30 quid. Well spent.

BigPawsBrown · 21/11/2013 22:34

I got Taylor Swift style geek glasses. I love them!

Original poster

julesjam · 21/11/2013 23:09

Wow, thanks for the encouraging responses folks! Sorry to disappear for a while - 'twas a hectic afternoon/evening. But great to see so many fellow glasses wearers uniting!

I can report that, following a visit to the shops earlier, I have now put Boots' No7 Magnifying/Illuminating mirror at the top of my Christmas list! And a bit of googling has reminded me that one of my all-time heroes, Tina Fey, rocks a very cool pair of specs - I already want to be her anyway

And I've now got a good excuse to find some new make up to highlight my lovely specky eyes - especially a waterproof mascara (as I've got drops to put in fairly regularly)

Floisme and capsium - very good points! Every cloud...

MrsOakenshield I have a narrow face too and it's a bit of a struggle usually to find a pair of frames that don't swamp my face - so I imagine even if I did crave a pair of BigPawsBrown's Taylor Swift-style specs they probably wouldn't look right anyway

I do like the pair I've currently got - half frame tortoiseshells - which go with everything. I've got really short hair too so I guess my specs are now going to be more a definitive part of my 'look'!

OP posts:

ouryve · 21/11/2013 23:12

Think of them as jewellery that you wear around your eyes. Or as an accessory. Only they really do improve how you look, because you're not screwing your eyes up and squinting at stuff.

cocobongo · 21/11/2013 23:14

those face a face ones are nice- what sort of price are they?

CointreauVersial · 21/11/2013 23:17

I'm really, really trying to get back into glasses, but I still feel my attractiveness plummets the moment I put them on.

I wore glasses from the age of 8 and hated every minute until I was allowed contacts at 15. For years I wore contacts all day, every day (I didn't even have glasses as a spare I hated them so much), but for the last few years my optician has been threatening not to prescribe them any more because my eyes are getting so knackered from the constant use of lenses (I'm one of those dinosaur gas permeable lens wearers).

I'm 46, short sighted and astigmatic (don't know how much), but as yet I don't need varifocals.

Anyhoo, over the last few years I've tried to get myself enthused about glasses because I know the day is coming when I'll have no choice, and I'm finding it really hard - I just don't feel good in them, full stop. I did buy a nice pair recently which aren't too bad, but I still can't get beyond the feeling that I look like a speccy nerd.

One thing I would always recommend is the anti reflection coating, though.

Original poster

julesjam · 21/11/2013 23:28

Oo yes just checked out face a face - v nice, although I'm a bit scared of buying frames online because I usually have to try on nearly every pair in the shop before I can find ones to fit my face!

OP posts:

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 21/11/2013 23:30

I'm the same Cointreau - glasses from 8, contacts from 17, 46 now and no need for varifocals yet. I wear contacts (silicone hydrogels) with no problems but need to wear glasses sometimes to give my eyes a break.

My prescription is about -11, I have just had new glasses and my optician took great care to optimize the lenses and frames for me to minimise both the thickness of the lens and choosing a frame, which disguises them, while still giving me a reasonable wide field of view. I can see better with them than any other glasses I have ever worn.

But, I hate wearing them. I feel ugly in them. I can't do any eye make-up apart from eyebrow pencil which I do over the top of the glasses because I have to hold the mirror an inch from my nose and can't get my hand in the gap. I also can't blow dry my hair with them on because they are in the way, can't see to do it without. I can see in the mirror that they suit me. But I still hate them. That's before factoring in the steaming up, lack of peripheral vision, getting wet in the rain, getting caught in your clothes as you get dressed. For me there's just nothing to like about them.

Prescription swimming goggles are THE BUSINESS though, revolutionised my swimming experience. Got mine off the internet, but had to do a lot of searching to find -10, they still aren't quite strong enough, but so, so much better than nothing.

BigPawsBrown · 21/11/2013 23:59

If you do, PM me. I have a narrow face - size of a child's really - and it took a while, RayBans are too wide. I went with Calvein Klein glasses, let me find a pic.

NoComet · 22/11/2013 00:08

DSIS was most puzzlers by me cursing aged nice long eyeshadow brush.

She doesn't nearly get her eye poked out because her nose is on inches from the mirror.

However, at least the hotel had a well lit mirror without the usual basin in a great wide granite slab in front of it.

NoComet · 22/11/2013 00:11

DSIS was most puzzled by me cursing her nice long eyeshadow brush.

She wouldn't be happy about what I'd like to do to this kindle ('twas a present from her and my parents, very kind, but I still wish it spell checked sensibly/

KosherBacon · 22/11/2013 06:47

Gosh I have terrible problems with glasses, in particular due to my nose. I have a wide bridge on my nose, so plastic frames are too heavy and make me look like I've got the comedy glasses, moustache and nose joke toy on. Since having DS my nose is even worse. My oedema in labour was so horrific that it was in my face, and my nose is bigger than it used to be (playing with old and new pics on glasses2you.co.uk has confirmed this isn't just me being paranoid). I wear my lenses far too much and none of my current glasses are comfy or have the right prescription (about -3.75).

louwn · 22/11/2013 07:01

julesjam
I too have a narrow face and have just ordered some oliver peoples ones - optician recommended for small faces!

Floisme · 22/11/2013 07:25

Cocobongo, Face a Face don't come cheap, I'm afraid. I did think twice about linking but wanted to 'share'. The last frames I got from there cost around £200, about 18 months ago. My lenses are a similar price (think: two mini Hubble Telescopes) so glasses are a big outlay for me - they're by far the most expensive fashion item I buy. But they're the one thing I won't skimp on because I wear them 24/7.

Bunbaker · 22/11/2013 07:36

I have a long thin face as well and struggle to find glasses that fit. Back in the 80s I had the Deirdre Barlow look because my glasses were so enormous. So I have to go for fit above style so they don't slide down my nose.

I have found the last few times that Boots have had the widest range of glasses for small faces. The ones I have now are the best fit yet and look a bit like this, except that mine are tortoiseshell.

Floisme · 22/11/2013 08:23

Cointreau and Whoknows, although I am now a tub-thumper for glasses, I do know how you feel. I got my first glasses when I was 10 - it was a choice of NHS blue or pink frames and I will never forget it, I felt like my life was over! For years I only put them on when I needed to see something (gave myself bad frown lines in the process) and when I was 17, I saved for contact lenses which I wore non stop for about 25 years.

I didn't exactly go back to glasses happily, I know that they change how I look. I guess I decided to try and embrace that and build my whole style around it. I'm in my fifties now and, as I said upthread, I'm really grateful for their disguise and distraction powers, plus they give my face definition, which I like. I don't look pretty in them but I'm not trying for that any more, what I'm hoping for is 'stylish' and 'distinctive'

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 22/11/2013 09:56

That give me hope then Floisme. I had the blue NHS frames, they were grim. Especially the first few years with the bendy wires to wrap around your ears so thy don't fall off.

It's the practical aspects as much as the appearance of glasses I don't like though, and that just can't change, the impossibility of doing make-up and hair, the steaming up and getting wet, driving in them - because my prescription is so strong even the best glasses don't give me enough peripheral vision to feel safe reversing my car into a space, I can only do that in contact lenses. Reversing out is OK because you have more room. I do wear them once a week or so because I am determined to do everything I can to wear contact lenses for the rest of my life.

To be honest, because I normally put glasses on first thing and then contact lenses as soon as I get to the bathroom and have been doing so for 30 years I just don't feel dressed in glasses, it is a bit like going out in your dressing gown for me. Silly, but the association is there.

However, as I do have to wear them sometimes I like reading threads that may offer any tips!

Original poster

julesjam · 22/11/2013 09:59

floisme I to had the lovely NHS pink frames - my first pair, I remember distinctly.

bunbaker I do like boots' selection, although it usually only boils down to a couple of pairs which I like/will fit well enough to wear! I was reminded of this recently when buying prescription sunglasses, which were mostly all huge thick frames (or just plain ugly )

thanks for the Oliver peoples suggestion louwn, I'll have a look - and I'd love to see a pic of your Calvin Klein ones BigPaws

OP posts:

CMOTDibbler · 22/11/2013 10:26

Bunbaker - I got my goggles from here. I thought they had a really good range an go up to high powers. Plus if you wanted to go all out, the customs aren't that expensive, but I did as they recommended and just upped my strength to allow for the astigmatism not being corrected and its fine for swimming.

janmoomoo · 22/11/2013 13:55

I too had the NHS frames at the age of four - I had the pink ones. My mum said I could have contacts when I was 18 and I have worn them every single days since pretty much. Now 45 and eyes are definitely getting dryer.

Geek chic is in so I have been looking to get some new specs too - I am a -8.5 so its not easy or cheap. Got some frames on trial from one of those online places but when I went to order they only got up to -8, and I have read since that it is not a good idea if you are more than -5 as they can't be fitted properly and thats not a good idea when you are a speccy foureyes have a high prescription. From the opticians I am looking at about £400. But as Floisme says, you wear them a lot.

I go for the more make up option with glasses.

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