Ask Dethroner: Cool Glasses That Aren’t Purposefully “Geeky”?
Published by Joel June 28th, 2007 in Ask Dethroner, Clothes. Share This
Jim T. writes:
I’m going to the optometrist on Friday and am in the search for a new pair of glasses (as well as getting contacts again). I never really looked at glasses as a fashion accessory as much as a necessity because I am blind as a bat and have been since I was five, but this time is different as I have a decent salary now (as opposed to no salary when I last went to the eye doctor) and figured I might as well get a pair that will look good on me for a while.Enclosed are two pics, one with my current (over 4 years old) glasses and another with no glasses on. I would love to hear what the Dethroner readers have to say about what styles I should be looking at for the shape of my face, since I am at a loss. The only thing thats a definite is I HATE the big thick plastic geek glasses. Just because I work in IT doesn’t mean I have to look the part.
First of all, don’t write off the “big geek glasses” out of hand. I understand not wanting to go along with the crowd, but there’s a lot of variety in the thick-rimmed current styles and some of them can be quite flattering. Which ones? That’s the real trick.
I could give you the whole spiel about the shape of your head versus the shape of your glasses, but in my experience you won’t really know how a pair of glasses look until you go and put them on. That’s why going to the glasses store is still a valuable thing to do, especially with a friend. They’ll be a better judge of what looks better on you. Because glasses so considerably change the look of your face, they take a while to “sink in,” especially when it’s your own face they’re changing.
The most flattering glasses I’ve ever owned I bought from an internet glasses store for $12. They were a clear, somewhat square-frame of the type that I’d never tried before, simply because I was told that style wouldn’t look good on me. But I wasn’t sure I liked them at all at first. It took a couple of days before I realized they worked.
I think that these would be the best option for your bone structure…..
Yes! Buy buy buy!
Those are the best option for ANY bone structure.
Having worked in several different eyeglass stores, I can tell you that our rule of thumb was pretty simple: Round face = square frame, Square face = round frame. Obviously this was not set in stone, but it helped us pick out frames for our customers to try on. The more angular someone’s face was, the better a more round frame would look, and vice-versa.
I use the Bada BL 2300. I got them with light green tinted lenses to pretend I lived in the Matrix. I bought them at Studio Optix in Rockefeller Center about 5 years ago. I have gotten countless compliments about them, and when I wear my other pair, everyone asks why I’m not wearing these.
I have a similarly-shaped head.
Look them up at http://www.badausa.com/
Thanks badfish, thats actually what someone else I know, who is a fashion geek suggested as well.
Oh and Jeremy no need, I have these which do well in the steampunkish sort of way.
Are you sure that first one isn’t some kind of space-age bra?
I’m still waiting for glasses with special features. Like, did you ever see the episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the original 1990s) where Baxter Stockman had a button on his glasses that, when pushed, turned the right lens into a rear-view mirror?
I mean, I want glasses with night-vision. I want the aforementioned rear-view. I want to be able to shoot laser beams. I want heads-up-display. Something, anything!
I’d recommend some more angular lenses, and maybe go for the rimless look? I have rimless glasses now and I love them, and before that I had a pair that was only half-rimmed, just thin metal on the top. Try ‘em on, try ‘em out.
Maybe you should try on some of the suggested glasses first. It may not look good as expected.
i’m going with whitney i love my half rimmed i’m on my second pair and do not plan on going back.
The thick black rimmed glasses are classic, and work pretty well on just about everyone. Rectangular frames are probably your best bet. I’ve had only one set of wire frames and I always go back to the ‘geek’ glasses. They tend to be harder to break too, if that’s of any concern.
I won’t go into advising the actual frame shape. I do highly recommend purchasing your glasses from an online store. I have changed my view of glasses from “an expensive piece of equipment to be guarded at all times” to “a disposable piece of everyday wear”. This change has come about from being able to buy glasses online for under $25 when ever I lose/break/drown a pair. You can even order more than one pair, in case you want one for sunglasses. I personally use http://zennioptical.com, but here is a site that does a review of online optics stores http://www.eyeglassretailerreviews.com/index.htm.
good luck
I went the bold, thick black glasses route for a while. They were good, but the ones I had were cheap and really messed with my periph. I couldn’t see from side to side without turning my head. Which became a literal pain in the neck.
I also shave my head, so I felt that I needed something “heavy” to define my face, otherwise, I would look like a big flesh-colored lightbulb. I couldn’t have been more mistaken.
I went with these Swiss-made frames which are clear (mine are frosted) plastic and totally rimless.
http://www.t2eyewear.com/
I beleive they’re the ones Jamie Hyneman on Mythbusters wears, excepy mine are squareish. Sorta Matrixlike. I looked at the site and I think they’re shape #46.
The BEST thing about these is they’re incredibly light. They barely weight four grams.
I also got them in gray transitions, so they self-tint when in bright sunlight to a pretty decent shade. When it’s overcast, they just very barely change. People have told me it’s really cool because you barely notice the glasses are on my face until they start to “appear” when we step outside for lunch.
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OK, I love your site Joel. To your friend. Whatever you do, do not where the current glasses again. You look a lot like a great blogger, “Markmaynard.com”. He looks great in his omnipresent small rectangles. Best of Luck!
Two bits of somewhat contradictory advice.
Like you, I’ve got the big fat ham-hock face plopped onto the end of my neck. A larger frame is de rigeur for us big-faced guys. Smaller frames make your big handsome face look bigger than it is, plus it looks like you’re ‘trying’ too much. Sure, I know the kids are all wearing those small frames, but, dude, you’re a MAN now, time to let the kids do what they like, and let us gentlemen sip our scotch and smoke our stogies in peace, fer crissakes.
Here’s the contradictory bit: the Buddy Holly/Elvis Costello Ray-ban frame will NEVER go out of style; they will always be fashionable. Geek it up, dude; we’re all geeks here.
Addendum:
Go with a buddy for frames. A lady-friend will tell you alot of bs…a bud will tell you the truth, hopefully punctuated by terms like “lard-ass” or”fag-tastic.”
Cheers!
I agree with frigg that your glasses should have a larger frame compared to the one of the picture..