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I’ve always worn specs and find choosing the glasses frames to be really hard! There are so many styles, shapes and colours these days that it’s easy to feel spoilt for choice and totally overwhelmed.
To add to this, before I became a full-time writer, I spent a decade working as a dispensing optician. I was surrounded by glasses frames all day, and got to see new styles as they were released. This really didn’t help me with settling on which pair I wanted. In fact, it meant I ended up with lots of pairs of specs!
In the UK, buying glasses from high street shops can be quite pricey. That’s why people are turning to online retailers like GlassesShop, who have all the latest styles but are selling them at a fraction of the price.
The online trouble with not being in a physical shop when you’re choosing your glasses is that you can’t try them on in person. Admittedly, that can make it much more difficult to choose. I like to use a face shape detector for guidance on which modern styles are most likely to suit me.
How to Pick Glasses Frames Online
There aren’t really any proper rules about choosing glasses. Stylists often have a lot to say about face shape – such as don’t pick round glasses with a round face etc., but I don’t think it matters. I think if you like them, then that’s what matters.
What I would warn is, if your prescription is high, you might want to pay extra for thinner lenses or choose small frames so that the lenses are automatically thinner anyway.
If you currently wear glasses, try to take a note of the size of them. Usually on the bridge or written on the side of the glasses will be a measurement such as 50 x 20 (the x is sometimes a square). The larger number refers to how wide the eye shapes are – so 50 means one eye is 50mm wide, and the smaller number is the bridge size. If you’re petite and you’re glasses are listed as 46 x 18, then you probably want to look for a similar size. If you get a frame that’s 52 x 16, it’ll seem very wide in comparison.
Don’t Forget Sunglasses
If you need glasses for driving, you might want some prescription sunglasses too. Off-the-shelf sunglasses might mean you don’t meet the legal standard for driving.
Prescription sunglasses can be any frame you like with a tint or polarised lens added. Transition style lenses (lenses that go dark in the sunshine) don’t tend to work well behind a windscreen, so these won’t be enough for drivers. If you didn’t want a separate pair of prescription sunglasses, you could opt for clip-on sunglasses to go over your regular specs instead.
Glasses Frames I Chose Online
I’m no stranger to ordering prescription eyeglasses online, so I already had in mind what I was looking for. I’ve got quite a big head that’s broad at the temples. My face tapers towards my chin, and when I weigh a little less, my chin looks quite pointy and my face is more heart-shaped.
This is probably one of the easiest shapes to buy for. I wanted two contrasting frames that look different enough that people know I’m wearing different specs.
I chose a transparent champagne coloured plastic pair that was an oblong shape.
I deliberately chose a larger frame so I could wear these when I’m driving at night and I’d get a good field of view. I’ve only got a small distance prescription so I didn’t need to worry about heavy lenses and I knew they they wouldn’t look thick.
The second pair I chose was something a little different.
This was a rounded mustard coloured pair. I do tend to think more angular glasses suit me best, but I love the look of round ones so I thought it was worth breaking the rules for!