Choosing the right glasses

Choosing the right glasses can be an absolute minefield. Especially if you're new to wearing glasses, it’s hard to know where to start. It can be equally stressful, for long term glasses wearers. Metal or acetate, heavy or rimless, coloured or neutral, the possibilities seem endless.

However, shopping for your new specs can be a great experience, and we want it to be for you! So here are our top tips for choosing the perfect pair!

Embrace glasses as an accessory, not a necessity

Changing your mindset when choosing new glasses can completely change the experience from a chore to a joy! If you see glasses as a necessary evil, then, of course, it’s going to be a chore. But believe it or not, they are a desirable fashion accessory! In recent years, glasses have become a real part of the fashion accessory scene. Opticians are selling glasses with non-prescription lenses, to people who want to wear them! Embrace this trend with open arms, and make your glasses something you want to put on in the morning. An accessory that finishes your outfit, and adds to your personality.

There’s no exact science

There’s a school of thought that certain face shapes suit certain frame shapes, or that certain skin tones or hair colours can’t wear certain colours. Throw that rule book out of the window! There is a slight theory behind it, just like clothing fashion, but it is most definitely not an exact science, and sometimes the frame that doesn’t tick all the boxes on paper, will be the one that makes you smile! Don’t be constrained by rules - go for what you like and see how you feel. You’re looking for the frames that make you feel good!

Try them all!

Never look at a pair of glasses and assume they won’t suit you! How do you know? Put them on your face and see! The more glasses you try, the more you understand, and learn what you like and don’t like. And trying glasses that definitely don’t suit you, can be just as helpful, if not more so, than the ones that do. So get them all on your face and see how they make you feel!

Bring a friend - but make sure you pick the right one!

An honest friend is useful, but make sure that you chose wisely! You want the friend or family member that tells you when you wear a colour that doesn’t suit you, or that you’ve got food stuck in your teeth!

Take photos

Taking photos of yourself can be very useful. Even if you hate selfies or photos of yourself, it can be a very useful tool to compare different styles on your face and see yourself objectively. This is particularly useful when you’ve narrowed it down to just a few. Take photos, or ask someone to take them for you, and scroll between them, reminding yourself of what you liked about each pair.

Be bold!

Take a step out of your comfort zone and try glasses you like, but think you could never wear. Or try a shape or style you’re convinced won’t suit you. You might be right, but you may find something that you hadn’t considered!

Notice how you feel

Glasses can make you smile, or feel good. Notice how you feel when you look in the mirror. Trust your gut!

It’s your face!

It’s important to remember that you are the one wearing your glasses. So if you’re between a couple, and everyone says they prefer pair 1, but you prefer pair 2 go for it! You’re already down to the best ones at this point, so you’re in a no lose situation. But you are the one wearing these specs, so it’s important that you chose the ones that make you feel good.

Ask for opinions from the experts

The staff in your Opticians practice are usually very experienced. The optical industry is a niche one, due to all the specialised knowledge needed even just to work on reception, so people tend to stay within the sector for a long time, often a lifetime. So use their experience! Imagine how many faces they've seen, and how many glasses they’ve fitted. If you’re lost, they can guide you and make suggestions. If you’re unsure, they will give an honest opinion - no optician wants a customer to walk out with glasses that don’t suit them. It's simply bad for business! So you can expect honest feedback from them when you ask for their opinions. They make even make suggestions that you hadn’t thought of!

Try a personal shopping session

At Framed Opticians, we offer personal shopping sessions, so you can have some dedicated time with an expert, without feeling like you’re wasting someone’s time, or keeping them from other tasks! For the whole session, you are their focus. And there’s absolutely no obligation to buy.

It can be so useful to have this dedicated time to choosing your new frames. Use our knowledge and experience, and let us make it a nicer easier.

To book a personal shopping session with one of our experienced staff members, please give us a call or drop us an email.

We're waiting to help you choose your perfect pair!