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In Praise of Glasses. My Favorite Pairs for This Season and Beyond

Glasses can add style, cred, and intelligence to our look. Sheri Radel Rosenberg breaks down her fav frames and the must-haves for the frame wardrobe

As someone who has made a career as a “creative professional,” I’ve seen my share of cool glasses. From thick black art director frames to custom Chrome Hearts numbers to outsized aviators, wearing good glasses is an excellent form of self-expression, but it also connotes intelligence, cred, and a bit of quirk if that’s your vibe. Take Iris Apfel, who has her collection and noted that glasses became not just a fashion thing but a necessity after her eyesight got worse. 

“Many years later, when I was much older and truly needed them, I thought, Well, if I’m going to have to wear glasses, I might as well have GLASSES. So I took out the biggest pair I had, and I had lenses put into them.”

Stylish Readers

And with my beloved Gen X hitting their 50s and then some, I think the uptick of fabulous readers that don’t look like those awful drugstore specs is mainly due to many of us aging, needing glasses, but wanting to be stylish vs fuddy-duddy.

Take hot new brand Caddis whose tagline is “readers don’t have to suck” and call themselves the “anti-anti-aging brand.” Though I am not a millennial and don’t necessarily require all the brands I consume to align with my values, I dig this big time. And further, I very much dig their glasses and love the blue-tinted lens vibe, a big trend for eyeglasses this season.

And though I don’t need readers yet, I do need glasses. I have double astigmatism and am incredibly near-sighted. So I ran into Caddis in the West Village, found these babies, bought them without a prescription, and had my local optical shop make lenses. They are super YSL in vibes, and my taste in frames is more masculine than feminine, and I adore these. I love the way influencer Grece Ghanem rocks this style, and she’s a great source of visual inspiration. These are amazing too, ps, as are these from my beloved Moscot (more on them in a minute).

Issimo x L.G.R – La Mamma
Celine Eyewear

Favs

So what are some of my other favorites? 

I have had my dark olive pair of Celine glasses for years, and they are still my absolute favorite (pictured here). I’m not one for petite frames, even though I have a narrow face, and I think big glasses are so much chicer. Even though those tiny Matrix-inspired sunglasses had a moment recently, they are not for me.

This pair of Celines is super fabulous if you’re on the market. Classic chic.

Celine Eyewear Square tortoiseshell-acetate glasses

Now about Moscot, the New York family “glassier” names all their glasses with mostly Yiddish phrases. Anderson Cooper sports these specs, but I’ve always been a fan of their Vilda frames, which I own in sunglass form in tortoise. They are so iconic and classic, and their lenses are top quality, which I will pay extra to have. Incidentally, “vilda” means wild in Yiddish, so I’ll take that.

Moscot Vilda

Unfortunately, Warby Parker, who makes lovely frames at an even lovelier price, is not for me. I have several pairs from them, and the lenses either fog up, scratch, or don’t feel substantial enough. It turns out you get what you pay for and, with my prescription, that cost is steep. If you love them, I would suggest purchasing their frames and getting your lenses elsewhere if that’s a sticking point for you. You can also do that with vintage frames from the flea market.

If you are up for something more feminine and sexy, a cat-eye a la Marilyn Monroe is always a good idea. I love these and also these from Tom Ford.

Tom Ford Slight Rounded Square Optical Frame

There is nothing more classic than an aviator

I also think there is nothing more classic than an aviator. Just ask Joe Biden or any number of people who rock this standout style. I love this updated take which offers blue light protection from all of our time screen staring, and if you want something with an aviator vibe that feels super fresh, this pair from Barton Perreira is just gorgeous. Incidentally, Grand Central Optical in Grand Central Station is one of my favorite spots to buy glasses in the city. There is a guy there that is my brother from another mother and knows exactly what looks good on my face and what I like. My last pair of gold wireframes from Chanel are still some of my favs of all time, and I love the look of a wireframe for dressier occasions. 

Barton Perreira Astria

On that note, that is the only time I don’t love wearing glasses. When I have to get dolled up for an event or a wedding, glasses can be a challenge. I love the idea of something clear and not too bold to not distract from the rest of my look. I love these for something neutral or these Pradas for something a bit more feminine.

Prada PR 62WV

A great pair of glasses is a fabulous accessory

Regardless of your style and prescription, a great pair of glasses is a fabulous accessory. And as someone who is fashion-obsessed, I have many pairs to switch in and out depending on my mood and occasion. A friend who swears by Warby Parker and a red lip once told me not to get Lasik because perhaps I would not look as interesting without glasses. Point taken. And I still think about Lasik every day but have not yet gotten around to it. But here’s the deal. You can buy cheap glasses, or you can spend a mint. The point is, there are tons of options, but here is my list of “must-haves” if you are building a wardrobe of frames:

  • A pair of classic aviator sunglasses
  • A pair of tortoise or black plastic sunglasses (Wayfarer-like)
  • A pair of vintage-looking 70s plastic frames 
  • A pair for dress up
  • A pair for just because (pick your poison and have fun with it)

So channel your inner James Dean or Marilyn Monroe or whoever makes you happy. Glasses are truly a wonderful way to see the world a little more clearly and, of course, with style.

See medical disclaimer below. ↓

1 COMMENT

  1. You are funny and how do you afford a glasses wardrobe with an astigmatism? I have one also and it makes new glasses tres cher. I bought three new pairs a few years ago and it took one year to finally put on one of them and the other still hangs on my door in the original bag. I live in fear of buyer’s remorse even though they are totally cool. I’m cursed. Not a Warby Parker fan as they have a few styles in multiple colors and none of the styles ever look good on me. The key to buying glasses is to bring and objective and honest friend!

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The ideas expressed here are solely the opinions of the author and are not researched or verified by AGEIST LLC, or anyone associated with AGEIST LLC. This material should not be construed as medical advice or recommendation, it is for informational use only. We encourage all readers to discuss with your qualified practitioners the relevance of the application of any of these ideas to your life. The recommendations contained herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. You should always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any new treatment or stopping any treatment that has been prescribed for you by your physician or other qualified health provider. Please call your doctor or 911 immediately if you think you may have a medical or psychiatric emergency.

Sheri Radel Rosenberghttps://unapologeticstyle.substack.com/
Sheri Radel Rosenberg is a Philly-born, Brooklyn-based writer who explores style, beauty, culture, and midlife with wit, warmth, and wisdom. Her story includes successful forays in the worlds of trend forecasting, ad agency photo production, ghostwriting, and strategic messaging development for fashion and beauty brands - all while amassing a slip dress collection that would make any Gen Xer proud. At the dawn of social media, Sheri launched her personal blog–which combines her passion for writing with her style obsession–and she hasn’t looked back. As Style Editor for the AGEIST, she’s inspired by the styles of the 70s and the 90s, along with all the beautiful people she sees daily in NYC.

 

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