Reading Glasses Depot

Big & Tall

I am surrounded by tall men…my husband is 6 feet, my brother is 6″3″, my father is 6’2″, my father-in-law is 6’4″, and my grandfathers were well over 6 feet- in fact, my maternal grandfather was the shortest man in his family, placing him at 6’4″.  {All this begs the question where my tiny little son came from?  Fortunately, he is cute as a button, so he’ll just need to find an equally short girl, and he’ll be just fine.}

Reading frames that fit your frame!

Anyway, one thing about tall men is that they’re often large-featured, too.  Many men, even those with less height, are just bigger guys- barrel-chested, thick, strapping men.  Hence, the beginning of the “Big and Tall” store, where these strapping men could finally find clothes that fit properly.

Interestingly, it’s not just the clothes that need to be altered.  If you’re a big or tall man, everything you wear needs to be proportionate- we all remember what happens to a “fat guy in a little coat.”

As you can see, everything needs to be bigger to appropriately flatter your size, including your accessories and reading glasses.  Here’s a great pair if designer reading glasses that are oversized “just so” to fit your frame.

Julian frames are oversized, and come in 3 colors: espresso (pictured), moss, and caramel.

As you shop, just remember to try things on and take someone (a wife, girlfriend, or a very good guy friend) who will be honest in whether the garment, accessory, or glasses look right.

Penelope Garcia is not just a happy hacker, she’s also a fashion icon for the rest of us- you know those of us who are real people.  Penelope (aka Kristin Vangsness) solves FBI conundrums while sporting an alternative vintage look every episode.  She wears vibrant colors that come close to mirroring her endearing feistiness.  Penelope’s flirty look is much to be admired.

A cool "geek" look.

A brighter look.

A huge part of Penelope’s look is her ever-changing frames.  As usual, here are my “inspired-by” reading glasses:

Havemeyer

Striking

Gwyneth

Pearl St

Sidney Place

In the power of Penelope, the Queen of all Knowledge, go forth and express yourself.

Rick Moonen

How to Look Sauve 101

There’s little I like more than a put-together look.  Looking sauve and debonaire in a chef’s jacket is nothing short than a miracle…but that’s Rick Moonen.  Well-spoken, witty, and ever fashionable, Rick Moonen takes sauve and debonaire to a whole new level.  I love his crisp, clean-cut look that speaks volumes about the comfort he feels in his own skin.

With nothing more than a black chef jacket and a starched pair of jeans, Moonen’s best accessory is his eyewear.  Whether judging or competing on Top Chef, Rick Moonen sports classic, but strong frames that draw attention to his eyes, of course, and his equally strong features.

As a man, presenting yourself confidently is key in making a good impression.  So, if you’re cool enough to get a massage at Whole Foods after doing your competition shop, maybe you’re cool enough to wear these reading glasses:

Lincoln

Hubert

Studied

Go ahead- make an impression.  It’s hard to ignore “debonaire.”

You don’t have to be a Top Chef Master to Make the Cut

You may or may not be a fan of Top Chef, or its spin-off, Top Chef: Masters, but it’s hard not to notice the style of some of the contestants.  Let’s take Susan Feniger.

Susan Feniger

Susan cooked her way to the finals of Top Chef: Masters, which is a culinary achievement and honor.  And even though she was recently eliminated, we can’t help but notice her fun flair.   I personally am a lover of real people, with real figures.  Susan is not your typical size 0, 6-foot model- she is a real woman who lives a real life.  {Remember- never trust a skinny cook.}  Just by looking at her style, you can immediately deduce that Susan knows who she is and she is completely comfortable with herself.  I am always in awe of people, especially women, who are comfortable in their own skin.  From her tortoise specs to her orange Converse, Susan tells a story of where she comes from and where she’s going, and I’d like to hear it.

And since I focus on (pun intended) the glasses side of things, let’s take at look at those round, tortoise shell frames. Here’s what I found on the reading glass front:

Luna

A half-rimmed pair of reading glasses

Sugar Babe

A fun variation on color, while still going round

Diane

An ever-popular Amy Saks design

Soto

A fun variation of shape, while still going tortoise

Whether you go tortoise or round, or a totally different direction altogether, the important thing is to be you and to embrace that.  All cliches aside, it’s time to enjoy what you offer the world!

For me…for you…Dawg

Randy Jackson of American Idol sports a pretty sweet look.  To get noticed as a guy, and one with a less than ideal physique at that, on a show with countless gorgeous contestants is quite a feat indeed.  I personally do not believe that you should have to have a perfect body or face to make an impression- therefore, I love Randy Jackson because he embodies style and normalness.  What Randy brings to the table is confidence in himself and who he is.  To try a bold look or even to be well-established in your own normal look, you too have to be confident in yourself.  Look how well he pulls off that tie…you have to be a bold man to pull that tie off.  So, for me, for you, Randy, you’re in it to win it.

In it to Win it

Above all else, Randy Jackson is known for his eye wear.  The problem is it can be quite spendy, and all you need is a rockin’ pair of readers.  So, here are some great, more affordable options for reading glasses that are as bold {but not as expensive} as Randy’s.

I LOVE Renew.

Sleek black frames with clear accents.

Bowery is pretty awesome, too.

I love the brown plaid accents.

Lastly I offer you Roebling St.

With these, you an throw in a little color.

Good luck, Dawg.

{photo credit}

Jack Shephard

We’ve discussed Sawyer, Ben Linus, and Desmond Hume from LOST, and how they each rocked out their frames in their own way.  It just wouldn’t be right to leave out Dr. Jack Shephard, the conflicted, but sworn to do no harm surgeon. From season 1 to his last days on the island, Jack is constant, someone we can trust to make the right choices.  It’s not that Jack doesn’t stray from time to time, but that’s due to a broken and heavy heart that compels him to ultimately make the biggest sacrifice of his life.

Another thing we can count on from Jack is his look-from scrubs to jeans and a tee-shirt, Jack looks pulled together and confident in his everyday look.  And just because he doesn’t need reading glasses doesn’t mean he can’t look super-cool in some sweet shades. Here Matthew Fox sports black, darkly tinted sun glasses.

Jack is always cool, especially in the sun.

For you, my bespectacled friend, is an equally cool, dark sun glass option that also provides magnification.  So, you, too, can relax in the sun…and still be able to read!

Slick

Nice dark frames

Just because you need reading glasses doesn’t mean you can’t look uber-stylish at the same time.  With summer around the corner, you can’t go wrong with Slick.

{photo credit}

What’s the deal with Desmond?

From the moment the hatch was invaded, we fell in love with Desmond Hume. Unlike the usual appeal of Sawyer-types, Desmond offered us softness and charm. He pined away for his one true love, Penny, and worked every minute to return to her. Not only was Desmond devoted to his woman, he was also a loyal and faithful friend to all on the island. From protecting Charlie to reuniting the LOST in the end, Desmond proved himself as a noble leader with a lot of character. And, it’s not that he wasn’t darn cute, he just had a subtler style that took its time to work its magic. However, by the end of the show, any scene with Desmond was better for it.

What's not to like?

Getting his look

Instead of donning a jumpsuit and pushing a button every 108 minutes, why not throw on a cool scarf and these awesome shades?

Wave Sun-Readers

Sun Readers

Gels Sun-Readers

As an added bonus, you can sport these bad boys and still read a menu or a magazine.

{photo credits}

Ben Linus

From his early days as Henry Gale to the fully-developed character of Benjamin Linus, Michael Emerson has captured America’s wrath and, interestingly enough, her heart by the end of LOST.  There is simply no denying that, though small in frame, Ben Linus was nothing if not clever, conniving, and powerful.  In fact, Ben Linus can make anything sinister.

Spectacular Specs

I think a lot of it is his super-awesome frames.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again- making an impression traces it way back to the details.  Ben Linus’ glasses are spectacular. Rather than big and square, Linus opts for a little subtlety with these circular specs.  Make no mistake- it was the right choice for the genius mind behind them.

Circular Specs

As promised, here are some Ben Linus-inspired circular specs.

Toby

Black-rimmed circular specs

Luna

A cool half-frame option

Just by donning these spectacular specs, you, too, can make an entrance no one will forget.  Don’t forget to check back soon for more looks from LOST.

{photo credits}

LOST

Whether you sat on the edge of your seat for the finale of LOST this week or not, there’s no denying the appeal of the LOST men.  From Sawyer to Jack to Desmond, and even to Ben Linus, the men of LOST could not help but attract the ladies- on and off screen.

Today, let’s focus on Sawyer…no difficult task, I assure you.  Even though Sawyer was gruff and macho, his mismatched frames were a dead give-away for his softer side…the well-read and educated side.

Only Sawyer could pull these babies off.

It seems that with the passage of time and several off-island excursions, Sawyer was able to get his hands on some more attractive frames.  The consistent theme for Sawyer was a big, bold set of frames that can only be described as strong and masculine.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Where can you find these frames, you ask?  Always eager to serve my fellow mankind, here are some great Sawyer-inspired options that also display strength and masculinity.

Insight

Notice the square tortoise shell. It's a strong look.

Julian

{espresso}

Clark Kent

It's hard to go wrong with Clark Kent.

Check back soon for some more LOST looks and how to get them.

{photo credits}

Rocking Out Reading Glasses

I am seriously in awe of people who rock out reading glasses.  Last week I was waiting at the airport for my sister-in-law when I ran into a friend disembarking from a long flight back from her home country of South Africa.  She had caught a red eye from her home back to Scotland and was eager to get home and refamiliarize herself with her bed.  While her eyes and flat hair spoke the story of how tired she was, I was quite impressed with how cute she still looked!  Jane wore lightweight, comfy linen pants and a blue tee-shirt with a stylish sweatshirt.  She tied it all together with a pair of equally stylish back and blue frames.

Pretty snazzy, eh?

As usual, I am impressed with how the details lend a hand to the whole look.  Instead of looking haggard and stressed, my friend looked put together and chic.  Who doesn’t want to be noticed as stylish and trendy?