Reading Glasses Depot

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.

Style Always Matters

Just because you're getting older doesn't mean you have to get frumpy, too.

There’s never an age you reach where style doesn’t matter.  That’s the problem- if you even start thinking that, you’ve opened the door to frumpiness.  You give the Frumpy Fairy an inch, and she’ll take a mile.  Soon you’ll be wearing moo-moos and slippers publicly.  That is definitely not okay.

Being Trendy

You’ve gotta take the bull by the horns, so to speak, and look it in the eye.  Just because I’m not 30…or 40…or 50…anymore doesn’t mean I’m not cute and trendy!  That’s right.  It’s time to be the grandmother your grandkids can’t wait to introduce to their friends because you’re just that stylish!

Being trendy doesn’t mean you wear ridiculously tight jeans or skimpy tops, by the way.  There are many options for keeping up with trends.  One of the easiest ways is with accessories.  In fact, one of the most fun (and cheapest!) ways to keep up with fashion is by changing out your accessories, such as jewelry, reading glasses, handbag, and shoes.  That sounds fun, doesn’t it?

Things to Look for

• Big, over-sized handbags (I had you at big, didn’t I?)
• Bright colors
• Long necklaces (These are particularly flattering no matter your shape)
• Flat shoes (praise the Lord)
• Thick belts worn at the waist, over an untucked shirt (*the bigger the belt, the more thinning it is)
• Designer reading glasses that pop with color

For instance, as it is spring, picture this: a crisp pair of linen trousers, a white tunic, a thick brown braided belt, loose at the waist.  You could pair that outfit with ANY jewelry and readers!   Look at these precious glasses:

These orange-ish readers are colorful, but still have a neutral feel. Great for any occasion!

Accessorizing your best feature

Every accessory tells a story- what are yours saying?

You may not love your shape or size, but the fact of the matter is everyone has one beautiful feature  in common- the eyes.  There is not a pair of eyes that is not lovely, be it the shape, the color, or the brightness.  And since you want to draw attention to your best feature (your eyes), this is one area where it’s definitely worth spending a little to get a lot of look.

Your reading glasses should enhance your appearance and also reflect your personality.  Therefore it’s smart to consider 3 things as you select your reading glasses:

• your face shape
• your hair style
• your own sense of style

Your face shape

Which shape are you?

There are no specific rules to choosing the “right” glasses.  You just want to flatter your face, and therefore your entire look.

• For example, if you have a round face, you might think about a medium-sized, sleek pair of glasses, such as the Kelly, to draw a contrast between the 2 shapes and avoid too-small or too-big frames that will make your face seem rounder than it is.
• On the other hand, if you have a square face, you might want to wear round or oval frames such as Eyebook and avoid angular squarish shapes that will just blend in with your face.
• If you have an oval face, try a mod look or small, geometric styles.  Oval faces can try a lot of different shapes- not much to avoid.  Go with your gut.
• For a heart-shaped face, complement it with slender, rounded, or square frames, and avoid those that are very wide at the top and tend to unbalance the face.
• For a long face, larger square frames with a strong top line are the most flattering.  Smaller square frames can unbalance the oval face.

Your hair style

This may seem odd, but if you have a consistent hair style, it might be prudent to g=factor that in as you select frames.

• For really short hair or consistently pulled back hair, you might want to have designs on the sides themselves, like Amalfi.
• If you hair is wispy or choppy and falls in your face a lot, extra designs might be too much, but you can always throw in some color with the Havemeyer St..
• For elegant hair styles, consider a refined, sleek look, such as Striking.
• If you change your hair a lot, or just want change, of course, you can have several different pairs of reading glasses.  Think of work, evening, going out, staying in… or even to suit a particular outfit!

Your own style

Always, always consider your own style!  If you are conservative and don’t like anything too fru-fru, don’t talk yourself into geometric shapes.  Go with what makes you feel comfortable and confident.  On the flip side, if you love change, try something new!