Trying On Eyeglass Frames: Bold or Soft?
I usually try on clothes for the blog, but this week I switched gears and went looking for new eyeglass frames, which turned out to be its own special kind of identity crisis.
Choosing frames is oddly personal. They sit right in the middle of your face, announce themselves before you’ve said a word, and somehow manage to make you look either polished and interesting or like you made one unfortunate decision under fluorescent lighting.
So today, I’m sharing the contenders.
Try not to let my expression sway you. I did my best to keep my face consistent, but people kept coming into the store, I started chatting, and lost track of what I was doing. There’s also quite a bit of glare on the lenses, so you’ll need to look past that and focus on the frames themselves.
I found several fun options, and I’d love your help narrowing them down.
The Franny has an oval shape with a slight cat-eye tilt that gives it some lift without going too far into “retired drama teacher.” The toffee tortoise feels warm and classic, and the shape is soft enough to be easy to wear every day. It also comes in Jet Black, but I think the tortoise has more personality.
The Marisol has a soft, round shape with a more noticeable bridge and bolder temples, so it makes a bit more of a statement without feeling heavy. The Nordic blue is unexpected, which I liked immediately. It’s not loud, but it’s definitely not apologizing for itself either. It also comes in Toffee Tortoise if you prefer a safer choice, but where’s the fun in that?
The Fara is a classic cat-eye with a lighter, more refined feel than some of the chunkier versions out there. The mix of crystal acetate and metal keeps it from looking too sweet or too severe. It has enough shape to be interesting, but not so much that it starts wearing you instead of the other way around.
The Ezra is a softly rounded metal frame made in Japan from lightweight titanium, with delicate detailing along the eyewire and nose bridge. This one feels a little more intellectual, a little more understated. It also comes in polished gold, but the silver feels cleaner and more modern to me.
The Rocco has a strong brow line and a softly squared bottom, which gives it a more architectural feel. The wide temples and gradient colorway make it a little bolder than some of the others, so this one definitely has presence. It’s the kind of frame that says you notice details and aren’t afraid to make a statement.
The Naima is an oversized acetate frame in a soft rosewater color. It has a playful, slightly glamorous feel without tipping into anything too flashy. Oversized frames can be tricky because they either look chic or like you borrowed your aunt’s readers from 1989, but this one manages to stay on the right side of that line.
The Wright has round lenses and a keyhole bridge, and it comes in several colors as well as a low-bridge fit option. That’s especially helpful if frames tend to slide down your face or sit awkwardly on your cheeks, which is enough to make even a beautiful frame irritating by lunchtime. The rosemary crystal color is subtle and interesting, which I always appreciate.
The Torrez is described as square, but to my eye it reads more softly rounded, which is probably why I liked it. The combination of tortoise fronts and metal temples gives it a nice balance of structure and lightness, and the adjustable nose pads are always worth mentioning because fit matters more than most of us want to admit. A frame can be gorgeous, but if it pinches or slides, it’s not the one.
I like several of these for completely different reasons, which isn’t especially helpful when the goal is to narrow them down.
And finally, if you’re fortunate enough to only need cheaters, I envy you. They’re much more affordable, so you can play with lots of pairs.
So I’m curious what you think. Do you prefer the bolder frames or the softer ones?
Jennifer, this is so timely! I need new glasses, and I always agonize over which frames to pick. On your face my favorite frame is the Wright, with the Franny coming in second. Let us know which frame you end up buying!
I like the Fara and the Naima the best on you, with probably the Fara edging out the Naima slightly. That lavender color sings on you.
Just my opinion…get what speaks to you.
I loved the Franny and the Fara
The best!! All were very nice pretty lady! You make them all look good!! Thanks for letting us help!!
I like the Rocco.
Hi I hate choosing glasses. I like the shape of the Franny frame but not the colour.I liked the shape and colour of the Fara but not the metal side decoration. Ilked the Ezra but thought it may be too big for your face. Iliked the Naima and the Wright for shape and colour. This is why I hate choosing I have to wear them all the time so Im really fussy. Good luck
I like the first pair on you, toffee tortoise. The reading glasses I liked you in the peepers that have maximum blue light blocking for screen and the eyebobs premium reading glasses.
They all looked nice! I liked the Marisol best, they looked the most modern, or the Franny. I liked the Ezra the least…
Hello Jennifer,
I, too, will need new eyeglasses this coming May. Your email could not have been more timely as it gave me ideas for what I might purchase. The Fara Frame with Iris Crystals looks absolutely stunning on you!! That would be my pick! Lynn
I liked the first frame, Franny frame , I also like any of the peepers and the eye bobs. The heaver bolder frames seem to wear you. But I know fashion says the bolder frame are more in style and they definitely make a statement.
I love the blog and your fashion advise. Thanks
Softer ones I think look’s better. But won’t it be great if we could afford three or four pairs. Then depending on what the outfit or our mood we could wear different glasses that day.
The shape of the Franny frames looks very good but the color of the Fara is beautiful. It looks like the frames are from Warby Parker. They have a nice selection and they have many widths to choose from. I prefer a frame with color.
Franny frame
WOW! Love the frames on you. Definitely a hard choice. I think the FRANNY FRAME IN TOFFEE TORTOISE and the FARA FRAME IN IRIS CRYSTAL WITH RIESLING look great.
Franny
Naima
Eyebob
I vote for the Fara Frame because it has just the right weight for your face without looking too heavy, plus the blue is very pretty and the metal bits at the corners give it a modern touch.
Hi Jennifer. I have worn glasses all my life and know how hard it is to find just the right pair. I like the Franny, the Eyebobs reading glasses and the Peepers on you. Good luck finding that pair that makes you feel the best version of yourself!
Beth
I like “Fara”. Your opening sentence that choosing glasses is a personal crisis, made me smile but also cringe. I can only afford one or of glasses b/c my lenses are so expensive. So every time I go to buy new ones it feels like I have to make monumental decision. I personally have to have frames that are almost weightless due to my lenses and also a very narrow bridge.
Thanks for your blog
I love the Fara frame on you!
Franny in tortoise, I my favorite.
Wow! This was harder than picking out my own frames. Lol! My 2 favorites are the Franny and the Naima. My 3rd choice would be the Ezra if you want the popular large frame. The only thing you need to be careful with is that they are so light weight that they can get knocked off easily. You are so petite that it seemed like the big heavier/darker frames took over your face so we were seeing frames, not you and your pretty eyes. Good luck!