How many of you had horrible, embarrassing glasses growing up? Oh, I SO did. I got to thinking about my years with glasses recently, after the kind folks at Lookmatic offered to hook me up with a new pair of specs. It couldn’t have come at a better time, since my previous pair were scratched beyond belief and about two prescriptions out of date (rendering them only wearable in the house).
Can I just put this out there and say that I’m so glad that glasses became a vogue, chic thing to have as of a few years ago? I definitely never felt that way when I was a kid. I first had to get glasses when I was 9, in the third grade. My prescription, as it’s been ever since, was pretty ludicrous, and my glasses at the time even more so. Side note: this isn’t something to brag about, but I will anyway: in nearly 20 years with corrective eyewear of some sort, I have only ever found one person who had a prescription worse than mine. I can’t believe I’m sharing this today, but here is a picture of me in my first pair of glasses. This was probably taken circa 1993.
WHOA BABY! Check out those turquoise frames! What you can’t see is that these actually had white specks throughout the turquoise color, almost like a splatter paint effect. SO nineties. I was obsessed with them. I think I had those glasses for at least a year or two, until I transitioned into equally gigantic round brown frames for the duration of middle school and early high school:
It’s funny looking back at pictures of yourself. On the one hand, wow, that was not a good look, but on the other, there are things about yourself that you carry with you into adulthood, good and bad, and I love seeing those little bits in photos of me as a youngin’. Good stuff.
Anyway, I used Lookmatic’s virtual try-on feature to select the Dane frames, which are totally different than any pair of glasses I’ve ever owned. I look in the mirror and think to myself, “Are you living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn now?” I have to admit, when I put them on, I feel like I can pull off a totally different style. But usually, you can find me wearing these at home on the weekend, on those lazy days when putting in contacts seems much less desirable than staying in comfy clothes and watching movies all day. You know, the ‘glasses days.’ Lucy gets it!
All glasses pictured above via here. This post was brought to you by Lookmatic. All opinions, stories, and really embarrassing 7th grade photos are clearly my own.
I own a pair of lookmatic glasses and I get SOOO many compliments on them!! I bought them when they were offering 20% off so they were basically free in the glasses world :)
That first pic is too cute! I have never had to wear glasses but those Dane frames make me want to!
here’s a funny story. i always wanted glasses, just like i wanted braces. but when we were at the ole eye dr and he was all “you need glasses” i started crying hysterically. So looking into lookmatic now!
Haha thank you for sharing your embarrassing photos with us. Your new glasses are so cute!
Ahhh, love the ubiquitous Texas kid photo with the bluebonnets! We may or may not have some similar photos where I’m sporting some unfortunate bangs.
Haha I absolutely loved this. Truth is, I’ve always hated my glasses (I’ve had them since second grade, when the coke-bottle glasses epidemic was in full force). About a year ago, I picked up a pair of Ray Ban glasses and it completely changed my opinion…I realized they could be CHIC! Love your new ones!
Ok, this post is so cute! Love love the last photos. Purrty girl :)
These look great! Being someone who has to wear glasses b/c contact totally freak me out, I can appreciate it!
Chelsea
Haute Child in the City
I’m on the lookout for a new pair. These are all so sweet and chic!
Aww!! You look so cute in the first pic!! Loving your new glasses…they look great on you! I think I’m due for some new glasses :)
xo
Styled By The Moon
I too rocked really embarrassing large round glasses until somewhere into junior yr of high school. Love the new ones, they look great on you!
Hottie! Ryan has always been a glasses wearer and there are some real wire frame round GEMS in the family albums. My best friend got glasses in 4th grade and I was SO jealous. Of course now I need a pair for driving and whenever my eyes are tired (hello, computer!) and I don’t even have a pair currently. Whoops!
Can you believe in high school I actually wanted glasses? Now that I need them I wish I didn’t, but at least they can be stylish!
xo, Kenzie
http://www.CaveGirlintheCity.com
I just wrote about wearing glasses Tuesday (http://caviardreamsblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/conversationality-getting-to-know-me/)! Although I haven’t worn them all my life, I don’t know the luxury of contacts. Good thing you look wonderful in your frames! Even back in the day, I think you were a cutie haha.
The glasses I had growing up were horrendous, think gross 90s oversized light pink plastic. eww. In high school and college I preferred being blind than wearing my glasses, only putting them on when forced (such as driving). Since getting my current gorgeous oversized red nerd frames, I wear them 24/7! Love being a glasses girl!!! xoxo Kristina
I have a pair of Lookmatic glasses too, and they rock!!! I have to agree, so much different than any other pairs I’ve owned – and they make me feel cute! Is that possible?! I sure think you do!!!!
i love this. you basically told my story growing up. being an awkward kid makes you a better person, i think! and i love that all of these companies are making it so affordable to buy new glasses! finally!
I love your turquoise frames! I’m sure someone in Williamsburg would love to own them right now. Vintage is so hipster, right?
Working at the computer has killed my eyes. I feel like my prescription changes every 6 months!
mine (in 3rd grade as well) were magenta. and GIANT. totally horrifying. mine are scratched to high heaven now, so this is so well-timed! lots of new intros from you this week, lady.
and nice lucy cameo :)
I had glasses just like your round brown ones when I was in middle school! I was so excited to have glasses, but looking back, my pictures are equally embarrassing!
My eyes are -7.5. I am basically blind!! Love those specs.
Love those glasses on you! My first pair of glasses were about the size of my face, but no one could tell me they weren’t cute! I just had my annual eye appt, so I will look into these!
Awww you werre such a cutie when you were younger! And still a cutie now with those chic glasses!
xx
Holly Foxen Wells
GlamourMash
✚ mine were almost just like yours- green with specs in them and way too big for my face. I wore them for YEARS. unbelievable!! ✚
I promise you that you are not the only one out there with horrible eye sight! I also have had glasses since the third grade and finally got contacts in the 7th grade when they were a new thing. Despite having contacts my eye sight has stayed as it always was … a -5.00!!!! I am horribly blind when I have no contacts or glasses on and ALWAYS have to have them or else I wouldn’t be allowed to drive. I was embarrassed as a child, but can confidently say now those awkward years are over even though I still wear glasses and contacts. LOL.
Ha, sounds familiar! Also, I rest my case…my Rx is far, far (FAR) worse than a -5.00 :)
Yep, mine too. My latest was between a -10 and -11, and I’ve just found out I can only wear contacts very occasionally (instead of all day, every day). On the hunt for new, pretty glasses right now!
I used to have those big, sexy rounds as a kid too! :)
I recently just purchased some Banana Republics that are chunky & on the rounder realm of glasses.
I dig them.
Love,
Eat Cake
hahaha, I LOVE this. growing up, I had the thickest, Coke-bottle glasses (we’re talking like, -10 here… completely legally blind without them) and the ONLY frames they made in the late 80s and early 90s were always those insane plastic multi-colours! I think I gravitated towards bright purple as well. So much awkwardness. Made the switch to contacts eventually but it’s nice to hear there are others who shared my pain! x