See Summer Better with Warby Parker
/I know for many people, particularly in Southern California, sunglasses are a practical necessity. But they are also a fashionable accessory that can easily and quickly change up your look, giving a simple ensemble a glamorous vibe, or an edgy vibe, or a hipster vibe. But due to the variety of facial shapes and features, a simple pair of frames can look completely different on two different people.
Warby Parker is an online frames store, carrying both eyeglasses and sunglasses frames. Since it's near impossible to pick out a pair of frames that suits your face just by looking at pictures on line, they have a great free home try-on program. You just go to their site and pick out five frames you would like to sample, they ship them to you (free), you pick your favorite and then send them back (free again).
Warby Parker asked me if I'd be interested in Seeing Summer Better with a pair of their frames, so here are my 5 try-ons and my thoughts.
Jennings
I thought these were going to be bigger than they ended up being. It's funny, because when I put these ones on and looked in the mirror, I didn't really like them, but in these pictures I think I look ok. You can't really tell well in these picture either, but the frames are a dark turquois-y blue, which I liked. Mostly these felt very basic to me. Give me a white t, jeans and a baseball cap and I'm ready for a day at the park.
Batten
Ok, obviously you can pretty much never go wrong with a classic pair of aviators. The only challenge I usually find is just getting the right size lenses for your face. I felt like these were a good size. Simple metal frames, basic grey lense. In the online pictures I thought the lenses were more blue that they are in person, but these still look fine (come in gold as well.)
Preston
I think these were my least favorite, but only because I like bigger lenses. Sunglasses are partial face protection from the sun, so the bigger the lenses, the more protection. And these were just a bit too small for my face. I like the overall style, and they were comfortable, but just not my perfect fit. They do come in this very cool blue marblewood color scheme that I liked on line, but I think I maybe was sent the wrong color combo, because I think these were the whisky tortoise style.
Banks
The biggest frames that came, I really liked the sea smoke tortoise pattern. These felt big and glamorous, but not TOO big, and were almost a cat eye, but not. Classic yet modern. My only complain with this style was that the temples were really wide, too big for my head. This could have just been because these are the sample pair, and it could possibly be adjusted once your new purchased pair is delivered.
Downing
These ones I didn't think I would like when I initially pulled them out of the box, but this is the exact reason you should try glasses on. While simple and black, I felt like these gave me the slightest hipster vibe, like I should be down in Venice and wearing boyfriend jeans and a vintage T. But I could also see them with simple office attire. Versatility is always good.
My Favorite: Banks
As sun protection really is a big selling point for me, my favorites ended up being the Banks. I felt like these were versatile too. Second place was the Batten aviators. I think with these two classic styles you have a good foundation of eye wear that covers most occasions.
Go check out Warby Parker and try some on for yourself. I just went back to the site and see new styles that I like as well. May have to do another round of try-ons....
Which ones are your favorites?
