Posts Tagged ‘eyewear’

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Dare to be Difficult!

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

As with clothes, shoes and possibly even cars, colour choice can be the make or break decision in picking something you can live with and love. It’s fine to play it safe and go for the classic options of neutral shades, and indeed these are much loved and cherished by a huge segment of the population. But before you go for the easy option, why don’t you walk on the wild side and dare to go for a difficult colour that will make you stand out in the crowd…..

All the tricky colours can work on the right skin tone if you find the right shade. Then you’ll have eyewear that’s brave, bold, and flattering; in a way that truly suits you as an individual. Green is the perfect example. Fair skinned, green eyed, dark haired types look fab in strong and warm emerald or dark apple green. Blondes look fab in acid greens, and olive skins look warm and sultry in sludgy Khaki tones.

White is amazing against dark skin, especially with a tinted lens. Don’t go near it if you’re pale! It’s also great on tanned skin, and gives a stunning contrast if you mix in some black detail.

Orange is only for the brave, but it’s amazing on blazing autumn people, so go for it if you’ve got warm skin and copper toned hair. In a strong and hot shade it’s zingy with black skin. Again it suits a tint in a cooler tone, the perfect combination being hot orange and a cool grey lens.

Yellow is perhaps the hardest colour of all, and over our years in Optics the one we see the least. It’s a lovely accent colour against brown or khaki or even black, but entirely yellow frames are thankfully few and far between. It can bring out the golden highlights in blonde hair, but just choose your shade very carefully!

When trying a bold new colour, take some time getting used to the look. Does the frame light your face up? Bring out the sparkle in your eyes and hair? Or do you look like you need a holiday? Experiment with shade and tone and when you’re picked the perfect colour for you, step out and be daring and difficult!

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Emergency Measures

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

Over our years in practice we’ve seen many ingenious ways that people have made temporary repairs to broken spex. In the process they’ve often caused more damage than the original disaster that has befallen their frame! So here’s what to do and what not do in an eyewear emergency!

Firstly, prevention is always better than cure, so make sure you have an up to date spare pair of specs. A four year old prescription pair will not be useful if you’re illegal to drive in them or can only read huge print, so get online and pick up a cheap duplicate pair. Always make sure you have spare spex with you for driving, being stranded miles from home with a vehicle you can’t drive is not much fun.

When screws have dropped out of hinges we’ve seen frames held together with bent paper clips, plasters (a la Jack Duckworth!) twisted fuse wire and actually sewing around the joints! We’ve had lenses stuck together with black electricians tape, kid’s stickers and cling film, wrapped ingeniously all over the lens! Then there are the impromptu replacements; – a chap borrowing a side from his wife’s Leopard print frame, a side arm made out of a drinking straw, and a big metal staple hammered through a plastic frame bridge. We never fail to be impressed by the genius involved in make do and mend!

So what’s the easy way to deal with all of this? Stay calm! If you have a breakage, and no spare, use a bit of sticky tape to hold things together. Use clear tape and get someone who can actually see what they are doing to put it in place. Don’t get anything sticky inside the joints on frames. Some serious words of warning – NEVER USE SUPER GLUE!! It makes the lenses mist over and will permanently gum up joints which we then can’t repair. It also damages the finish on the frames, and more importantly, it never works. It’s safer and more effective to just use good old sticky tape. We’ll never forget the case of one unfortunate gentleman who had to go to A&E to have his specs removed from his face when he put them on after gluing and got them stuck to his ear…

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Step Back in Time

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

TV is currently steeped in days gone by, as we’re all confused by Ashes to Ashes, dazzled by the style of Mad Men, and of course new Dr Who Matt Smith is looking very retro in his bow tie! Fashion always goes in circles of course, and eyewear is no exception. Sizes are creeping up, shapes are looking distinctly familiar, but the trick is to keep one eye on the past and one on the future……

If you watch Ashes to Ashes you’ll have seem that Gene Hunt’s nemesis, played by Daniel Mays, is sporting a huge combination frame, that is a metal rim with a plastic bar across the top. If you’ve got one of these lurking in a drawer, don’t think you can get away with dusting it off and putting your new prescription in it! The updated version has less shiny metal, and is wider rather than deeper. The new shape is a different proportion to the eighties version, frames were deep then and in danger of wearing permanent grooves in your cheeks! Keep the shape rectangular, not square.

The Fifties cat’s eye shape, upswept at the top edges, is flattering on most women, giving lift to the whole eye area and making the face look slim. This was always worn in small sizes, but to be bang up to date the shape is the same, but super sized! Look for bold colours and interesting side detail. Unleash your inner sexy secretary and drive your man mad!

The preppie John Lennon round metal is creeping back in, but thanks to updated technology and better materials they’re a little less fragile than in the past. Round rarely suits anyone, so go oval. If you’re not brave enough to wear a rounded shape, you can echo the look with a very thin metal in a rectangular frame.

Just like shoulder pads and flares, we never thought we’d wear them again, so pretend you don’t remember them from the first time around and go back to be fashion forward!

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Crystal Clear!

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

If you’re a bit confused about which colour is the new black, or if you’re a cool or a warm colouring, then you may like to try a new neutral this season, in a piece of eyewear that flatter every face, and will go with absolutely everything! So what is this wonder colour, we hear you cry?! Crystal of course, for sparkle, cool chic, and go everywhere simplicity.

Crystal has been around for many years, as those of us who remember the good old NHS specs will remember! It’s at its best in clear, sharp, white tones of transparency, and very cool fading into other colours, like smoky grey or rosy pink. Adding other tones gives you a little warmth if you’re not sure about the stark icy effect.

It’s also good with a patterned layer inlaid in it, retaining the clear finish with a touch of interest. Or look for frames with added sparkle, in the form of stones or metal decoration.

For the boys crystal works well as an accent colour on a plastic frame. The traditional Geek look of heavy plastic frames fading to clear at the lower rim is always in fashion, and lightens the look of a solid frame. Black, grey or tortoiseshell brown is perfect fading to clear.

A word of warning however, if you smoke, steer clear of clear! It will discolour to yellow, so either give up the evil weed or be prepared to have frames that change colour. If you dye your hair you may find that crystal sides will discolour behind the ears, so opt for a crystal front with coloured sides.

With summer brights or cool nude tones, crystal will suit beautifully this season, so the way ahead is totally clear!

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Specs for all Occasions

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

Thanks to the rise of good quality, affordable, fashionable and functional glasses available over the net, spectacle wearers have never had it so good in terms of choice and economy. Gone are the days when we had one pair of glasses that we wore for doing the shopping, work, and posh events. If you’re new to specs wear, or just thinking of updating your eyewear options, here are a few thoughts on what you need to see and look good for Summer!

Work/Daily Wear – you may be a high flying exec, or embroiled in the school run, but either way you need a frame to suit your everyday lifestyle. Think about the clothes you wear, and pick a frame that matches your daily uniform in terms of colour and style. For the office it may need to be sharp, smart, and non-frilly! For a more home based lifestyle, soft colours and detail but not shiny bling. A neutral shade that tones with your hair will match any outfit and make you look co-ordinated with little effort.

Evening Wear – this is an occasion to pile on the bling. Pick some shimmer or sparkle, in a darker colour to suit glam make-up and dramatic jewellery. If you’re an LBD kind of girl then black with diamante will be the perfect accessory. If you like an array of evening wear then you could go for a shiny metal that goes with your usual choice of jewellery.

Sports Wear – If you have a particular penchant for cycling, squash, or swimming, then you may need a specific type of frame or tint to suit your sport. You need to cover the aspects of safety, sun protection, and comfort. There are sport specific tints and frames that will raise your game, so talk to your optician, online or in person for help.

Sun Wear – With the depleted ozone layer and our awareness of eye disease such as Macular Degeneration, we all know that our skin and our eyes need protection in the sun. You can go for prescription sunglasses, which stay dark all the time, or photochromics (Reactions) which will adapt to the light conditions. Prescription sunnies look more like proper sunglasses, but you do have to remember to keep a clear pair with you. Photochromics don’t involve as much chopping and changing, but for some they are never dark enough. Weigh up the pros and cons for your lifestyle before deciding.

Hobby Wear – If you have a specific hobby then you may need a different prescription or type of frame to make life easier. We can alter your prescription for specific distances and situations, and suggest lens types that will work for you. Just tell us what you do and we’ll do the rest!

Mail us anytime if you need a specialist pair of glasses, or for advice on your eye care needs. The choice is endless, and the right eyewear for the right situation will make life much easier!

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Can You Dig It?

Monday, March 29th, 2010

So it’s officially Spring and the sun is finally shining. Time to dust off the gardening gloves and hit the greenhouse, full of vim and vigour for the new growing season. Now before you start madly plating and digging, let’s think about the perfect eyewear to help you see the woods for the tress!

There are three aspects to specs for the garden, physical safety, glare/UV protection and your prescription. So much to think about! So let’s take it easy – safety is fairly straightforward and common sense. Don’t ever garden in glass lenses, pulling up a tough weed or strimming may fling tiny particles up that could shatter your lens. So stick to plastic, with an anti-scratch layer, and wash them before polishing after use. For heavy duty work with a chain saw etc, wear protective goggles over your specs. Many Gardeners end up with nasty scratches across their specs from branches, so preferably wear an old pair rather than your best ones.

If you’re out in the Garden for hours on end, UV can be a problem even on overcast days. Just wearing clear specs gives some protection, but consider investing in a UV coat if your life is spent outdoors. UV can trigger Cataract formation and Age Related Macular Degeneration. If glare bothers you, have a photochromic lens, which change to adapt to the light conditions, useful if you’re out dawn until dusk. If you’re strictly a fair weather gardener then a dark tint may be better, and useful if you snooze off for a well earned siesta!

Prescriptions become difficult once you need help for reading. Bifocals are annoying, as without the middle distance area pruning and separating tiny seedlings is difficult. You also don’t want to mow over your toes! Varifocals are probably the best option, as they allow you to see delicate detail and admire the view. So sort out your eyewear and pray for that Barbeque weather this year!

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High Flying Style

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Men’s fashion is always a tricky issue. Without the endless choice that girls are offered their options are limited, and those striving to find a new look are restricted in their choices. As with clothes, the need to conform for your career can also frustrate you if you’re a dedicated follower of fashion.

Your eyewear can help you to look individual without resorting to the dodgier side of fashion. A cool and classic style for the guy who wants to stand out is the Aviator. This was designed in the fifties as a sunglass frame, a highly practical shape which gives maximum protection from glare. The double bridge makes it strong, and as anyone who has seen Topgun knows, it looks really really cool!

It has been a favourite ever since, dipping in and out of fashion for ophthalmic frames, and always a best seller as a sunnie. The double bar across the bridge was always a particularly masculine feature, and although it works well on sunnies for girls, it’s rarely seen as a feature with clear lenses with lady’s frames.

Steer clear of the Aviator if you have a strong prescription as the lenses will be thick and heavy, it’s actually best for lower powers. It will be hard wearing thanks to the double bar, and is a good investment piece as it’s always a classic. It suits most face shapes, although don’t go for it if it will rest on your cheekbones. There are subtly different shapes within this style bracket, varying from the extreme teardrop shape to more angular, squared off edges. The classic colours are gold, silver and black, as the retro styling suits simplicity.

You’ll be in the good company of Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Russell Brand and James Blunt in your Aviator, so fly high in your stylish eyewear!

Russell Brand in his Aviators

Russell Brand in his Aviators

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Ice Queen

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

After a flirtation with nudes and pastels as the colour palette for last Summer, the new season is promising us an interesting twist on the pale and interesting theme – ice cream pastels in delicious shades of lemon, icy mint green, peachy beige and the palest lavender blue.

If you’re ready for new glasses in the New Year then it’s always worth looking to the fashion pages for inspiration. Specs designers base their new collections on whatever the great fashion houses are producing, so even when it’s not glasses they’re directly showcasing you can get ahead of the fashion pack by taking note of their direction. If pastels are in for clothes, then your glasses need to reflect this. Minimal metals, light as air rimless, plastics in subtle tones and light pearl effects will all compliment this look. You wouldn’t add heavy black bags or shoes to a pretty, airy ladylike outfit, so don’t do the same with your eyewear! Your specs should be part of your accessorising, so enjoy wearing them and pay them as much attention as you do your jewellery and footwear.

Playing with your eyewear can help you to buy into a trend without changing your entire wardrobe. Some subtle and feminine touches like a dash of diamante or a shimmering satin look plastic will give you the look for the Spring in a less obvious way. Maybe it echoes the optimistic feel that the New Year always brings, after a winter of harsh Eighties revival clothing and punky studs.

Pretty sweetie shop colours can be the icing on the cake, so embrace your girlie side in shades or prescription specs that will refresh your palette.

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History Repeating Itself?

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

With the tragic loss of Michael Jackson, nostalgia for his eighties heyday has been in the news this week. An interesting aspect of eyewear is the way it mirrors fashion and the look of the times but in a relatively subtle way. More people are likely to wear an eighties revival pair of sunnies or glasses then a military suit or a single sequined glove around town!

So how do you catch the look of the moment? With sunglasses it’s easy, as Aviators and huge round frames for girls have been in and out of fashion ever since they were invented. Everyone from Tom Cruise to Prince Harry wears them, and they’re an investment that will serve you well. For girls, ever since Audrey Hepburn peeped over the top of her huge black sunnies in Breakfast at Tiffanys, the look has barely changed. Everyone from Victoria Beckham to Madonna has their variation on the look, but if you want true eighties style make them as big as possible.

Ophthalmic glasses are a different matter, as eighties fashion is hardly anyone’s first choice of a good look! Women had huge frames with very dodgy tints, men had John Lennon round frames or their seventies throw back aviators. We’ve all been enjoying the lightweight joys of small frames for some time now, and most people would not want to go back to heavy, slipping, enormous specs. Second time around however, lenses are lighter, frame materials are thinner and more comfortable too, and frames are gradually getting bigger without the discomfort we suffered before.

So while you’ve got you’ve records back out and your white socks, remember Michael in his heyday, slip on your sunnies or your big specs, and be as Bad as you like!

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Keep It Personal!

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

As passionate believers in the power of eyewear, we think your total look should start with the specs and then work out from there! Always remember that your glasses frame is the first thing people will see when they look at your face, so let’s have a think about the all important wardrobe personality of your frames…..

Are you a hippy chick? Are you embracing the ditsy floral trend or clinging to the last remnants of boho chic? Sienna Miller spring to mind? Then you need to think soft, girly and feminine with your eyewear. Look for warm plastics in your favourite colour, with a sprinkling of delicate pattern. While outright bling may not be for you, little touches of detail or a subtle flower motif will be the finishing touch to your look.

Favour power suits and are excited about the return of the shoulder pad? Then your groomed, classic style will need to be enhanced by something smart and classy. We’re thinking Kate Silverton – grown up, not too wild, suitable for the board room. A metal in a neutral shade will be good, or the clean lines of a semi rimless. The detail here will be in etched stripes, neat trims, or maybe a contrasting, but not clashing colour.

If you would still love a dressing up box, and half your outfits are more like costumes, then you love the dramatic, the bold, the eclectic. (Lady GaGa we might just be thinking of you!) Your eyewear should be equally different, so think bright, think strong, eye catching and a little crazy. Balance strong colours in clothes with your frames, go for chunky plastic and a much bling as you can fit on.

Sporty girls with their long lithe limbs and gym fetish, need to soften any masculine sportswear with a sleek frame that’s lightweight and aerodynamic. Madonna even wears her sunnies with her gym gear – but that’s the price of celebrity! You can still choose a woman’s frame by going for a warm colour – although red or pink may bring attention to your flushed cheeks! Again, neat details like engraving or bevelled rims will add style but not too much glamour.

Any super achieving multi-taskers amongst us may switch from one personality to another through the course of a day! Change your specs accordingly and have fun  – visit the online optician to hunt for some new looks!

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