Buying glasses has always been one of those things that I’ve never understood why it was so painful and expensive. I mean, yes, I want to look good, but due to my seriously poor eyesight, I’ve been stuck behind some coke bottle lenses that make my eyes look like pinholes. So why do we feel like we have to spend hundreds of dollars for nice glasses? Or maybe I’m just making excuses – it has been about 10 years since I bought new glasses. I was a college student when I bought my last pair! And they are terrible – way too strong for me, with a slightly cracked lens, and a bit crooked from 10 years of hard living.
My friend Katie told me about Warby Parker. Y’all. Seriously, this is one of the coolest ideas I’ve ever seen. And the execution is FANTASTIC. From their website:
A collaboration between four close friends, Warby Parker was conceived as an alternative to the overpriced and bland eyewear available today. Prescription eyewear simply should not cost $300+. The industry is controlled by a few large companies that have kept prices artificially high, reaping huge profits from consumers who have no other options. By circumventing traditional channels and engaging with our customers directly through our website, Warby Parker is able to provide higher-quality, better looking prescription eyewear for under $100.
We meticulously crafted our first collection of 27 limited run styles, plus one monocle, using only the finest custom acetates and materials. The Warby Parker aesthetic is vintage-inspired, with a fashion forward twist – and every pair is custom fit with anti-reflective, polycarbonate prescription lenses.
Available exclusively through the Warby Parker website, our glasses retail for $95.
So basically, they provide high-quality glasses with anti-reflective, polycarbonate prescription lenses for $95. That is amazing! Granted, the styles tend towards the thick rim, hipster-looking glasses that are popular right now, but I was planning to get thicker rims anyway. But that’s not the only thing I love about this company. In addition to having a “virtual try-on tool” where you upload your picture and can position the glasses onto your face, there is a Home Try-On Program. You pick 5 styles to have sent to your house, try them on, and return them within 5 days. For free. No shipping fees, free return shipping, no obligation to buy. FREE.
So, friends, I have taken advantage of the Home Try-On Program, and I ordered 5 pairs that seemed to fit my face shape. (The website is really helpful about figuring out fit.) I placed my order on Saturday, and I’ve been practically waiting by the front door for the UPS man to come! And they came today!
I just love opening packages! Isn’t the presentation amazing? The box is so nice, it looks like no one’s used it before, but it’s not disposable. So the styles I picked to try on are the Thatcher, the Miles, the Finn, the Zagg, and the Colton. All the styles came in several colors, so I picked a random assortment of colors so I could see them in person. So. I am not a photogenic person. To say the least. However, I need to see what I really look like in them, and I would love to hear if anybody has any opinions. So here are some pictures of me wearing the frames. (Note: WP points out that the glass in the frames can look tinted, but the prescription polycarbonate will not have that problem.)
Thatcher - in Whiskey Tortoise
Miles - in Amber
Finn - in Sandalwood Matte
Zagg - in Striped Chestnut
Colton - in Whiskey Tortoise
So does anyone have any opinions? Anyone want to vote for one particular frame style or color? (If you vote for Thatcher, then I will know you are not really my friend. UGH.) I have two favorites that I’m trying to decide between.
So now I just send the package back to Warby Parker. They provided a UPS return label, so I just packed the box back into the original packaging, and I send it right back. I can order the glasses I want at any time, and all I need is my prescription. I’m sure you are wondering: don’t they have to measure you the way the optometrist would? Well, they do. The measurement they need is the pupillary distance (PD) and it should already be on your prescription. If not, you can call your optometrist and ask if they have it on file. If not, perhaps they will measure you for free. And if they charge you a fee to do the measurement, send the receipt in to Warby Parker, AND THEY WILL DEDUCT IT FROM YOUR TOTAL. Fantastic customer service.
One more thing that is so awesome about this company:
I love this company!
Visit the website: www.warbyparker.com
Courtney Hoyt 
I like the Zaggs, court!!!! So cute. Second runner up ate the Finns…Love ya!!!
Zags and Finn! Hard to tell on colors, you look great in them all! Hope you’re doing well 🙂
I love the Finn and the Miles. I like the lighter colors because they let your eyes and face stand out instead of the glasses. You are so gorgeous, you could make anything you wear look great 🙂
Also, I like that you put your blog post on Facebook!
I like the Miles or Zagg! And I just got new glasses a couple of months ago but now I want another pair – damn you!!