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?
Hi Jennifer, what a fun way to try on glasses and get a lot of opinions! I vote for the (1) Rocco frame in Coastline Crystal Fade and second (2) Naima in Rosewater acetate. They are the most current looking, look great on your face and with your coloring! The Peepers are great too. (I thought the wire Ezra was aging.)
I like them all except the Wright.
I’d heartily recommend a wardrobe of eyeglasses—get at least a couple pair!
I like the fara and the eye bobs the best, they are not overwhelming and suit your coloring!
I’m always checking out your glasses in your posts and even chose my current glasses after seeing yours. I like the Franny on you, it’s a new and exciting look! I don’t know if you’ve tried Silhouette Eyeglasses but I love how lightweight they are and they now come with rims.
Franny and Fara are my favorites. 🙂
I like the Franny frame and the Ezra frame for size and shape for you. And I do love the color of the Fara frame. The bolder ones seem to take focus away from your beautiful eyes. Having shopped for new glasses just last week I understand!
I’m a Fara and Franny fan! I think the
Franny is my favorite. Lovely contrast with your hair and skin tone.
The Franny look great I think. Denote the wire frames! I think they age everyone in my opinion. I had them once and they were not my favorite at all! JMHO
In my eye, the Fara or Franny look good on you. The darker and heavier frames seem to step (maybe trounce?) on your beautiful eyes. The metal frames have a masculine vibe, not ideal. If you are in the mood for a more pronounced frame, the Naima is kinder to your eyes and lets your expression show.
You may be in the “sorry I asked” mode by now! So many opinions.
Do a bolder frame. I did a soft one year and am a blond like you and without makeup I looked extremely pale. They washed me out. I went back to bold.
I love the clear Peepers on you! You have such lovely eyes, and because the frames are clear, they don’t distract from them at all. Plus, that specific shape feels very hip and modern.
Are you able to get a similar style in your actual prescription? They look fantastic!
Many look great but my favourite on you is the Fara. The colour and shape are flattering to your colouring and face shape I feel. You are trying both warm and cool colours….I believe you’ve had your colours analyzed and am curious about your season if you’re trying both warm and cool tones. I will be shopping for new glasses soon and recently had my colours analyzed, so will be keeping that in mind when shopping for frames (I’m cool summer).
I am a true summer, very close to cool summer with a bit less intensity
I like the Fanny and the Marisol. I always enjoy wearing different pairs of eyeglasses. I believe they add a great statement to any outfit and would suggest you get 2 pairs if you can. Otherwise, pick the ones that make you feel beautiful. These two are unique, provide completely different vibes and look great on you (although there were very few that did not look terrific). Good luck!
Love the Franny on you! The Fara is my second choice.
I think you look equally lovely in the Ezra and the Naima. I really like the soft rose color and it doesn’t take away from your blue eyes. Thanks for this post!
The Franny and the Fara look the best.
The others take over your face.
But it’s what you feel comfortable in that matters.
The Franny
I love the bold frames but freel they over power your face. My favorite is the Fara. Your beautiful eyes virtually pop with these frames!
The Franny Frame. You look fantastic in them. You look great in all the others and the styles are more “in” than the Franny Frame but it’s way more flattering than any of the others. I’m actually hoping the the goggle style runs its course very soon. 🤞
Hi. I like the Fara shape as it doesn’t overpower your face yet makes a statement. Also like the Fanny color for your coloring.