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?
I love Granny and Fara frames on you the best! You look beautiful in them!
The Franny – I absolutely love tortoise and these look great on you! The Naima – They also look great on you and they make your blue eyes pop…. gorgeous!
My favorite on you is the fanny frame in toffee tortoise. They all look good and make a statement but the larger color frames are overpowering, I think. These fanny frames have a nice shape that seems to suit your face and the color gives just enough interest. Let us know what you decide on.
I like the Franny frame.
Hi,
Fara is my fav for you. I think contacts are fab and use long term(4-6 weeks) for each pair. There is also mono vision which is wearing a contact in one eye for reading. 2 weeks for brain to adjust and no more reading glasses and simple sunglasses only.
Robyn
Get the Ezra frames for fancy events!
You have such a lovely face that all those glasses look great on you! The three that stood apart for me were those Fara Frames. The color really makes your eyes pop! The other two are the readers. One was EyeBobs Premium in that pretty blue color and I have to say, I loved those colorful Bold Peepers….how fun are those? I know which ever you choose, you’ll look very stylish and wear them very well.
Tough one, Jennifer, you look good in all of them. My favorite though is the Erza, wearable with everything.
My favorite is Fara. It makes your face pop and look gorgeous. The only con would be the color, so you should also purchase The Torrez when Fara clashes with your outfit. They just need to sit higher on your bridge. I was told frames should cover your eyebrow or sit closely under. Don’t overlook sunglass frames, clear glass instead of darken.
I thought the Fanny and Fara frames looked the best!!
Love the Franny and the Naima frames on you! The Fara frames are also very pretty on you with a lighter look. From the readers selection, I like all three but would choose the Eyebobs.
Loved this post as someone who’s worn glasses most her life until cataract surgery several years ago.
Hi Jennifer, I am relatively new to your site. How nice that you would want a reader’s opinion. I am a glasses wearer myself (72). Based on what I picked up from when I shop for glasses, I say the Franny is the only one suited to your face. The others have too much space from your lower lid and to the bottom of the glasses. I can’t tell how on the sides the frames stick out though. Franny lifts your face. The others are too big and heavy or don’t fit your nose. Franny in a softer color works too. I can refer you to my optician who is great with this. I wish you would not post.
Definitely the Franny frame in toffee! Great shape and color for your face and skin.
The Fara first, Naima second. Both are great on you!
The Marisol, Ezra or Wright are great. I know this might not be helpful because they are 3 completely different looking frames. But if I needed to narrow them down, those would be my choices.
They all looked great on you but I loved the Marasol & Rocco!
The Franny or Fara frame
I think feminine and soft suits you very nicely!
Get 2!
Franny for sure. Nice change up and looks amazing on you.
Then Rocco and third Fara.
Chunkier frame are a nice change and you wear them well.
Hi Jennifer, you look nice in all of them but for everyday, I like the Franny or the Ezra. I have many pairs of glasses. I often take cute reading glasses and have the lenses replaced with my prescription. There are many cute frames out there that cost less than they do at an eye clinic!
So many nice choices! My favorites are the Fara and Rocco on you.
All of them are pretty! Hope you share which ones you decided to get!