Jalouse de mes lunettes? These Dior and Caroline Abram sunglasses can be yours

Aren’t they lovely (insert heart eye emoji). What I meant to say what that they can be yours at a fraction of the cost if you join me and my friends at Merivale Optometric on October 27 from 4-8 pm.

Les Parisiens Ladies Night is this year’s theme, hosted by owner and head Optometrist Dr. Joelle Zagury. She will be featuring Dior and Caroline Abrams sunglasses/prescription eyewear, and will be making a donation with each purchase to Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Zagury, who is no stranger to fashion and known to be a trend setter in the city, is a brilliant business woman (#girlboss) who has managed to slay the eyewear industry in Ottawa, by running a quaint, yet fully stocked shop in the heart of the busy Merivale Rd strip (just across the street from Nicastro’s.. that’s the secret I bet!). Merivale Optometric houses the best of the best when in comes to fashion eyewear and includes top brands like Jimmy Choo, Ray Ban, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Kate Spade and Burberry to name a few.

If you’ve been wanting a new pair of sunnies or need a new pair of glasses, please come by on October 27 and just have a peek, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

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Sunny Style: How to choose sunglasses for wide faces

Is it just me, or one of the best things about summer, is digging up your old sunglasses that have been collecting winter dust? Well, I like doing that. The only thing I find is that there seems to be an explosion of style this year. I need and want all the looks! Everything goes!

But, when you have a wider face (a.k.a moon face as my 1rst grade teacher would call me #true story), you need to be cognizant of that fact that not all styles are created equal. I worked with Ottawa’s newest Bailey Nelson store in Westboro who let me pull a few glasses to showcase for this post. I did not get to keep them (just one!), although my heart is pounding for the black cat eyes!! Must go back for more!

If you read my first post about Bailey Nelson glasses, you’ll see that they are assembled in Canada, made in small batches, they are all polarized and offer high UV protection (a.k.a healthy for your eyeballs). Oh ya,  all of this,  for a whopping $145! That’s incredible for high quality glasses. Get this, they also make prescription eye wear!

I am usually a sucker for tortoise shell, the brown compliments my skin tone and hair. Except, now I have a new favourite shade in tortoise shell, is BN’s signature Cherry Blossom. It has a kiss of pink and it’s bright and fresh. I’m so in love! You’ll see that I selected a lot of styles in that colour.

Ok, now that we know how much I adore this brand, we can move onto choosing a style that suits you.

Also, a HUGE thank you to my friend Catalina of MDRN Creative Group who took these amazing photos and made the hilarious gifs! Make sure you visit their Instagram (@mdrncreativegroup) account too!

Metal frames

Metal frames and aviator type glasses work well because they offer more flexibility.  Be warned that based on the angle of the downward slope on the lenses, some aviator styles may not suit all faces. These Airlie’s had a lovely shape, not too downwards sloping, which did not give me the “sad eyes” look (you know what I mean?). Both styles offer an oversized fit and work perfectly for wide faces.

Airlie http://baileynelson.ca/collections/womens-sun/products/airlie-with-red-lenses
Archemedis / Cherry Blossom http://baileynelson.ca/collections/womens-sun/products/archemedis-cherry-blossom

Cat eye glasses

I think cat eye glasses were made for really wide and large faces. Even though this style has come and gone, a few times around the fashion cycle, one thing remains the same: they will always look fabulous on a wide face! The sides of the glasses move up and create an illusion of a pulled back, more youthful look.

Audrey Lunette / Crystal Bubblegum http://baileynelson.ca/collections/womens-sun/products/audrey-lunette-pink
Angelique / Black http://baileynelson.ca/collections/hello-summer/products/angelique-black

Key hole

Anything that creates more space between the eyes and bridge of the nose will be wider in nature. The keyhole look is not for everyone, and may not suit all noses! If your nose is very narrow, I would not recommend this look.

Darwin / Cherry Blossom http://baileynelson.ca/collections/womens-sun/products/darwin-cherry-blossom
Darwin/ Black http://baileynelson.ca/collections/womens-sun/products/darwin-black

Round
Typically, I wouldn’t recommend round glasses for a wide face, but these were too hard to pass up! If the lenses are big enough and the frame is wide enough, go for it! In this case, the bridge is wide enough in the Elodie model. Plus, reflective glasses are so hot right now, how could I pass up on this?

Elodie / Crystal with Blue lenses http://baileynelson.ca/collections/womens-sun/products/elodie

Square

It’s hip to be square, when it comes to jumbo glasses! They are oversized and proportionate to any round or wide face shape. I also like how the Mim style offers a slight lift on the top outside corner. The is a similar illusion offered by the cat eye glasses.

Mim / Cherry Blossom http://baileynelson.ca/collections/womens-sun/products/mim-sunglasses
Mim / Yellow Tort http://baileynelson.ca/collections/womens-sun/products/mim-yellow-tort

Do make sure you pop in the Bailey Nelson store, next time you’re in Westboro. The staff are lovely and will let you try on all the styles! They have a whole bunch more, so if that’s not an excuse… I don’t know what is!

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Why the specs of your specs matter

I see your interested in this post. I bet it helps if you have the right eye glasses to read it.

Sadly, much of my time spent staring at a screen has caused my vision to deteriorate. But every fashionista knows how to turn a terrible crutch into a styling opportunity! I have to admit I’ve always loved glasses and always wanted a pair growing up. So this is essentially a self-fulfilled prophecy!

A few weeks ago, I was approached by SelectSpecs, an online eyewear company based in UK, to test out their product. As an avid online shopper, I was happy to test out their services and experience what it’s like to purchase prescription glasses online. This was a great opportunity! Coincidentally,  I was also looking to get a second pair of glasses, one that I can leave at home. And let’s face it, I wanted to be able to change my look!

The entire process was quite seamless. The only suggestion I have is to get a copy of your prescription from your optometrist ahead of time and get them to tell you the measurement of the distance between your pupils. I actually didn’t have that measurement, so I selected the standard size. You can also measure it using a ruler. I found this cool download that can help. In the end my glasses feel fine. Obviously, the more precise your measurements are, the more accurate the prescription will be. Entering your prescription while you purchase your glasses online is very easy and seamless. They guide you through the entire process.

Because I recently purchased a pair of glasses, I knew that I needed a larger frame, approximately 53 mm. This also helps you find a frame that will fit and suit your face shape. Generally speaking, I have a larger head and a wider more round face. If you do as well, you know that glasses with a wider lens, thinner  frame and a more cat eye shape is more flattering. I also have a prominent nose which is best suited for lighter colours and thinner frames.

Based on previous experience, I selected these Savannah 2439 glasses which in the end, work perfectly!

All in all, I was very happy with my experience. Their customer service was extremely friendly and helpful. Although I was limited to a specific category of glasses, their website offers a wide range of styles and price points. The glasses were shipped about two weeks after I order them, so know this ahead of time if you are in a rush.

I will definitely consider ordering glasses online from now on, especially I’m on the hunt for something trendy at a good price. Prescription glasses can be a great investment, and need to last you a long time. If you have many options to choose from, your rotation will certainly extend the wear. There’s obviously a convenience factor here as well. I can leave a pair in my car, at work, in my purse, and at home!

If you have been contemplating purchasing prescription glasses online, I’m happy to help and answer any questions! Just leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you soon!

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