If you’re someone who factors style into every purchase, then shopping for eyewear online gives you freedom of choice: you can take your time and consider all options, colours and your wardrobe before you purchase. Will that cateye work with your collection of hats? Will a bolder frame pair with your wardrobe palette? Will that wire frame clash with your jewelry collection? While glasses are meant for your face, they’re part of a bigger picture: your overall style. Here are some tips for buying glasses online.
Step 1: Get an updated prescription
If you plan on making a fashion statement and correcting your vision, then the first to step is to make sure you have an updated prescription and your pupillary distance (the distance between the center of your eye and the middle of your nose bridge). If you aren’t looking for vision correction or want to wear the glasses with contact lenses instead, then you can always order glasses with plano lenses instead.
Step 2: How to choose the right frame style and size
If you’ve purchased eyewear in the past, chances are your frames all have similar measurements. If you are unsure whether the frame will fit your face, you can always check the measurements of your other frame styles and compare to the ones online. You can find these measurements in the temple arm of your current pair. You should find 3 numbers like these:
53-18-145
First number: 53 – stands for the lens width in mm.
Second number: 18 – width of the nose bridge in mm.
Third number: 145 – length of the temple arm in mm.
Compare these numbers to your favourite pair online (we always include the frame measurements in our product descriptions).
If you’re unsure how a particular style will look on your face, you can always preview the frame with our virtual try-on tool. That way, you can check how your brows, bangs or complexion work with the frame.
Step 3: Colours and materials
The great thing about shopping online is you can take your time and explore different colours, shapes and styles that best express your personal style. At this point, you can even go into your closet and pull your favourite pieces to see how they work with each frame style. Other fun elements to consider after shape are colour and materials: which frame colours or materials work well with your complexion, skin tone, hair colour and even makeup? Do you want to opt for an acetate frame with a tortoise pattern or yellow-gold titanium one? Do you want some embellishments and fine details? With our virtual try-on tool, you can play around with different styles and decide what kind of vibe you’re going for: boho chic, minimalist or scholarly? There are endless possibilities, and you have nothing but time to decide.
Step 4: Which lenses do you need?
The final step is assessing what the glasses are going to be used for. We touched on this in step 1 – prescription or none? – but now it’s time to assess when and where you’re going to be wearing these frames. For instance, if you’re going to wear them in front of the computer, maybe opt for a blue-light filter? Wearing them outside? Then a sun tint or photochromic lens will be better than a clear one.
After you’ve finished deciding, it’s time to add your frames to your cart and order away! The hardest parts? Waiting for them to arrive.
Step 5: Aftercare
When your glasses come in the mail, they will probably have to be adjusted. It’s best to go in-store and have an optician fit and adjust your new frames for you.
For extra tips on caring for your frames, you can read more in our helpful guide.
