I’ve been wearing glasses since I was 6 years old. I remember my mom asking my brother to take me to my class on the first day of school and seating me closer to the front because I was having trouble seeing. Since then, I’ve gone through dozens of pairs of glasses. The 80s were a hideous time. Looking back to the 90s and the thin-wired frames make me shudder. The 2000s brought plastic rims and wire temple combos and thin plastic framing.
By the 2010s, a vintage renaissance seemed to have begun, and horned rim frames started coming back. Companies got innovative and metal was no longer restricted to tubular thin wires wrapped around a lens. It was flattened, widened, and flared. Those with smaller bridges could get the style, and benefit from the nose pad support. I was an eager customer. But as lovely as they are, after a few years comfortably flashing this look, I craved getting a pair plastic frames. I wanted the heft, the substantial luscious look. So a little over a year ago, I visited the eyeglass store and looked around.
Plucking a Kate Spade here, and slipping on pairs of the latest ProDesign frames there, a pair by Masunaga caught my eye. It was two-toned, a 50s corvette red that faded to a delicate cream. They were daring, sturdy, and forgive the pun, eye-catching. I worried that they’d be too daring. But at the time, I so very much wanted to live louder and more badass than I had been. So bought them, I did.
Here, I tried out some product photos of my eyewear. The selfies are from the archives, modeling each pair.
Legre, 2011
I loved these when I got them. A sold dark bronze color with those diamond cutouts on the edges of the prominent horns that reached out to the corners. I wore these at my wedding, against the opinion of many. But I insisted. My glasses are such a huge part of my identity, and as I’ve gotten older it’s been difficult keeping my eyes moist (that said, my tears on that day could have fixed that!)
ProDesign, 2013
The Legres proved pretty deep in lens height, so I went slimmer. These grey ProDesigns had a lovely matte finish. And the purple trim was a nice touch. With my very strong prescription, I had to actually go back and get high definition lenses that made the focus area wider than with regular high-index lenses. This made them lighter and thinner, and they looked like I wasn’t even wearing lenses.
Masunaga, 2015
What I wear now. I got my red luscious look going. I took the selfie right after i picked them up from the shop. I paid a little extra to get nose pad extensions (extra plastic) so they’d sit further from my face. What I like about that, is that the integrity of the style is retained, and the frames don’t look rigged. The case is gorgeous and is a great travel companion.
Last week I got a recorded reminder from my eye doctor alerting me that it’s time for my yearly eye exam. I will probably put it off a little longer. I’m really enjoying my little red corvette frames, and think I’ll wear them till the novelty rubs off – or my prescription changes.
MARIVIC PINEDO 