Shopping for Fall Eyewear with Warby Parker
- adrienne490
- Oct 7, 2017
- 6 min read
*This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
This is my second go-around with the Warby Parker Home Try-on program, and so far it's going just as well (see my previous blog post Warby Parker's Retro Chic Spring 2017 Collection).
Last February, I tried on five pairs of glasses and literally loved them all. I had narrowed it down to one pair to start but then, as usual, life got away from me, and I never did schedule that long-overdue eye exam so that I could actually get the necessary Rx I needed in order to get my new glasses. My son got his, though, and he was really pleased (as pleased as a teenager can be about anything lol).
So fast forward to September and here I am again with an equally stellar assortment of eyewear to choose from. All are very classic but with a twist, simultaneously geeky and retro chic, which I love, and they have sizes that accommodate - actually even flatter - my large, wide head.
Nash frames in Whiskey Tortoise
I think all great companies start with a pretty great backstory and Warby Parker is one of these businesses, one that's committed to changing a traditional business model while providing a quality product and doing good, all at the same time.
Imagine four friends on a backpacking trip. One breaks his glasses but, being a poor grad student, doesn't have the money to replace them. He is then forced to endure a semester at school without eyewear. The friends resolve to fix this scenario, not just for him, but for all people struggling with this same predicament.
So in 2009, with necessity being the mother of invention, as they say, Warby Parker was born, named after a combination of two Jack Kerouac characters. By the way if you dream of working for a company that hands you a copy of Dharma Bums on your first day, then you might also want to submit your resume to them as well - just a
suggestion.
Pictured above is one of my favorite frame colors from Warby Parker, Aurelia Tortoise, a beautiful blend of mottled shades of purples, pinks and yellows. It's shown in the Daisy frame which I chose in this box, but in Striped Molasses. I really love their subtle cat's-eye shape.
As a blogger, I have partnered with several companies as an affiliate. I choose the companies I decide to work with very carefully. Generally, I like to support companies that are founded and/or run by women, have a strong independent vision, deliver terrific product along with outstanding customer service and also do something wonderful to give back to their communities or the world at large. Outside of being founded by four dudes (not holding it against them, lol) Warber Parker certainly deliveries on all of these fronts.
I have experienced first hand their seamless ordering processing, how easy and hassle-free their Home Try-On program is, and what a terrific, high-quality product they offer. I've worn glasses on and off for years and I have spent far more money for a greatly inferior product. I, too, can related to not being able to afford replacement glasses. But I was initially attracted to work with Warby Parker due, not only to their funky cool image, but in large part because of their "Do Good" program.
The company prides itself on offering cutting-edge designer eyewear at a "revolutionary" price - standard Rx lenses WITH frames are $95 - while acting as leaders for other socially conscious businesses. They have several dozen brick-and-mortar locations throughout the country, but right now the bulk of their business is carried out online, supported by an impressive customer service protocol.
So after browsing the new Fall collection online, I had narrowed down my favorites:
the Daisy in Striped Molasses, Nash in Whiskey Tortoise, the Roosevelt in Blue Slate Fade, Laurel in Oak Barrel and Finch in Violet Magnolia. It was certainly a challenge to choose only 5, but I was clearly drawn to the old-school look of a tortoise-shell like frame.
Pictured above is me wearing the Nash frames. I really love their generous square shape. They may look heavy, but they are so incredibly lightweight. That's the cellulose acetate frame construction combined with polycarbonate lenses - light yet the most durable and impact-resistant material for eyeglasses. Super comfortable yet sturdy.
Roosevelt frame in Blue Slate Fade
Next up is the Wide-framed Roosevelt. Loved the unique, ombre-like color of these frames, but didn't care for the thick keyhole bridge. Kinda made me feel like I had one long, dark unibrow. So those will be a pass.
Then come the Laurel in Oak Barrel (below). Similar to the Daisy, but a bit rounder. I like them as well but what I really wanted was to try them in Peacock Green. So cool but not available in Home Try-On (not every color frame is available in every frame style). Seriously considering ordering them as a back-up/alternate in the really unique green color that I think will work great with my hair and eye color (a blue/green combo).
Laurel in Oak Barrel
Decided to pass on the Finch as well. Too small and too round for my face, didn't seem proportionate, though I admired the mottled tortoiseshell frames with subtle hints of violet.
For each pair of eyewear that is purchased, WP gives a pair to a person in need. They share the surprising statistic that over 2.5 billion people in the world have vision issues that warrant prescription eyewear. Of those, 624 million have lost the ability to work or attend school due to their impaired vision. Not something most people take the time to consider.
WP seeks to rectify this by providing those in financial need with the necessary eyewear so that they may live productive, fulfilling lives, unimpeded by their lack of glasses. The eyewear is distributed through partnerships with non-profits such as VisionSpring. It's been an immensely successful program and I enjoy knowing that I am helping them in some small way. They have even differentiated themselves in how "green" they have chosen to be, as they are one of the only eyewear manufacturers in the world that is completely carbon-neutral.
I don't have a Warby Parker store nearby (I could have gone into Manhattan where they have several locations, including Grand Central), so I opted to sign on for their Home Try-On program. That allows you to choose 5 frames for 5 days to try on at your leisure in your own home. All frames are sent with non-prescriptive lenses so you get a true feel for the weight of the glasses, which at least for my frames, was barely perceptible.
Your 5 frames are mailed to you free of charge, and then when you have completed the 5 days, you ship them back to WP, again, completely free of charge - whether you have opted to buy any of the frames or not. Just slap on the enclosed return label. When they say there is no pressure to buy, they really mean it - no annoying follow-up emails or phone calls - which I greatly appreciated.
The perks just keep getting better - all lenses offer 100% UV protection, are smudge-proof (huge for me), have an anti-reflective coating and come with a one-year scratch-proof guarantee (also huge for me). Wear progressive lens? No problem, they are available in every frame style, starting at $295. You can even choose Light-Responsive (transitional) lenses, which turn from clear to dark grey immediately upon UV exposure, for an additional $100.
Not near a WP store and need some minor adjusting? Go to any local eyewear shop and WP will reimburse you any fees up to $50. The level of ease and service that they provide you with is pretty incredible.
If you are fortunate to have vision insurance, Warby Parker has you covered. You can also use FSA or HSA accounts to cover the cost of your eyewear. They will walk you through the whole process in the simplest, most seamless way possible.
So who's the winner of this round? It's the Daisy in Striped Molasses (above). It's a medium sized frame with a soft, slender profile. I love the shape with its subtle cat's eye, the way they sit on the bridge of my nose, as well as the weight of them (they feel almost weightless). Just perfect.
A very close second is the Nash. I think I would choose either the Whiskey Tortoise or Deep Blue Sea. Another contender is the Laurel, in large part because I am crazy about those Peacock Green frames.
Available for both men and women, Warby Parker offers a terrific range of styles, from those shown here, to their Mixed Metals collection, the new Concentric line and great collabs, such as with designed Amanda de Cadenet.
I think you'll be just as crazy about Warby Parker as I am. Come shop the Fall 2017 Collection here: bit.ly/2fSgWXr
Note: All opinions in this post are my own and I was not compensated in any way to purchase glasses from Warby Parker in relation to my affiliate association with them.
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