Hafsa Lodi
For many who suffer from less-than-perfect vision, eyeglasses are seen as an irritating impediment. You don’t put much thought into what frames you choose, because you don’t plan on showing them to the world at all – you have succumbed to wearing daily contact lenses, and save your glasses for mornings and evenings. Many friends and colleagues may not even be aware of your eyesight issues.
There was a time, a few years ago, when thick, black frames became something of a trend. Dubbed nerd-chic, they were touted as stylish, causing many contact-wearers, male and female, to opt for new frames and wear glasses more often. While these types of glasses are still frequently worn, a new, more-minimalist trend has emerged in eyewear, making the once-stylish thick frames seem heavy and outdated.
These lightweight, at-times-plastic, at-other-times-wire-framed glasses are all the rage, having been sported by Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Rita Ora, not to mention international and regional fashion bloggers.
If thick frames have become a sort of security blanket for you, adapting to this new style may take some adjustment – but trust me, you will feel lighter and fresher with a cool new pair of simple clear, pastel or gold-rimmed glasses. If you need a visual, type “Oscar Wylee” into Instagram – this Australian eyewear label has mastered the trend.
Here’s a tip: next time you’re travelling, scour the antique markets and street-side stalls for inexpensive, on-trend eyeglasses with clear frames. Take them to your local optician, and get prescription lenses put in – some of my own frames were sourced from London’s Camden Market and Bangkok’s Platinum Fashion Mall. You don’t even need bad eyesight to carry off this trend – if you get called out, just insist that they’re your reading glasses.
