Women's Frames: The Choices are as Diverse as Today's Woman
by Christie Walker
Just like the women of today, women's frames are not limited to one style, color or
design. There are a host of choices available - from modern and sleek to retro
and wild - women have their choice of looks, colors, materials and brands. With
so many choices it can be overwhelming. Start by deciding the look you want -
ultra feminine, bold, classic, retro, minimalist, or ultra-modern. You might
decide you need more than one pair of frames - one conservative style for work
and another pair for evenings and weekends. Defining the 'look' you are after
will help both you and your optician narrow down the choices for material,
designer, and shape.
The next thing to consider is the shape of your face and your coloring. Certain
shapes can accentuate your good features while hiding less-desirable features.
For example, to make a round face appear thinner and longer, try angular narrow
eyeglass frames to lengthen the face, a clear bridge
that widens the eyes, and frames that are wider than they are deep, such as a
rectangular shape.
Choosing the frame color that best complements your hair, eyes and skin tones is also
part of selecting the best frame for you. For example, if you have "cool"
features such as blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin, then try frames in hues
of rose brown, blue gray, plum, magenta, pink, jade or blue.
To find out more about matching your face shape and coloring to the perfect frame
shape and color, check out the article, "Which Eyeglass Frames Would Look Best
on You."
The Vision Council of America (VCA) conducted a national survey* in which 520
respondents were women. The survey asked what are the primary factors you use
when selecting a particular brand of frame. The number one response of the
women was "style/how they make me look." This accounted for 49 percent of the women who responded. The number two
response, "comfort and fit" was selected by 35 percent of the women. Compare
this to the men's response: 88 percent chose comfort and fit as the number one
factor in choosing eyewear.
Obviously, the majority of women are willing to sacrifice a little comfort for good looks
and style, but with today's eyewear choices that isn't necessary. Once you know
the look you are trying to achieve, what shape and color frame works best with
your features, there will still be hundreds of frames from which to choose. If
you find something that you love, but it doesn't fit just right, tell the
optician. Many times they can order the exact same frame with different length
temples, adjust the nose pads and even make minor adjustments to the shape of
the frame to make it fit your face more comfortably. With today's choices, there's
no reason you can't have your style and comfort, too.
Five Trends in Women's Eyeglasses
1. For the woman who wants a fun, modern or retro look, plastic frames in all
colors and shapes are just the thing. Laminated frames have layers of different
colored plastics that are laminated together to create unique colorization.
Plastic frames are also combined with metal for a combo look.
2. Feminine eyewear shapes such as cat-eyes, glamorous larger sizes, ovals with
emphasized detailing at the sides, and light rimless glasses with lenses cut in
soft shapes are perfect for the feminine look. Adding soft colors such as
pastels and light earth tones, complete the picture.
3. Creating a glamorous look can be achieved with embellished temples,
rhinestones, silver accents, or fine scrolling or cutouts that turn a typical
eyeglass frame into a fashion statement.
4. Rimless and semi-rimless eyewear appeals to those who want a modern or
minimalistic look. This style can also be extremely feminine when the lenses
are cut in gentle shapes and softly colorized metals, such as titanium, are
used for the temples and bridge.
5. Tinted and flash-coated lenses created to match or complement the frame color
have movie star appeal, creating a modern, trendy look.
Whatever your style, there is sure to be a frame to match your unique personality.
*VCA's 2003 study of 1,000 American adults, ages 35 to 64.
Reprinted with permission of All About Vision.
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