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Why I went back to glasses

Once upon a time, there was a little girl with a secret. For years, she walked around in a blur, and eventually grew to think it was normal. She did horribly in maths, because she couldn’t see the equations on the board. And when she was finally told she needed glasses, her mother said she wouldn’t be pretty anymore.

Now, for a reasonably cute kid – who had haircuts done by her mum and wore lots of secondhand stuff – being forced to wear huge round frames filled with thick, heavy glass lenses pretty much marked the end of her life.

The day she got contacts just after graduating high school was the biggest confidence boost she’d ever had. For two years, she wore them religiously, and let her poor, scratched, abused glasses languish in a dark corner somewhere.

Then her eyes rebelled. They dried out, they scratched, and refused to move with the lenses. She found a wicked funky pair of frames, shelled out nearly $500 for them (okay, mostly subsidised by her employer, thank goodness).

Switching back to glasses meant an end to so many costs: contact solution, lens cases, eyedrops, and of course the lenses themselves. It meant less time getting ready in the morning. And it meant no need to wear eye makeup – another bonus.

Anyway! I would like your opinion: Glasses, or contacts? (This feels a bit scary. Not so much the swing away from the quasi-anonymous thing – I’ve posted a face pics in the past around graduation/February’s wardrobe challenge – but the fact that I am, essentially asking for your opinion on how I look. So…Be nice.)

17 thoughts on “Why I went back to glasses

  • Reply Red July 23, 2010 at 18:32

    “And it meant no need to wear eye makeup” – ha! I love it! This is one of the best perks of glasses! 🙂

    I’m sorry that your mom was not supportive. When I was young and had to wear glasses (parents wouldn’t let me get contacts), I thought they made me look ugly, but glasses are so fashionable these days that they’re more a fun accessory than a “kick me” sign on your back.

    All that being said, I think you’re lovely with glasses and without! The glasses make you look younger, which is obviously not a concern when you’re in your early 20s. My first instinct is to say contacts, but don’t base your decision solely on appearance because 1) you’re beautiful with the glasses and with contacts and 2) glasses have so many other benefits (that you outlined in your post).

    I think I look much better without glasses, though I’ve grown used to seeing them always on my face. But the benefits of wearing them (less time consuming than contacts, much more likely to wear them every day, less expensive, less eye makeup) outweigh the small costs to my perceived appearance.

  • Reply Stylepint July 23, 2010 at 19:10

    I think you look great both ways…but if I had to choose, glasses! =)

  • Reply Bankruptcy Benjamin July 23, 2010 at 19:30

    Nice new look for the site.

    I’d go glasses but I’m an uber nerd so my opinion might be biased

  • Reply Amanda July 23, 2010 at 19:57

    I don’t think the photos really do you justice – the lighting in the second one in particular doesn’t give a particularly good indication of what you look like. You look good in glasses though. 🙂 I’m a contacts girl myself.

  • Reply Sense July 23, 2010 at 20:59

    that’s a big Fail for your mom: you look fantastic in glasses–those frames especially. I agree that the lighting in the second one isn’t as good as the first so it is hard to judge impartially, though.

    (and I concur that glasses are a HUGE time-saver in the mornings! I only wear my contacts for a few hours at a time now, when I’m going out in the evenings and want to look…um…not as nerdy as I really am.)

  • Reply Sense July 23, 2010 at 21:00

    p.s. i like your haircut. how do you get your hair so shiny?

  • Reply eemusings July 23, 2010 at 21:27

    Ya, I have no idea why the lighting is so different – the only thing that changed was, er, the removal of my glasses. Surely the lenses aren’t that reflective?

    @sense that’s just my natural hair. it does tend toward the greasy side, so i wash it basically every day…

  • Reply Veronica July 23, 2010 at 22:13

    I think you look great either way, but I do love how the glasses fit on your face. I would definitely stick with the glasses! They look great on you.

  • Reply Tasha July 23, 2010 at 22:59

    I’m partial to glasses cos I wear them too 🙂 So I’d go for glasses just for the convenience. If I only had the courage to use contacts again (gave up after 2 days), I would. You look great either way!

  • Reply Maggie July 24, 2010 at 01:06

    I agree with what everyone’s said, that you look great in either and you def suit the glasses :]

  • Reply Caitlin July 24, 2010 at 02:29

    Agh beautiful hair!! I’m so jealous! Mine is a complete ball of frizz that requires, at the very least, an hour of maintenance to look presentable. I have a feeling yours is just naturally perfect.

    You look lovely both with and without glasses. Sometimes I am in the mood to look like a smart, cute nerd, so I wear my glasses. Sometimes I’m in the mood for sunglasses or curly hair, which requires contacts. If I were you, I would still order contacts (but get some samples to try and find a brand that doesn’t dry out your eyes) but wear glasses too. That’s the beauty of having both–you can switch it up whenever you like.

    -Caitlin

  • Reply The Non-Student July 24, 2010 at 07:06

    Glasses are a great accessory, and I think yours look fantastic in you!

  • Reply Jane July 24, 2010 at 10:01

    Both are very cute… But I vote for the glasses. Those are SUPER cute frames.

  • Reply Amber from Girl with the Red Hair July 24, 2010 at 10:16

    I think you look great both ways – but I’m partial to you WITH glasses! You just look older and more professional and everything 🙂

    Also, I was that same little girl. Until grade 4 when my teacher asked me to read off the overhead and I was SQUINTING to see it. And then after getting glasses I still used to hide them in my pocket when I got to school because I was embarrassed.

    Wow, I do not miss being a child AT ALL. Such an awkward time!

  • Reply Stephany July 24, 2010 at 11:16

    First of all, you’re beautiful either way! But I am partial to glasses since I’m a glasses-girl myself, and I think it gives you a more polished look.

    I got glasses in 4th grade, contacts in 9th grade, and then went back to glasses when I ran out of contacts last summer. I just never went back, although I am contemplating a switch back…only because I want to wear sunglasses!

  • Reply eemusings July 24, 2010 at 13:44

    @Amber LOL I used to hide em in my pocket too. And once I changed my pants before school and forgot all about them – was blind te whole day!

    @ Stephany – Definitely – sometimes you just need your sunnies in the summer (or even in the winter glare, actually).

  • Reply FB July 27, 2010 at 08:29

    Glasses!!

    I think I look ok in both but I prefer contacts because they don’t fog up

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