Retro Eyeworks Fits My Fashion Sense And My Budget, 3 Pairs For $99!

Momma Told Me: Pick wisely, because you'll be stuck with them.

If anything has change dramatically in fashion, for the better, over the past 20 years, it has been eye-wear. Around age 6 I was saddled with my first pair of prescription frames, and so began a love/hate affair I would carry through the rest of my childhood and adult life. "Make sure you pick the ones you want to wear every day," Momma urged, as I peered back at myself from that round vanity mirror next to the cash register. Not only did the process of picking a pair of glasses feel very, well, clinical, my options in the early nineties were quite underwhelming. Most glasses were designed for function, and that meant extra large lenses and ugly wire frames that could withstand a child sitting on them.

Ironically, by the time I was old enough to wear prescription contact lenses I no longer desired to have my face free and unobstructed, but framed in a more expressive manner. Wearing glasses had become as much a part of my definition as the language I spoke or the way I style my hair. Presciption eye-wear had become a little more affordable and fashion savvy, but online ordering wasn't quite convenient, or trustworthy. The first few frames I bought online were a short savings from in store buys and came with the caveat of no, or costly, returns. Through the years sites such as Retro Eye Works have worked to bring value and style to the world of prescription optics, and made it possible for me to build a wardrobe of glasses, even between prescriptions.

Despite the name, #RetroEyeworks was inspired by the need for functionality, not fashion. Started by an optometrist who would invest in costly designer frames only to find them broken or mangled a few weeks later, the need arose for practically functional, but affordable glasses. Made with high tech eco-friendly plastics that can hold up to  beating Retro Eyeworks frames are modernly fashionable with a hint of retro-styling, and impressively frugal. In fact, you can buy 3 pairs, with lenses, for just $99!

I've been buying glasses online for years now, and never cease to be amazed at the continued ease and value the process offers me. Not only can I preview the actual frames prior to buying them, with Retro Eyeworks Try 3 Free program, but I can get the opinions of family and friends in real life. Some of my favorite online glasses retailers will photoshop frames onto my picture for visualization, but this format allows me to get a proper feel of sizing on my actual face, and even imagine the glasses as part of my everyday wardrobe, risk free!

Buying glasses online with an in home preview even lets me go outside my usual style comfort zone and pick frames I might otherwise be too worried about their bold designs to select. I have always wanted a retro-styled tortoise frame, like the Superflex Tortoise seen above, but the print can be done in a myriad of tones and come off harsh with different frame shapes and sizes. I was especially pleased to fall in love with the over-sized Superflex lenses, and experience their impressive flexibility and durability. I only hope to see the current selection of women's frames at Retro Eyeworks continue to grow so I can keep adding to my addiction!

Which frame do you like best on me?

What Daughter Says: Don't feel trapped in your eyewear, express yourself with affordable styles that let you play with fashion.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Tween Eyewear Fashion Meets Practicality + Online Shopping Tips Giveaway

Momma Told Me: It's how you see the world, not what you see it through.

It's finally happened, the young woman that prances around wearing 'fashion' frames, sans lenses, because she thinks it's cool to be like her role models has finagled her way into a pair or permanent frames. And, like every life-long glasses wearer knows, the four-eyed-look just isn't as cool when you don't have the option to take the frames off. And, especially when you are locked into wearing the same 'style' day in and out until your prescription changes, or you hit the lottery. Yes, Sabrina (11) was so completely tickled to learn her eyesight 'barely' qualified for a reading and distance prescription. Little did she know, but I did, that she would quickly be over her single frame choice in just a few days.

Sabrina, bless her little glittery heart, chose the exact same frame her mother has worn the past several years. It was a feat in itself that the frame was still in active production, unfortunately, as modern children can be a little misunderstanding, some teasing promptly commenced when her classmates picked up the similarities. Luckily 'Aunt' Jenna knew the perfect answer to the financial roadblock of owning more than one pair of glasses- shopping for prescription glasses online. For years I have trusted various online retailers to provide me with a wide range of trendy frame styles and affordable prices. In fact, I even have a 'wardrobe' of frames on standby. Having more than one pair of glasses when it comes to youth, however, is just plain practical. Kids lose, damage, and forget their frames constantly. Being able to replace a pair of glasses in less than $40, and with a quick turnaround is a must for any modern parent.

For Sabrina, picking out a frame she liked wasn't hard, it was one of the featured frames; the #F030 Plastic Women's frame sells for less than $40 on the Firmoo website, and can easily be fitted with clear (fashion), prescriptions, or prescription UV lenses. Some people have a hard time judging frame sizing for their face and prescription when shopping online. Sabrina's PD, 56, is a bit on the lower range, and many frame sellers will often discourage larger frames; this company is happy to assist in the best selection for your PD. Firmoo offers a general guideline range for Pupillary Distance, and frame sizing; however, it is the buyer's choice as to whether the frames will be right for them or not. If you're unsure about sizing and spacing, refer to the measurements on the inside arm of your current glasses for the best match.

While most think of ordering prescription glasses online, you can actually choose from a variety of tints, UV protection, and even fashion lenses. I spotted colored UV tinting and even rhinestone lens accents among some of the more premium treatments. You can really customize your look on a tight budget, and enjoy speedy, free, shipping with basic scratch resistant lenses included. Bifocals, and light polycarbonate lenses are available for a nominal up-charge.

Sabrina's new Firmoo glasses arrived in about 5 days, with free US Shipping on orders over $39, and free International Shipping on orders over $55. The sparkly new glasses arrived nestled within a matching Pink cleaning cloth, inside a complimentary case. They were beautiful and exactly what we'd envisioned from the many customer and stock photos online.  A truly perfect fit for the bubbly, and very girly, but slightly nerdy, 11-year-old Sabrina.  It's been over a decade since I've paid 'sticker price' for  prescription glasses, and I see absolutely no reason to stop saving 80%+ through shopping online at fine retailers such as Firmoo!

What Daughter Says: Don't force yourself into a style corner with boring frames. Enjoy multiple pairs of prescription glasses for the price of one, when you shop glasses online.

Five Momma Told Me readers will win a $30 online gift code for Firmoo.com!