Some time ago, I was sitting in my mom's kitchen.
"You know what, Mom? I think my eyes are beginning to go." As any daughter knows, I said this not to get advice from my mother, but rather, to have her deny it vehemently. Don't be ridiculous, she was supposed to say. You're far too young to be worrying about things like that.
"Well, it's about time, isn't it?" she said, to my horror. "I mean, I was 40 when I started to wear glasses. In fact, I'd say you're running behind."
I was indignant, and then slightly worried. I tried to remember when last I'd been to the eye doctor, and the truth was I couldn't remember. I remember Daddy took me after school ...
... clearly it was time for a check up.
So a few months ago, I went to the eye doctor. He was really kind and very thorough. At the end of the hour-long examination, he sat back. "Well," he said. "You're still testing at 20/20."
I smiled.
"But, you know, you're over 40. It's going to happen any time now. It's coming."
Jerk.
So I didn't get glasses, smug in the knowledge that I still had perfect vision. But in my heart, I knew that this couldn't be the case. I can't read medicine bottle instructions anymore. If I'm in a dimly-lit restaurant, my arms aren't long enough to hold the menu the distance I need to make out the words. It's coming. I kept hearing the doctor's words. It's coming.
Then a few weeks ago, my friend Chris and her daughter came to spend the night with me. At one point in the evening, Chris pulled out some glasses to read a text message.
"I didn't know that you wore glasses," I said.
"Oh, it's new," she smiled. "They're just cheap reading glasses. I bought them at Walmart. But I noticed that print seemed harder to read lately."
"Oh my gosh, me too!" I gushed. Then I hesitated. "I ... um ... would you mind if I tried them?"
"Sure!" She took them off and handed them to me. I put them on, and grabbed a bottle of Advil near by. The words on the label came into sharp focus.
"Dammit," I said. Chris burst into laughter. "Welcome," she smiled.
Dejected, I mentioned my new realization that I need glasses on Facebook. Unexpectedly, I got a private message from my friend James. "Hey," he said. "Before you go out and buy reading glasses, you should check out Rivet & Sway. It's a new company started by my friend John, who is a great guy. Let me make an introduction."
James did, and a week later, I was on the phone with John. I liked him immediately: Rivet & Sway is an online company that provides high-end prescription glasses -- with style. Unlike other online specs companies, Rivet & Sway caters solely to women: their tagline, "see who you wanna be," is all about the company's desire to provide eyewear that inspires confidence. And as we talked, John told me that he comes from a long line of strong women: his great-grandmother was tasked with protecting the family ranch back in the olden days ("My parents have a black and white photo of her in their house ... horse,
lasso, dip in her mouth and a six shooter and holster around her waist," he said). His grandmother was the first female surgeon in South Texas, and her clients were the roughnecks in the oil fields. And finally, his mother was one of the first women stockbrokers/money managers in Austin.
As I said, I liked this guy.
We talked for about an hour. Rivet & Sway is a new company -- it went live only about a month ago -- and John wants to get the word out. "I'd love to hook you up with a pair of glasses," he said, "but if you're going to mention us on your site, I want you to go through the process of actually ordering them online, so you can really see what we're all about. Do the free home try-on, see what you think about how we work, and how the glasses feel before you commit to a pair. I want you to give your honest feedback."
Fair enough.
So Sunday night, I went on their website and ordered three pairs of glasses that felt like me, to try them on.
Today, they arrived, beautifully packaged.
The frames are lovely, but for the life of me, I can't make a decision. So I thought that I'd bring you guys into the process: I'll let you guys pick the frames that I'm going to get. Each frame has a story behind it, so I'll share the stories with you, and how I look with them, and let you decide.
Ready? Let's go.
the rizzo
Here's the inspiration for the look:
Who wants to be a Sandy when you could be a Rizzo? Sure, Sandy may have gotten the guy, but we always rooted for Rizzo, the tough-talking, gum chewing, leader of the pack. After all, Sandy never really got her mojo until the Pink Ladies taught her to ditch her poodle skirts and saddle shoes for spandex, heels and a leather jacket. With its bold lines and hint of an edge, our Rizzo frame has swagger and its own rebel allure.
And here's what the Rizzo looks like on me:
Okay, so next up ...
the faster pussycat
Here's the inspiration behind these specs:
Inspired by cult classics — movies, books, and products so inventive that they’re burned into our collective psyche — Faster Pussycat celebrates true originality. Its softened cat-eye shape will help you make an entrance to your very own fan-base.
And here's what they look like on me:
... and finally, last but not least, we have:
the bésame mucho
And here's the inspiration behind these:
Consuelo Velázquez was just 15-years-old when she wrote Bésame Mucho —and she’d never been kissed. That minor detail didn’t stop her from writing one of the all-time greatest odes to love and longing. With its sweet curving lines and gorgeous color combos, the Bésame Mucho frame evokes a hint of passion to showcase your romantic spirit, no matter how old you are.
And here's what I look like:
So, what do you think? Help me crowdsource my new reading glasses: let me know which one you like in the comments below, and I'll get whichever frames get the most votes by midnight Thursday night/Friday morning. Once I've received the final pair, I'll let you know my final thoughts on Rivet and Sway.
And thanks in advance, guys. It's actually surprisingly comforting to have you involved in this next visual chapter of my life.
Song: Private eyes as performed by The Bird & The Bee
