Monday, February 14, 2011

"New" Cat Eye Glasses!

Last week, I bought these 50s, clear acetate and light gold cat eye frames on Etsy. They are in amazing condition and look unworn! I paid 58.00 USD and with shipping, the total came to be just over 63.00 USD! I love the gold accents:
 
I received my glasses on Saturday and that afternoon, I took my new frames to my local optician and had them fitted with my prescription. One of the lab technicians, who happens to collect Victorian-era accessories and furniture, always ensures that my vintage frames are well taken care of!

In the past, other technicians and opticians have been reluctant to work on vintage eyewear because they are afraid the frames will snap/break when heated. So, I am truly lucky to have found a place where people understand the nature of vintage metal and plastics!

Here is me today wearing my new frames:
 (I am wearing a tee because I was going to the gym)

So, if you are looking for vintage eyewear, give Etsy and eBay a look!

17 comments:

  1. Wow!How awesome are they?Not a bad price either.
    You look gorgeous!They really complement & flatter the shape of your face:)

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  2. Thank you, Mrs Cleaver! I was really happy with the price. I found an amazing pair of 50s cat eyes with gorgeous detailing but they were 124.00 USD! No way! I love good quality and a good deal. But I am willing to pay a bit more since I have to wear glasses but there is a limit for what I will shell out! I have even seen pairs for over 200 bucks! I just browse for a while and add things to my favorites and when I find the right pair and the right price, I go for it!

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  3. They look gorgeous on you!
    And the frame color goes perfect with your complexion.
    I have two sets of frames coming in the mail. They are not vintage but vintage style.. for now that will do, until I find myself the perfect frames.

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  4. que bonitos..I been wanting lucite glitter ones but always get outbided..you look like a darling vintage secretaria..besos

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  5. These are some of the prettiest vintage frames I've seen, and that champagne color looks great on you! What a terrific buy, and even better that you found someone you trust to take them to for the lenses.
    I had some frames that I wanted sunglass lenses put in, but the cost was unbelievable and no one really wanted to work on them due to the age :(

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  6. Melzaelf,

    Thanks for the comment! I used to buy Jean Lafont or SEE Eyewear frames but once I started wearing vintage, I could never go back! SEE Eyewear has amazing frames that look very vintage. Some of their styles are expensive but the look and quality make it worth the price. Lafont is great but they are only sold through an optician and when my optician moved away, I could not longer get the frames.

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  7. Gracias, La Dama! Etsy has some great frames and the seller I bought from, Vintageeyewearwest," has a nice selection and reasonable prices. I used to find gafas on ebay but I, too, got outbid.

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  8. Thank you, Barbara! I am happy with my new glasses! They fit like a dream too! If you want vintage-looking glasses that are modern made, SEE Eyewear is pretty good:

    http://www.seeeyewear.com/index.aspx

    I used to have a pair of green and tortoiseshell cat eyes from SEE and people thought they were vintage! Even other vintage people would come up to me and ask me if my glasses were deadstock!

    Some opticians get too wigged out by older frames! They sometimes refuse because they assume vintage = it's gonna break/snap in half! I am lucky I have someone who understands and is willing to work with vintage acetate and metal.

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  9. Allyn Scura is my absolute favorite resource for vintage frames. They vend at Vegas, typically, and always have amazing, deadstock frames. They can even do your lenses and I've gotten green glass before for a perfect period look. http://www.allynscura.com/ Check them out, TOTALLY worth it!

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  10. They look beautiful on you they really suit your face shape and colouring. I don't wear glasses, I'm only just getting to the 'need occasionally to read' age so I haven't invested in vintage frames yet as no one sees me in them, but if I wore them more often I would certainly invest!

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  11. Love these! So nice and look great on you. Did you wear them to the gym with your red lipstick? Glamorous exercise! ;)

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  12. Ooooooooh, Erin! I could so do some major damage on that Allyn Scura site! If I get all my ducks in a row and make it to Viva this April, I am going to find them for sure! I had my 50s American Optical sunglasses' prescription done in the proper green lenses!

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  13. Thank you, Fiona! I have been wearing glasses for distance since I was 15. But for the last couple of years, I have to wear glasses most of the time because in addition to being near-sighted, I developed astigmatism both eyes.

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  14. Thanks, Clare! No, I didn't wear my glasses working out! lol! I take them off during workouts. I am too afraid something will happen to them!

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  15. Apologies for being late to this wonderful post. Another good bet for vintage eyewear is Shuron: http://www.shuron.com/

    The company has been making vintage glasses since before they were vintage! I wear NuLady Deluxe, which are the same glasses my Nana wore. My husband wears Ronsirs :)

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  16. Whoa, those are good-looking cat eye glasses. The gold accents make it even more attractive! And the shipping price is a lot cheaper than usual. Well, will you look like catwoman when you wear that in the dark? LOL!

    -> Danny Collins

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  17. The frames look nice! It suits your hair well too. Anyway, you're right about etsy. In general, the internet is a great place to find some stylish and retro stuff.

    -Vincent Davis

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