Do you wear contacts because you think it makes you look prettier?
A classmate asked me this question when I wore contacts to school for the first time. Back then, I was so sick of replacing my glasses from the constant collisions in P.E. that I hoped contacts would save me from the world of blurry vision. Looking prettier was an added benefit to my escape from those cheap plastic and metal frames.
Since then, I’ve worn contacts as much as possible. Rarely do I wear glasses in public, but recently, I have to wear them for two WHOLE weeks.
I have often felt like the ugly duckling in my glasses and contacts magically turned me into a beautiful swan.
Glasses are this awkward invention that makes me uncomfortable. With my increasing myopia, it turns any cute pair of frames into geeky coke-bottle holders. My lenses are so thick I paid extra for super featherweight styles that shaved millimeters off the thickness but in the end, they still look bulky.
But in less than a week, I’ll be free from glasses forever.
Outfit Details: Banana Republic cardigan – XS, Anthropologie tank – XS, thrifted skirt (altered), Charles David Awaken wedges
I’ve had to do some shuffling with my 30 items to make it more reasonable and one of the swaps was to take out the DIY bubble skirt for this white pencil skirt. I was trying on the bubble skirt the other day and the elastic snapped, so I have to fix it. Luckily, the white skirt came back from the tailors. I picked it up at a clothing swap but it was way too big (size 12), so I had it slimmed to fit me. My tailor was surprised that I picked up such a large skirt but she worked her magic and for $40, it’s a worthy price for such great closet staple.
Speaking of white, I’m so in love with my denim jacket…it makes any outfit look casual and summery. Outerwear has always been a hit or miss venture. Sometimes I love my coats and jackets and other times, I only wear it a handful of times before I send it away. I’m getting better with my selections, but it’s still an incomplete collection. There are probably 5 jackets that I absolutely cannot part with and the rest…I’m open to finding a replacement.
Outfit Details: Martin + Osa jacket – XS, French Connection dress -XS, Modcloth necklace, Payless pumps
The more time I spend with my current closet, the more I notice how many items I don’t wear. I can part with so much more in the quest of obtaining my ideal closet filled with clothes that are all beautiful, durable, and seasonless. I’m relying less on trends and more on what I actually love and I don’t want to settle for anything less. I wish I would get to the point where I’m satisfied with my wardrobe and I don’t feel like I don’t have anything to wear. I hope I’ll get there someday.
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Are you getting Lasik, Jess! I hate glasses. I wore contacts for almost ten years. My vision was really bad. I had Lasik done about a year and half ago. Totally worth every penny in my opinion.
i like your white jean jacket. It does make the outfit look more summery.
I hated glasses too, I didn’t get contacts until 3 years ago and totally love them now. It felt weird at first, without the weight of the glasses. I didn’t like the way I looked at first, b/c glasses had always been my comfort zone. But obviously I grew to love not relying on the glasses, being able to wear different types of makeup without ruining it with glasses, etc. I only wear them at night now, before going to bed, and at home on weekends when I’m being lazy. Sometimes it helps change up an outfit, to add to that “smart” look!
I feel the same way about contacts vs glasses, so you’re not alone. Wearing glasses for long periods of times hurts my ears and they’re constantly slipping off my nose. Hate it! Are you getting lasik next week? So lucky. I can’t seem to come up with the courage for surgery, so contacts will be my best friend for a long while.
Love all your white pieces for the summer (and this challenge!) I can see the white denim jacket already becoming a staple. Great pick up.
I agree with the glasses point. Very rarely will anyone see me in my eyeglasses. I just feel so nerdy wearing them even if I buy the most stylish and flattering eyeglasses I can find. I also really like to wear sunglasses and without my contacts, I’m virtually blind.
I also agree with trying to stick to the idea of beautiful, durable and timeless clothing purchases. I’ve always tried to do that, but I sometimes succumb to purchases that doesn’t necessarily fit my vision of the “perfect” wardrobe. Plus, those items that I absolutely love and I think fit my vision are totally out of my budget at the moment, so that doesn’t work either. I’m really just trying to do my best with what I can afford and I think I am somewhat successful (I know I can still do better!), at least with clothing purchases…not so much with shoes.
I think you are BEAUTIFUL with your glasses…though I get a headache when I just wear sunglasses, so I can certainly understand the desire for contacts.
I agree about wanting to dress in what you like rather than in what’s trendy. Sometimes it’s hard to do that because it feels to me like going against the grain. I wish I was more comfortable doing that.
You look beautiful in that white skirt with the flowy top, and that red dress is gorgeous!
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I’m the opposite of many of you ladies. When I was a bit younger (and more athletic. haha), I always wore contacts. I started to get lazy as I got a little older and pretty exclusively wear my glasses. I’m definitely ready for LASIK, though!
I’m in the same boat as you (got my first pair of glasses in the 4th grade) but like my glasses! I think you look more serious in them, but they definitely do not turn you into an “ugly swan.” I am at like, -7.5 so I do know how thick lenses can get. However, I am excited for your upcoming Lasik(?) procedure. I didn’t know a pre-req for it was to not wear your contacts.
Speaking of outerwear, H&M is selling a really cute cropped trench jacket on sale for only $15!! They ran out of the dark camel in XS at my store, but I managed to snag a black one. It’s also available in white and light blue. Email me if interested in a photo of the price tag.
I don’t wear glasses, but lately, I’ve been putting on other people’s that say they have slight vision impairment and the world is so much clearer. uh oh. but I will probably avoid it til it becomes much more of a problem. then i’ll lasik it over lunch. HAHAHAH.
I really like that your jean jacket is white. The red dress looks luxurious against the skin. You should showcase this dress more. I like it! I feel like it’s my 1st time seeing it.
LOL! Same with me! I haven’t had a vision test since elementary school, but I can see just fine and will live happily in ignorance until my vision goes blurry and I’m forced to do something about it.
I love the look of the frames of glasses, but I know what you mean about having thick lenses. ..it sucks!
Sounds like you are getting laser eye surgery!
Olive green is a great color on you!! So is red! :p
My boyfriend had PDK (the more hardcore eye surgery that is recommended for really active/athletic people) a few years ago and he loves it! You’ll be so happy when you can just open your eyes in the morning and SEE!
that red dress is so pretty!!
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I feel exactly the same as you with glasses, like an ugly duckling! In fact when I was in 6th grade, I looked exactly like Ugly Betty, I had that frizzy perm and the red glasses. Luckily that awkward phase is over and you are off to getting lasik?
All the best!
Oh Jess I’m excited for you that you’re getting the procedure done! I really want to get it done so badly. I was sooo excited to get my surgery done. I had dry eyes so they plugged up my tear ducts. The day BEFORE my surgery they checked and my eyes were still too dry to get it done
I was seriously devastated. A year later I went back and still a no go. Both times I wore my glasses for 2 weeks prior which I HATED b/c my eyesight is so bad. After the 2nd time they said they would try to get me prescription drops to see if they would work – problem was they were not available in Canada so I had to wait. They finally were able to get them in from the US – but I never took them. I was still so upset about getting my hopes up and getting all excited. They said it still wasn’t guaranteed and I’d have to take the drops for a whole month and wear my glasses too before they could tell if it would work. So sadly I’m here today still wearing my contacts. I’m so super excited for you – I’ll live through you for now….
Laser eye surgery was one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made! Congrats!
Glasses are my passion & soon-to-be career, so I love them. But I do defer to contacts if I have to be outside–in order to wear my sunglasses.
Nowadays, glasses are really trendy and they can make a great, bold statement in any outfit. There are many things you can do to make your glasses look thinner:
-choose a smaller frame
-use “high index” materials, so the lens is physically thinner
-get an edge coating, so that light isn’t reflected into the edges (no coke bottle effect!)
Lasik is a great alternative for good candidates. Let us know how it goes!
Jenny
http://goldnturquoise.blogspot.com/
Are you getting lasik? I spent my entire childhood from age 5 wearing glasses and every year my eyes got worse, so by the time I was in college, my glasses are super thick and my parents spent loads on those featherweights lens for me, but somehow my glasses still looked thick since my prescription was so high that it distorts my eyes making them seem thick. The optometrist kept telling me to get smaller glasses to reduce the thickness, but my face shape looks bad in small glasses, especially since I have a wide face, so it stinks. For some reason, I never got contacts. But mid-college, I got lasik, and it was a miracle! I loved it! It’s been about 9 year since my surgery, and now I have to wear glasses again (I swear i have the weakest eyes), but I only need a light prescription for driving, but it’s still way better than the coke-bottle glasses I had. So no regrets on the lasik. Good luck on the procedure!
So you’re getting lasik!! I’m excited for you! If your degree of myopia is bad as you claim…then its definitely worth getting the surgery. I’m about -3.50 both eyes…hasn’t changed since high school…so I can’t justify the surgery. I’ll stick with my contacts for now! I’m the same where I almost NEVER let anyone see me in glasses, except I’ll wear them to job interviews, hoping that it would make me appear “smarter” lol. Glasses are such an inconvenience sometimes, especially in this sunny weather when I’m driving, I need wear my sunglasses on top of my glasses.
Cute white jacket by the way…I’ve been looking for a white jacket for the summer but haven’t found anything I love yet, and its halfway through July now…
-Lor
i’m hoping to get to that point too…but right now i have a tonnnnn of clothes but always feel like i have nothing to wear! blah.
i love the pink floral + green + white combo in the first outfit…so pretty. and red + white is always fabulous – and i love that dress!!
and i think you look cute in glasses!!
I really like the look of glasses with some outfits………..they just seem to fill in the gaps with certain outfits (could just be me) Lol I love the necklace you wore with the red dress and white jacket, it’s beautiful!!
Love your outfits!
I didn’t have to wear glasses until in my mid teens. Used to be a real bother at first but then found really nice styles when I started working that suit my face better and got a lot of compliments. I only wore contacts for special occasions but haven’t done for years. Now I’m getting long sighted (with age harumph!) so that’s another whole bother! Can’t do lasik as too myopic plus have double astigmastism – I don’t do things by half lol!
All the best!
Jess, are you getting Lasik?!
I wear glasses about 50% of the time. I’ve never worn contacts; they’ve always scared me a little. I agree with you on taking a closer look at your closet. I began purging mine this year, and I feel like a weight has been lifted out of my life. Cheers to building the right wardrobe for you! xo
Oooh, all the talks about Lasik! If that’s the case, I hope you’ll keep us updated! I wear glasses 99% of the time because I suck at putting on contacts. I kinda have small eyes, so every time I put contacts on, I have to tug on my already-unsightly eye bags. Plus, I always have to make sure my pinching/grabbing nails are short, and my eyes dry out easily. Plenty of excuses, but I do suppose I look “better” with my contacts on. I sometimes don’t recognize myself! Anyway, getting Lasik would be such the awesome solution, but somehow, it kinda freaks me out when there’s talk of cutting and opening “flaps” on my eyeball. =P Plus, I don’t get to be knocked out??! 0.o
I seem to be with the minority as I quite like my glasses. The only things that bother me is that it slips off my nose whenever I look down (but that can be remedied with some tightening of the screws) and not being able to see clearly with sunglasses unless I get them with a prescription. I can understand how glasses can be such a hassle when the lenses are thick. :\ With this procedure done, I bet you’ll be more than happy to do away with the burdensome lenses, and I hope everything goes well.
Lastly, loving the outfit combinations! I, too, hope to have a closet one day with timeless pieces I want to wear over and over again. As such, I was glad that with my recent move, I was able to reevaluate the clothes I already had and part with the ones I hardly ever wear (with the added benefit of having less stuff to pack).
Interesting topic! Yes, I wear contacts because I think I look better as much as I hate to admit it. I have a round face and flat nose. I don’t think it’s the ideal facial structure for most frames. Add to that the discomfort of my arms/nose when I already wear safety glasses for school… there’s no way I’m going to wear 2 pairs of glasses all day. So contacts are my best friend. Congrats on getting surgery though! I myself am too much of a wimp to get it done.
awww I think wearing glasses is fun. But then again I don’t need to wear them all the time so I don’t know how it is to need them.
i’m the exact opposite – i love my glasses so much and have always hated contacts. they give me terrible headaches, especially when i’m staring at a screen, which i do 9-to-5. on the few occasions that i’m not wearing glasses, i’m constantly readjusting thin air like i have a phantom limb, haha.
aaanyway, that modcloth necklace is kind of awesome.
I’m another one in the glasses-loving category – actually, I wish I could wear them more often, but I often do contacts instead because my glasses keep sliding down. After quite a bit of trial, I found a glasses style that I love…rimless on the bottom, thick and nerdy otherwise…and I’ve come to see my frames as an accessory. I’ll throw them on if everything else I’m wearing feels a little too girly!
With respect to your quest for an ideal closet, I feel ya for sure. I’m trying be become a wardrobe-editing master without losing my sense of sartorial adventure (this has been the motivation for starting my blog, still in its infancy), and I agree, it’s tough. I recently took the leap of getting rid of the majority of my shoes, mostly crappy or ill-fitting impulse buys, and now have only six pairs. Six total, summer and winter!!! But each pair is high quality, fits well, and is neutral for expanded matching possibilities. So anyway, kudos to you for putting real thought into crafting your wardrobe, as tempting as trends can be.
Let me know how the Lasik turns out
I got it 6 months ago – unfortunately my right eye is still slightly blurry. – I think I outlined that a bit on my blog… long time ago. I’ve been away so long (trying not to spend money 
) – hope everything goes well!!
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