I received a letter from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles a few weeks ago, informing me that my driver’s license would be expiring on my birthday (May 5th in case you are interested). The good news, is that I have to go in and have a new photo taken - which is awesome because no one ever likes the photo on their license. I swear they train their people to take bad images. “Wait until they blink or open their mouth to ask a question…” I can hear it now. The bad news is that I also have to complete an eye exam to renew my license. I have been wearing "readers" for a couple of years and totally need them to read small print. Reading the 4 point font on my iPhone was a nightmare until I discovered you could enlarge it. Now my setting is extra large or as my son calls it “old people font”.
I knew there was no way I would pass an eye test, so I made an appointment to get my eyes examined and sure enough I heard the words that no woman ever wants to hear, “You need bifocals.” (insert mental image of my Grandmother and a silent scream here) So, how does one stay fashionably cool and still wear glasses? I dropped into Occhiali Modern Optics at Plaza at Preston Center to browse around and see if I could live with this verdict. I was pleasantly surprised to see that frames have gotten a lot hipper since I last wore them 20 years ago. Materials range from the traditional plastic and wire to unique pieces made from wood and bamboo. Right away the sales person said words that are music to my ears, “We carry lines that you won’t find all over town and even brands that other stores carry – we carry exclusive frames within the collection.” Always a plus, because who wants to look like everyone else? Not me.
Occhiali carries lines I had heard of like Ray Ban, Face a Face and Tom Ford but they also had some very cool lines that I had never seen including Tom Davies from London, Anne et Valentin and Dita. I also liked that at Occhiali their staff are “certified”, meaning they have been trained by the American Board of Opticianry. They really understand your prescription and know if it will work with a certain style of frame or how to properly fit them to your face. The photo above show you what I ended up with – a frame from Anne at Valentin. I call it nerd chic. What do you think?
If you’re like me and you like one-of-a-kind, custom, no one else will have it fashions, then I encourage you to stop by Occhiali on May 14 for a trunk show they are having. You can meet British designer Tom Davies and have him personally help you design a frame to suit your look and personality. If you’d like to work with Tom, it is highly encouraged to make an appointment. Times will range from 10AM – 2PM & 4PM to 7PM. You will enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while you browse the store and mix and mingle.
Occhiali Modern Optics is located at 8300 Preston Road (next to Orvis) Dallas, Texas 75225, 214-368-2777. http://www.occhialimodernoptics.com
This post was sponsored by Occhiali Modern Optics. While I did receive compensation for authoring this post; product selections, descriptions, and opinions are 100% my own. Interested in a sponsored post or product review? Contact me for rates and details.
