Fashion August 9, 2012

The Warby Parker Experience

Fun Fact: My vision is ridiculously bad. Bad enough that optometrists insist LASIK technology is not advanced enough to fix it yet. I wear contacts from the moment I wake up until about 9 p.m., when I switch to glasses to give my eyes a rest. However, on a recent trip to Pittsburgh, I lost my glasses somewhere. Part of me was dreading the thought of wearing contacts more often than I already do, while the other part was celebrating the excuse to buy Warby Parkers.

The Warby Parker Experience

If you’re not familiar, “Warby Parker was founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty objective: to create boutique-quality, classically crafted eyewear at a revolutionary price point.” Basically, the company offers what I like to call “nerdy chic” frames (prescription glasses or sunglasses) for under $100. Yes, lenses included. If you think it sounds too good to be true, it only gets better. Warby Parker operates like TOMS Shoes, with the “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair” program. For every pair of glasses you buy, the company donates a pair of glasses to someone in need.The Warby Parker Experience

Webbs in Amber

A few Saturdays ago, I visited Warby Parker’s showroom in SoHo. It’s actually part of their headquarters—a loft filled with sunlight, books, and vintage knickknacks. It was crowded, but I had so much fun browsing and trying on dozens of frames. With the help of the Warby Parker team, I finally chose Webbs in Amber, a perfect tortoiseshell. In minutes, the team also helped me enter my prescription information into a Macbook and pay through the website. Less than 10 days later, they arrived in a study, blue-lined case at work. I’ve worn them far more than any other pair of glasses I’ve owned…and received many compliments.

Warby Parker has showrooms in a number of cities. If you don’t live near one, they offer the Home Try On program. Genius. You can select any five frames, and they will be sent to you free of charge. After trying them on and choosing your favorite with the help of Warby Parker’s “experts” on their Facebook page, send the frames back and place an order with your prescription online. Too much hassle? You can also try the frames on by uploading your photo to their website and overlaying the frames. Could they make it any easier?

If you’ve also recently lost (or “lost”) your glasses, I highly recommend you try these retro-inspired beauties.

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