Posted by erinm on Mar 8, 2010 in
Fashion
My anticipation for catching the best and worst Oscar dresses slowly began to subside once the red carpet cameras were rolling and Ryan Seacrest was poised for his up close and personal interviews with each and every actress.
Now, I know I’m not the only one that gets giddy for these awards. So, I figured why not relive last nights fashion wonders (and disasters) by pairing each dress with their long lost frame twin. It’s amazing how the same dress style can be emulated in a simple pair of glasses… who would have thought!
How do you rate each dress? There were definitely a few “what was she thinking?! I mean, seriously!” dresses in the mix, so don’t be shy… I would have to say Zoe Saldana’s schizophrenic “beautiful top, catastrophic bottom” number deserves a worst dress mention. Yes?
Pictured above, from left to right: All pictures via oscar.movies.yahoo.com.
Posted by michellel on Feb 26, 2010 in
Know How Find yourself always having to loosen that baseball hat a couple of notches? Or having to muscle through that pounding headache for the sake of showing off that oh so fashionable feather headband? If you’re noddin’ that noggin’ right now, then these 8 tips on what eyeglass shape and size will best fit you are a must read. Trust me – your head will be thanking you later.
Tip 1
Look for frames that extend beyond the edges of the lens. This design creates greater distance between the temples.
Tip 2
Choose a pair of glasses with spring hinge temples. Some spring hinges allow the arm to extend up to 60 degrees wider than the original angle – resulting in a more flexible, comfortable fit.
Tip 3
Look for glasses that are made of flexible material. This type of frame will flex and form to the shape of your head and prevent any restricting pressure against your temples.
Tip 4
If you have a wider nose, choose eyeglasses with nose pads so that you can customize them to your personal size.
Tip 5
If your forehead is slightly more narrow than your jaw area, choose a semi-rimless frame with thick or exaggerated detailing on the top half. This will help bring balance to your natural features.
Tip 6
If you have a wider, more round face shape, look for glasses that have a gentle outward curve in the shape of the arm. If the arm is too straight, it will press into the temples in an uncomfortable way.
Tip 7
If you have higher, more round cheeks, look for glasses with slender lenses. If the lens height is too large, the glasses will rest on your cheeks instead of your nose.
Tip 8
Glasses come in many different sizes. To make sure the size is right for you, choose a pair that is within a 1 to 4 mm range of what you currently wear. Look at the inside of the temple on your glasses to locate the exact frame measurements. If you are a first time eyeglass wearer, head to a local optical store and try on different frames – write down what size and style works the best.
- Michelle L -
Posted by erinm on Feb 25, 2010 in
Fashion American athletes are leading the results board in both medals and style at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. While walking the red carpet or chilling with friends at this year’s games, the look seems to be highly focused around the retro vibe of Ray Bans or the sporty chic style of Oakleys. Yet, these athletes know that when the slopes are calling their names, sporting protective eyewear is the only way to go.
Whether crowd favorite, Shaun White, is celebrating his gold medal win or having his photo taken by paparazzi, his fresh style is always accompanied by timeless Ray Ban sunglasses in all colors of the rainbow. Big hair, big shades and big talent!
Looking for a big style that will separate you from the crowd? Take a look at this Olympian’s favorite wayfarer style, like these Ray-Ban Wayfarer 2140 Red or Karl Lagerfeld 603 sunglasses.
While off the slopes and shopping, or relaxing in a hot tub and sipping on a cold beverage, Olympic champion snow bunnies, Lindsey Vonn (pictured top) and Julia Mancuso (pictured bottom, center) sport sunglasses that are athletic and chic.
Like their style? Check out our Chanel 5150 Black or Oakley Grapevine Cream sunnies.
Johnny Spillane greets his fans with a big smile and orange tinted sport goggles.
If you’re the hardcore sporting type and need to have clear vision no matter the circumstance, try out affordable prescription Safety Glasses Shiny Black sport goggles or Safety Sunglasses Matte Black sunglasses.
Even sports announcers are in on the action, like NBC’s leading NHL announcer and voice of the Devils, Mike Emrick. He’s lucky enough to have taken on the role of announcing the 2010 Olympic hockey games! His fine spectacles help him check the facts for all the fans at home.
If you like Mike Emrick’s no nonsense frame style, check these Birka 5229 Brown eyeglasses or Modo 1082 Brown frames out.
I was also lucky enough to meet a couple German luge coaches during the festivities. While translating back and forth (yup, that’s right, I can speak German), I couldn’t help but notice the semi-rimless metal frames that the coach beside me was sporting. The rectangular style was just right for him, and is actually a modern shape that works well for a variety of face shapes.
If you like his look, check out our Ltede 1018 Blue/Gun frames pictured below.
- Julia B -
Picture above, from left to right: Shaun White via latimesblogs.com, Shaun White via insidesocal.com, Ashley Vonn via youtube.com, Julia Mancuso via beerdrinkingclub.com, Johnny Spillane via ctvolympics.ca, Mike Emrick via bleacherreport.com, Mike Emrick via nbcsports.msnbc.com.
Posted by erinm on Feb 18, 2010 in
Giving Back February 18, 2010
We’re only half way through the 2010 Olympic Games and… surprise surprise… USA is leading the medal board with 14 shiny ones!
So here’s the deal… For every medal won, I’ll match it by posting a patriotic pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses. I’m just hoping we have enough red, white and blue acetate and titanium to last us until the end!
So, there you have it – 14 pairs of LensWay’s most patriotic specs to match USA’s 14 well deserved Olympic medals. And remember to check back! As soon as another medal is draped across an American athlete, one more pair of glasses will be posted in their honor. Happy Olympic watching!
February 22, 2010
Update! So, we’re on the final leg of the Olympic games and there’s no one catching us now – USA has snagged itself 24 medals so far! So, you know what that means, here’s 10 more pairs of patriotic frames to bring our total frame count to 24 as well!
February 23, 2010
Update! Congratulations to United State’s Ice Dance silver medalists Meryl Davis and Charlie White! I would like to dedicate these New Balance 396 Red frames just to them.
February 24, 2010
Update! So it looks like we’re not too shabby at the Nordic Combined Relay either as Brett Camerota, Todd Lodwick, Johnny Spillane and Bill Demong took the silver medal, bringing USA’s total medal count to 26… go boys go! These Modo 1082 Brown frames are dedicated to you!
February 25, 2010
Update! Just if you thought 26 medals was enough, six woman representing the USA decided to snag another couple bronze medals with the two person Bobsleigh and the four person 3000 m Short Track. Showcasing these patriotic ladies Ralph Lauren 5001 9017 Blue frames and Lucky Fiona Red White frames are our way of giving these amazing women a cyber high-five!
February 26, 2010
Update! Looks like the USA isn’t going to leave these Olympic games without putting up a fight until the very end — they’ve now scored 32 big ones! Here’s to the American Woman’s Ice Hockey team with their silver, to Bill Demong and Johnny Spillane for snagging gold and silver respectively in the Individual Nordic Combined and to Men’s Aerials specialist, Jeret Peterson, for his well deserved silver. 4 more medals, 4 more of LensWay’s red, white and blue frames to follow! (Click on the picture to try them on with our virtual mirror).
March 1, 2010
It’s hard to believe the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games are actually over! USA went in fighting, and came out with the best outcome possible by taking home 37 shiny ones. I’ll leave you with these 5 final patriotic eyeglasses in their honor. Now it’s time to bring on Russia 2014! I can’t wait…
- Erin TM -
Posted by erinm on Feb 17, 2010 in
What's Up 
Could this possibly be true? Lost is actually on its final leg of… well… as I sit down and actually try to re-hash what kind of journey this show has been on, I’m lost for words! (ha, pun intended).
Oh wait, right. There was that mysterious black stallion that appeared and then disappeared to never return, polar bears that were no where near the Arctic, a creepy black cloud monster thing that ripped people to shreds, the good ol’ Dharma hatches that played that eerie song, time traveling between the present and 1970… ok… sorry, that got out of hand, I guess I actually do remember some things. Lost sure has thrown some interesting twists at us, and even though I was left smiling and nodding the majority of time, it kept me gobsmacked.
I mean, for an island in the middle of nowhere, the Dharma Initiative seemed to be doing just swimmingly. Food never seemed scarce, medical supplies were in abundance, clean clothes were on their backs, and an optician was close by (ok, maybe not, but at least I hope there was for Ben Linus’ sake). Actually, what am I talking about?! He was an evil snake! I hope his prescription was out of date – serves him right. Nevertheless, whether on the show or off, his 1970’s inspired circular specs never left his side…
Try our 70’s inspired Jones NY J850 Black frames or our Birka 2335 Smoke specs.
As for Sawyer, no matter how ridiculous his glasses looked, girls just couldn’t stay away. Kate was attracted to his witty, sarcastic side when they first crashed (pictured below left), while Juliet was drawn to his softer, more ‘guy next door’ side when they time jumped back to the 70’s (pictured below right). Either way, Sawyer had no worries.
To keep the ladies coming back for more, try our not so ridiculous Banana Republic Colin Tortoise glasses or our Calvin Klein 488 551 frames.
And then there were those blessed with 20/20 vision – Jack Shephard, the strong willed doctor, and Desmond Hume, the love-stricken Scottish lad. Fortunately for them, rather than having to squint around for a pair of misplaced eyeglasses, they could focus on the more important things, like performing spinal surgery and repeatedly punching in the same code hour after hour so the island didn’t implode… no big deal. As for their day to day life? Staying under wraps behind a pair of sunglasses seems to be the prevailing theme.
If you’re in the 20/20 vision gang just like these guys, make sure you protect yourself from the elements with our Persol 2884-S sunglasses or our Karl Lagerfeld 131S shades.
- Erin TM -
Picture above, from left to right: Lost via abc.go.com, Michael Emerson via approachinglost.com, Michael Emerson via starpulse.com, Jones NY J850 Black frames, Birka 2335 Smoke frames, James Ford via abc.go.com, James Ford via abc.go.com, Banana Republic Colin Tortoise frames, Calvin Klein 488 551 frames, Matthew Fox via babble.com, Henry Ian Cusick via ew.com Persol 2884-S sunglasses, Karl Lagerfeld 131S sunglasses.
Posted by michellel on Feb 16, 2010 in
Fashion
Dean and Dan Caten of DSQUARED² showcased a sublime Spring/Summer 2010 collection with an ode to the great outdoors.
No texture, fabric, or color combination was off limits as they paired tartan pleated frocks with sexy flowing silk and neutral beiges and browns with a pop of bright orange or yellow. Models were draped in loose shirts, cute boy scout inspired shorts, trucker hats and adorable, bright rubber rain booties.
These eclectic, outdoorsy inspired DSQUARED² pieces were paired with contrasting semi-rimless, wide cat-eye glasses. This seemingly small accessory was enough to offset the ruggedness of the clothing and showed us there was a wide eyed beauty beneath each trucker hat.
Each woman donned a pair of large, half-rimed eyeglasses that featured exaggerated cat-eye sweeps and soft curves. The dark color used across the brow line and down the arms was the prominent design of each frame, with some even adorning glittery jewels on the pronounced cat-eye temples. Try our Birka 5229 Red semi-rimless frames or our Vera Wang Prestige Tortoise full-framed cat-eye eyeglasses for a similar vibe.
The boyish good looks of the male models were emphasized by oversized clothing and dark, wide, semi-rimless glasses and full frame glasses. Their edgy and unique looks made them the perfect arm accessory for each of the female models. Our full-framed Joseph Marc 4021 eyeglasses or our semi-rimless Jhane Barnes Align Gunmetal eyeglasses are the perfect accessory to pull off this style.
What’s next for Dean and Dan Caten? Though they’re now based out of Milan, they can’t seem to stay away from home for long. These Canadian born designers are making pit-stops across Canada to introduce their limited-edition fleece hoodies to the world. They even made it close to our Vancouver office by making an appearance at Holt Renfrew.
Here’s hoping they’ll venture south of the border soon so the rest of us can have a personal sneak peak!
- Michelle L -
Picture above, from left to right: Dean and Dan Caten via holtrenfrew.com, DSQUARED² fashion show pictures 1, 2, 3, 4 via style.com, Birka 5229 Red frames, Vera Wang Prestige Tortoise frames, DSQUARED² fashion show via style.com, Joseph Marc 4021 frames, Jhane Barnes Align Gunmetal frames.
Posted by jennyh on Feb 12, 2010 in
Giving Back
Today, all of us at
LensWay’s Vancouver office had the pleasure of cheering on the Olympic torch as it ran by on its journey to start the 2010 Olympic Games. Our Olympic pride was even mentioned under our TSX trading name of Coastal Contacts Inc. in
The Globe and Mail with their
Olympic Pride Sweeps Workplaces article.
We all couldn’t help but pour out of the office (and yes, maybe we were somewhat aggressive… but hey, we’re all about work hard, play hard here… so it was expected!) to cheer on the torch bearer and wave our country flags. It was an exhilarating feeling being able to leave our proud stamps of approval on supporting this once in a lifetime event.
Speaking of once in a lifetime events, my somewhat unrealistic dream of one day meeting the Governator himself, oh… sorry… I mean Arnold Schwarzenegger, almost became a reality. He got in on the action this morning by being one of the few current politicians to carry the torch. By 7 a.m., Arnie was decked out in Olympic swag and dutifully marching the torch through Stanley Park towards its final destination at BC Place Stadium.
Some of the events happening in our office’s over the next couple of weeks include: Flag Day where we’ll be sporting our most patriotic gear, Olympic event broadcasting on all of our office TVs, flexible scheduling allowing employees to volunteer at the Games, and a Pedometer Challenge in which the winner receives Olympic hockey tickets… my fingers are crossed for a win with this one!
To prove the dedication at our Vancouver office, here are a few pictures from earlier today… See? We don’t kid around…
- Jenny H -
Picture above, from left to right: Olympic Inukshuk via Andrew Rodney, Arnold Swarchenegger via Vancouver2010.com, LensWay Vancouver group pictures.
Posted by erinm on Feb 5, 2010 in
Know How After spending hours selecting a pair of glasses and paying the overwhelmingly large bill, I wouldn’t be surprised if most feel like buying glasses is as bad, or worse, than going to the dentist.
This is why I went ahead and put on my secret shopping disguise. I searched high and low for eyeglass retailers with the most convenient service and best value.
During my mission of uncovering the craziness behind this industry, I used the following criteria to grade each eyeglass retailer:
Frame Selection – Pricing – Customer Service – Product Knowledge – Return Policy
* Note: As much as I’d love to uncover each store’s true identity, I figured a lawsuit wasn’t in my best interest. But, at least these true figures and real experiences will give you a grasp of what’s out there and what to look out for!
Retailer A: “Brand name frames for brand name prices.”
Frame: Ralph Lauren $263
Total Cost: $422 (1.5 Index $150, 1.59 Index $340)
Discounts: 30% off
Coatings: No/Yes
Return Policy: 1 month
Warranty: 1 year + additional fees
The frame selection and display was impressive, and there was a wide range of high and low-end options. The sales agent acknowledged me within moments of entering the store. Although she was pleasant and helpful, she lacked product knowledge. For example, she didn’t understand what an “index” referred to. The price was steep at $422 for a pair of Ralph Lauren glasses, and that’s even with 30% off – not much of a deal! They offer a 30-day return policy and if you want to use the one year warranty, you need to pay $30 or half the price for a full replacement. I call this a service for a fee, not a warranty.
Total Score: 11/20
Retailer B: “Where there’s no guarantee.”
Frame: Kliik $269
Total Cost: $293 (1.5 Index $149, 1.59 Index N/A)
Discounts: $125.00 or 30% off
Coatings: Yes
Return Policy: N/A
Warranty: N/A
This retailer’s frame selection was limited, and the quality seemed average. The customer service was mediocre; standing in a store for 10 minutes before being acknowledged made me feel like I wasn’t valued as a customer. The sales agent wasn’t dressed professionally and didn’t mention anything about polycarbonate lenses. It is an industry standard to offer a polycarbonate lens for semi-rimless and rimless frames due to their durability. The price was flexible and included the coatings. There was no determined return policy and they didn’t mention any warranty. In so many words, they didn’t stand behind their product.
Total Score: 10/20
Retailer C: “Sure! We have a warranty… you just need to pay for it.”
Frame: Vogue $169.95
Total Cost: $323.95 (1.5 Index $200, 1.59 Index $300)
Discounts: 50% off lenses
Coatings: Yes
Return Policy: 1 month
Warranty: 1 year + additional fees
The sales agent was friendly and approached me within minutes of entering the store. He was attentive and showed their decent selection of frames. He was well aware of the lens prices and knowledgeable with their selection and what my prescription required. The price was reasonable; however the warranty was not included. The fee to purchase a one year warranty was $30, but to use the warranty was another $30. The last time I checked, that’s not a warranty.
Total Score: 14/20
Retailer D: “A forgettable shopping experience.”
Frame: Gucci $429
Total Cost: $340.60 (1.5 Index $169, 1.59 Index $199)
Discounts: 40% off lenses
Coatings: Yes
Return Policy: 1 month
Warranty: 1 year
The experience at this retailer was straight forward. The sales agent waited for me to look for one to three minutes, then approached me and I was showed the frames I was interested in. The agent could have been friendlier; however, she did cover all the bases. The pricing was not competitive, even with 40% off the frames.
Total Score: 13/20
Retailer E: “Home of the wandering eye.”
Frame: DKNY $231
Total Cost: $381 (1.5 Index $150, 1.59 Index $150)
Discounts: N/A
Coatings: Yes
Return Policy: N/A
Warranty: 1 year
This experience was by far the most awkward and unprofessional. After entering the store and looking at various frames, a sales man greeted me and suggested I try a thick plastic frame. I tried them on asked if I looked “geeky”, while looking down my shirt he responded “no, you look hot.” After turning red and feeling uncomfortable, I quickly gathered their pricing and warranty information and left the store in a hurry. There are no returns accepted, only exchanges within one month.
Total Score: 8/20
And then there’s LensWay…
After this exhausting shopping experience, I have come to realize that LensWay offers some amazing options — options which I personally would be way happier with, such as:
- 100’s of designer frames to choose from
- FREE 1.5 Index Lenses vs. $150
- $19.95 Polycarbonate Lenses vs. $150 – $350
- 365 day return policy and FREE return shipping
- 1 year warranty with no hidden fees
- Receive orders within 3 to 7 business days
- Open 24/7 so you can shop whenever it’s convenient for you
I hope my little hunt around the eyeglasses industry will help you with your next shopping experience. It may even be useful to take a check-list with you, like I did. That way you’re less likely to be swayed by sales agents and more likely to have a relaxed eyeglass shopping experience that will put a smile on your face.
- Julia B -
Picture above, from left to right: Jhane Barnes Redux 1 Brown frames, Kliik 155 Blue frames, Emporio Armani 9081 Azure frames, Chanel 2089 C296 Brown frames, Kam Dhillon 3018 Black frames.
Posted by erinm on Feb 3, 2010 in
What's Up The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards was all about glasses — sunglasses, eyeglasses… and… well… “other” kinds of glasses too.
Pink may have rocked the stage in her glittery, barely there, spandex suit and Lady Gaga and Elton John may have caught your attention by looking like human disco balls, but it was the stars’ eyewear accessories that had the most stage time.
Here’s proof!
Glasses That Rock and Roll All Night
Geek Chic Frames At Their Finest
When In Doubt, Laugh (whether at the person or their glasses)
- Erin TM -
Picture above, from left to right: Russel Brand via au.launch.yahoo.com, Usher via au.launch.yahoo.com, Elvis Costello via au.launch.yahoo.com, Ringo Starr via au.launch.yahoo.com, Jamie Foxx and Slash via grammy.com, Robert Downy Jr. via au.launch.yahoo.com, Joe Jonas via au.launch.yahoo.com, Simon Baker via okmagazine.com, Paris Jackson via okmagazine.com, Stephen Colbert via au.launch.yahoo.com, Elton John via au.launch.yahoo.com, Black Eyed Peas via au.launch.yahoo.com.
Posted by jennyh on Jan 29, 2010 in
What's Up Have you ever seen someone from across the room whose eyes were so brilliant, they stopped you in your tracks? Or passed someone on the street and felt the dying urge to tell them how nice their eyes are?
If you know what I’m talking about, then don’t fret, I’ve got you covered. Here’s a list of ultimate pick-up lines all about the windows to our souls – our eyes! So, the next time you find yourself fumbling over your own words, just relax and think back to this list.
Here we go – the cheesy, the cocky and the classic…
* Note: History has proven that pick-up lines such as those listed below will most likely not get you an actual date.
The ultimate in cheese
1. Excuse me, but I think you may have something in your eye? Ohhh, nope, it’s just a sparkle.
2. Do you have a map? Because I just keep getting lost in your eyes!
3. I would love to be your tears, to be born in your eyes, live on your cheeks and to die on your lips.
Cockiness may be the answer
1. I was blinded by your beauty, so I’m going to need your name and number for insurance reasons.
2. You know what? Your eyes are the same color as my Porsche.
3. The only thing your eyes haven’t told me about you is your name.
Never forget the classics
1. I can see forever in your eyes.
2. Your eyes are blue, like the ocean. And baby, I’m lost at sea.
3. Can you give me directions to your heart? I’ve seemed to have lost myself in your eyes.
- Jenny H -
Picture above, from left to right: picture via ehow.com, picture via blogs.watoday.com.au, picture via starpulse.com
