Seeing things clearly

Friday 31 October 2014


I was one of those geeky kids with the glasses. I became a little four eyes aged 5, with a pair of My Little Pony glasses. Remember those? I had all four colours. Aged six I had to wear a patch over my right eye because it was lazy. Not a look that endears you to other kids. As I got older I hated wearing glasses and throughout my teenage years, I would only wear them during class for lectures, so I could see the whiteboard. During breaks I would walk around half blind, totally oblivious if someone was trying to make eye contact with me or trying to catch my attention. Walking down the high street on the weekend was an obstacle course. University was the same. I'm quite sure I missed a few winks and sneaky looks from fellow male students (I wish), because I just couldn't see them. As soon as class was over off came the glasses, which made walking around campus a little tricky, if not dangerous.

Thank goodness for contact lenses. In my last year of university I finally got my first pair. I remember looking in the mirror, whilst standing in the lift on the way up to my room in the university halls, mesmerised at how big my eyes were. I'd never seen them in focus except behind a pair of frames. It took me six months to get used to putting them in and taking them out (they still make me cry today). But I was determined to look 'cool' and 'normal' - I used to wear my contacts 7 days a week for a minimum of 14 hours a day. Sometimes I even slept in them and in the morning when I woke up, they'd literally be stuck to my eyeballs. (I can envisage opticians shaking their heads as I write this). But as I've gotten older, I've started wearing glasses again, it might have something to do with a little thing called fashion. Glasses are trendy, and people look cool in them. Geek is good. So when I was looking around for a pair of new specs that I'd happily be seen walking down the street in, Oscar Wylee caught my eye, not just for their vintage-inspired designs, but also because when you buy a pair of glasses, they give a pair to someone in need. I love a good deed. And they don't take long to arrive. I chose the Stafford style in Ivory Tortoise as I wanted a bold frame that would stand out and match my usual monochrome look, sent off my prescription they made them for me in their factory, and I received them in just a few weeks. Fuss free, et voila. 

I hope you enjoy the little story that was shot in the Used Book Cafe at Merci, with the help of my friend and talented photographer, Carin. I wanted somewhere a little darker and moodier, and well bookish. Sadly I don't have much time to sit around drinking coffee, eating scones, reading books and staring out of the window contemplating life, but if I did this is where I'd do it, and with a good friend like Carin. I'd love to know what you think.

Photos by Carin Olsson, edited by me. 
Jumper from & Other Stories, lipstick 'All Fired Up' by Mac.


22 comments :

  1. 'Geek is good.' YES. Ha! I've been looking for a good pair of glasses for a year and a half now, so I might try these out.
    And I love these photos! Merci was definitely the best place to shoot this story :)

    dearlaura.co

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    1. Ha ;) thanks Laura! I really like the frames and thanks for your lovely comment!

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  2. Thanks for sharing this little story! I love glasses (and books!) as well and I think it fits you perfectly!

    www.ahomemadelife.nl

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    1. Thanks for your lovely comment Monika - really glad you like it :) x

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  3. You look beautiful! Thank god for fashion or you would be bumping into walls all the time ;)

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    1. Thanks lovely! Very sweet of you and yes I know, right?! ;) xxx

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  4. Love this story, beautiful shots and you look absolutely gorgeous with those glasses on! <3

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    1. Thanks so much Nana, really glad you like it :) hope you're settling back into Copenhagen life ok! xx

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  5. This story made me smile. I'm a nearsighted (and almost half blind as well, haha), but I hate the feeling of glasses on my nose, it's so uncomfortable... to me, contact lenses are one of the best inventions ever (I use them for 13 years by now). But glasses are such a stylish thing... Love the way you look with them.
    You are very beautiful!

    Have a nice weekend,
    Monika

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    1. Thanks for your lovely comment Monique. And yes I know, I do have a bad habit of pushing them back up my nose, oh well. At least I like how they look! Have a lovely weekend too xx

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  6. I love the glasses! Very intellectual-vintage chic! I also avoided wearing my glasses when I was younger because I thought they were geeky but now I know better (smart = sexy!) I still wear contacts most of the time because I don't like the feeling of them sliding down my nose and for some reason, I'm too lazy to push them up with my finger and try to push them up by scrunching up my nose, which is decidedly very unsexy.

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  7. gorgeous photos as always, glasses look great -- i want some! mooxxx

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  8. Lovely story & the glasses suit you a lot! x

    Amrita

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    1. Thanks for your comment Amrita! That's very sweet of you :) xx

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  9. I loved reading this post because I feel so related to it! I've been wearing glasses since I was 6 and I've always hated them. When I was 14 I got contact lenses which made a big change in my confidence. Last summer, I tried to get eye surgery but unfortunately I can't undergo the operation because my cornea is too thin and it'd be risky. So I'm stuck with glasses forever!
    I'm glad to see that glasses are on fashion, however I hate those people who wear them without needing them... I even bought a cute pair of Chanel frames to try to wear them more often (and give my eyes a rest from contacts) but I still don't like to wear them outside the house. I like yours, though. You look beautiful :)

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment Cristina, and glad you can relate! I really wasn't fun wearing glasses from a young age.. but yes luckily there are some really great pairs available now. I bet you look lovely in your Chanel frames! xx

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  10. Look lovely as ever babe. Those glasses sure are fantastic.
    xo

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  11. This is ADORABLE! I love this post

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  12. Ah! One of my favorite Paris spots. Perfect location for these photos. And you look beautiful. :)

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  13. First off, I am loving the book cafĂ©! We definitely need a lot more of those. That said, it’s fascinating how eyewear has evolved from just looking geeky to a standard of beauty. But with glasses like those, it’s not hard to imagine why. Thanks for sharing!


    Audrey Mack @ FindClarityVision.com/Apex

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