EYEWEAR TREND: Cat Eye Glasses

The latest eyewear trend is the cat's meow! These horn ribbed, retro frames are making a major comeback. Although primarily seen in sunglasses, this trend is making its way to everyday/reading eyeglasses.

Cat eye glasses first began to trend in the 1950's, worn by style icons such as Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor. The glasses were  primarily small, slick and angular, as seen in the photo above, although the most stylish women of the era also dappled with the larger and rounder variety.

The cat eye glasses trend that has re-emerged today includes the more retro style of a thinner frame, as well as the larger variety that usually features a large frame that end in corner points, the definitive feature of these iconic glasses. The glasses are often larger with a thicker frame and a rounder shape while still keeping the distinctive upper points that make the cat eye glasses what they are.

source: lookbook

There are many varieties within the cat eye trend, allowing the trend to span across different styles.

Cat eye glasses can be worn in a casual, feminine way as seen above, or in an edgy and retro way as seen below.

source: lookbook

Here at Village Optical, we are excited for these styles to roll in for summer and spring. Check out some of the pairs we currently have on our shelves.

If you need to find your perfect cat eye frame, be sure to stop by Village Optical - our Construction Sale is still on! Get $50.00 off select frames and sunglasses, restrictions apply.

Sources: Huffington Post, Lookbook

Jeanne Beker & Dress for Success

At Village Optical, we are now carrying Jeanne Beker's signature collection: FYSH Urban Kool Eyewear. Jeanne Beker is a Canadian TV personality who is well known for her work in the fashion industry. As an expert on business attire, Jeanne Beker has designed a frame line that is both work appropriate and fashionable.

Jeanne's collection consists of 6 models with 4 colour variations. In addition, the collection features Jeanne's signature black and white frame. Each frame has a unique style. The frames draw inspiration from the latest runways, whether it be bold colour blocking in 'rustic tangerine' or the ethereal lines in 'purple teal'.

The line is connected to a not-for-profit organization chosen by Jeanne - Dress for Success. The organization provides professional attire for disadvantaged women in addition to networking, career and business education support.
A portion of the sale of each frame in the collection is donated to Dress for Success. 

Visit dressforsuccess.org for more details, and come into Village Optical to shop for these stylish frames.

I Love To Read!

February is truly the month of love, and not only because of Valentine's Day. Across North America, February represents the I Love To Read Month. People everywhere are invited to celebrate the joy of reading by participating in various reading events and challenges.

If you would like to participate in the month of reading, there are many helpful guides and calendars to get you started. The Government of Manitoba created a fun and easy calendar with daily activities that foster all types of reading.

Good vision is essential for reading well. Reading is a complex task for the eyes and requires eight different visual functions.

Eye strain from reading can result in eye fatigue, burning, irritation and difficulty focusing. Lighting must be carefully controlled to avoid eye strain. Wearing the correct lenses with anti-reflective coating prevents glare that can strain your eyes and make it difficult to enjoy reading.

In addition, posture, viewing position and contrast of reading materials must be adjusted to avoid eye injury while reading. Text should be big enough to prevent the reader from leaning forward and straining their body. Black text on white is generally the best option for reading materials.

If you have problems reading, your Optometrist can help. Since reading is complex and problems associated with reading are vast, Optometrists must run a variety of tests. The solution to your reading problem could be a number of things, such as a prescription for corrective spectacles or the implementation of eye exercises.

A visit to the Optometrists at Village Optical will get you on the right track to participating and enjoying I Love To Read Month.

Source: Village Optical, Government of Manitoba, Medcan

Glasses Chains: The Comeback?

Not too long ago, glasses chains were only associated with Golden Girls and in general, the 50’s, and the older end of the population. 

It was not until recently when glasses chains for both eye glasses and sunglasses begun to gain popularity amongst those who enjoy a vintage, eclectic or quirky style. Whitney Port's glasses chains took a feminine and vintage approach with strands of pearls.

 Edgy styles have also begun to emerge, as seen on pop singer Rihanna. 

As an added bonus, glasses chains work great for people who only use their glasses for reading or driving and need somewhere handy to keep them. Keeping them on a chain around your neck makes them easily accessible.

EYEWEAR TREND: Browline Glasses

Browline glasses date back to the 1950's and 60's. In these periods, the browline style eyeglasses were all the rage. Browline glasses are characterized by a bold upper frame in a shape that resembles eyebrows, hence the name of the style. The bottom frame is most commonly completely absent or clear.

Lookbook.nu

While a number of eyeglass brands carry browline glasses, Ray-Ban gets much of the credit for browline style reappearing and popularizing. In the 1980's, Ray-Ban produced the line of sunglasses and eyeglasses, known as the Clubmaster.

Browline glasses have continued to be popular today for both men and woman, adored by fashion-saavy individuals who gravitate towards vintage fashion.

Browline glasses are primarily found in black or brown, while other colours such as white, cream and red have emerged as a popular choice. 

Lookbook.nu

Optometrists Without Borders

Contributing to local and international communities gives us a chance to give back and go beyond the office.

Internationally, we are proud to support Optometry Giving Sight. Every year on October 10th we participate with the charity in World Sight Day, where our optometrists offer free eye examinations.
Within the Optometry Giving Sight charity, we are able to better the lives of people in countries who do not have easy access to eye care. By setting up the resources to keep an eye care infrastructure running, we offer a sustainable solution to people with otherwise minimal options for their eye health.

Our international efforts continue with Eye Care Missions, run through Canadian Vision Care. In 2011 and 2012, our own Dr. Loewen travelled to Jamaica to aid in giving eye care to people who urgently required it, but who had not been able to gain access to any treatment in their regions.

Our work within Canada extends across the country with the  Canadian National Institute for the Blind. For the past two years, we at Village Optical have donated money to this case for every eye examination we received during May, the Eye Health Month. In 2012 we raised our support and gave $2.00 per examination, rather than $1.00.

In Winnipeg we focus organizations such as the Siloam Mission. At the downtown location, Dr. Dillon and Dr. Loewen volunteer their time and expertise to provide eye care for the less fortunate.

Source: Village Optical

What goes around, comes back around

Eye glasses, or spectacles as we now call it, date back to the Roman Empire. Glass was used to improve vision during sporting events. They give clear vision to those who weren't blessed with 20/20 vision.

Riveted spectacles were invented in the 1300s, the V-shape was not for looks by any means, they were made to balance on the nose. These first appeared in Italy in the early 1200s.

Throughout the centuries, corrective eye wear was not only made for the rich, it was eventually possible for the less fortunate to purchase. The nose bridge was introduced to the frame in the 1600s, still not a stylish pair but definitely more practical. Then the temple glasses were constructed and made way for the frames as we know today.

In the mid 1900s, the fashionable frames started to make their appearance. What were the most popular you ask? Cat's-eye frames for women, and thick rectangular frames for men, in black of course. Plastic lenses were not made until 1962, and in the 1970s, plastic frames took over as a preference over metal and the bigger the frame the better.

The coke bottle glasses were almost obsolete when the polycarbonate thin lens became available in the 1980s.

In the 90s to present day, glasses were and are made eco-friendly with recycled or sustainable materials; we wear the same shape of frames our grandmothers wore in their time; and glasses are made adjustable for any face shape.

Just like style has a way to come back around, vision frames are no exception. Thankfully, frames and lenses are made more affordably and visually appealing - no pun intended.