Glasses are an incredibly important accessory.
While prescription eyewear perfects your vision, your choice of sunglasses says a lot about your personal style. From summer to winter, your wardrobe rotates with the season, but eyewear is a permanent fashion fixture. And now comes the crucial question: What glasses are right for you?
“A lot of people think they can go into Nordstrom and just buy the first pair that catches their eye,” notes Kristan Ferrari, Dispensing Optician at Eyestructure. “But most sales people at department stores aren’t trained beyond style. They aren’t opticians, and don’t know what frame may be best for your bone structure.”
You may value chic style over bone structure. However, if you buy a trendy pair of designer frames that don’t fit correctly on your face, it may only be a few months before you have to invest in a new purchase out of pure discomfort and frustration.
Eyestructure is an independently owned and operated luxury eyewear boutique in downtown La Jolla that specializes in prescription and non-prescription glasses. While the sparkling displays of diamond-studded opulence are worth a visit for window shopping alone, Eyestructure is run by opticians who know fashion, but also know what frames are best for your face, and use only the best optics provided by Zeiss and Pentax.
Maybe you’ll relate to the many female La Jolla shoppers who visit Eyestructure in search of the ultra-large, round and thick framed glasses made popular by such celebrities as Victoria Beckham and Nicole Riche. While we all want the celebrity look, not all of our faces are built for that specific fad. And might I add, it’s definitely a fashion faux pas to push falling glasses up your nose every 5 minutes...
Kristan shares, “Women with petite oval faces and small, slender noses simply can’t support the huge round glasses that they’re so set on when they visit the store.”
While balanced proportions make oval face shapes versatile for a multitude of eyewear styles, it’s a rule of thumb that the size of your frame should always be in scale with the size of your face. While comfort and appearance are key elements to consider, Kristan also encourages shoppers to have fun: “Glasses are the first thing people notice when they look at you. They should fit your personality, but should also be appropriate for your profession. If you have to wear glasses, you should invest in a pair that you love, and have fun wearing them.”
As Kristan continued to share her stylish optician knowledge, we began a guided tour through the eyewear boutique.
From the lavish Chrome Hearts array to the iconic Chanel spread and staple looks from David Yurman (pictured), Tom Ford, Cartier, Prada, Dior, Versace, Bulgari and oh-so-many more, the Eyestructure experience is like being front row at the most coveted of Fashion Week runway shows.
And while the focus is eyewear, your knowledge of the whole fashion spectrum will come in handy, as many of the big designers incorporate signature details and trends in their eyewear lines. If you love Roberto Cavalli fashion, you will be an instant fan of his designer frames.
Every famous style from Gucci to Ray-Ban can be found at Eyestructure, with standard prices ranging from $150 to $3,800. But, shoppers will also discover new, forgotten, eco-friendly and local designers that deserve to be on your radar. Here are a few of our favorite finds:
SALT Optics – SALT is an independent lifestyle company that creates premium handcrafted eyewear for individuals with a unique sense of style. This extremely cool 5-year-old company specializes in their own gradient polarized optic lenses. Most memorable is their collection campaign which features employees as models. This very real display makes it easy to relate to the styles and find the right one for you.
Alain Mikli – This classic brand of high-end eyeglasses was inspired by Alain Mikli’s Armenian-Lebanese heritage, and features bright and bold colors and shapes. Some fun facts: Elton John helped bring the line to the masses by wearing Mikli glasses at shows and all over town. More recently, Kanye West wore specially requested Mikli glasses in the “Stronger” music video. Kanye’s Request: Stripes spangled with 500 swarovski crystals. (pictured)
BLINDE Eyewear –This hipster collection builds its foundation on a blend of design, technology, and old-world craftsmanship. BLINDE makes feminine shapes popular, including bold oversize glasses in zyl and zyl/metal combinations. The collection is sought out by such Hollywood A-Listers as Eva Mendes, Leonardo DiCaprio, Madonna, Brad Pitt and various stylists and fashion editors.
In addition to selling all the most stylish eyewear options, Eyestructure excels in filling prescriptions with camera quality lenses on-site in La Jolla. A licensed optician is at the boutique every day to listen to your needs and fill or refill your prescription with Zeiss and Pentex high-quality lenses.
Eyestructure is located on Prospect Street, just blocks from the ocean, in the downtown La Jolla shopping district. The upscale and petite setting is far more intimate and relaxing than a department store, and Eyestructure makes sure customer service exceeds expectations, even if that means Kristan has to try on every pair herself. She blushes and explains, “Many times I do try on the styles when they come into the store. Yes, it’s fun and definitely a guilty pleasure, but it does help us understand how the glasses fit different face shapes. Ultimately, it helps us help the customers.”
Support local, independent business and discover what eyewear style truly is the best for you at Eyestructure in La Jolla.
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