Sunnies in the Mail

Sunglasses scale the mountain of brand with fashion purpose, a leader of accessories. Ray-Bans. Prada. Chanel. Aviators. Jackie Os. Wraparounds.

Whatever. Show me  “polarized” with a snug fit and I’m interested in your sunnies. At this stage with these eyes, I refuse to take chances against UV damage and more importantly, my sclera will not be a landing pad for airborne objects. Go cheap and the eyes pay the price.

Typically, shopping for sunnies outside of my low vision specialist’s office means coordinating transport and mobilizing to a retail location unnaturally crammed with fragile objects in minimal square footage under harsh fluorescent lighting. Basically, my nightmare even on a “good” vision day. Let’s avoid it.

And I can. I discovered Warby Parker eyewear. My sister-in-law (thanks!) told me about the company which capitalizes on American adoration of free shipping and returns. Try before you buy. Their website shows off their glasses and sunglasses from multiple angles and featuring complete measurements and description. Rx lens are offered. There’s a virtual try-on function and plenty of information about the fun shopping process. The best part besides not being in a cramped store, is you can select up to five frames to “try at home” for five days to test drive before you commit. What’s not to love.

I ordered my trial box. Stockton texted me a photo of the tidy package at work the day it arrived. I felt giddy and couldn’t wait to try on the sunnies. I tore into it at home, for the first time in months eager to look into bright light. Pair after pair, I noted fit and compared styles. Stockton snapped photos so I could zoom in and see how the shades looked on my face.

Jet black. Whiskey tortoise. Rum cherry. Warby played my weakness for color names. The frames felt lightweight, some too big, but others comfortable. Friends critiqued selfies for me. I put on a pair when I played fetch with my terriers, the green squeaky ball flying through the backyard against the sunset. I wore my favorite choices on the commute to work, testing them against the morning sun glare as cars traveled alongside us on the beltway. Choices, choices.

I have a renewed respect for mail order companies, transferring my childhood immersion from L.L.Bean and J.Crew catalog page flips to stylish website browsing and link clicks. Warby Parker conveniently brought their glasses to me. I love it. In a few days, it’s decision time.

Have you checked out Warby Parker? Do you shop online? What are your favorite companies and what do they do best? Have you had a negative mail order experience? Tell me about it.

Advertisement