Iolla Prescription Eyewear

I've been wearing prescription glasses for the past 22 years (you decide what age I got my first pair!) but in that time I've only had 5 pairs of glasses. Prescription glasses can cost and arm in a leg with frames, lenses, thinning, special coatings--if I'm honest confusion as well as cost played a big role in my lack of eyewear. Luckily Iolla have come to save the world from confusing and expensive eyewear.

Iolla is a new brand of prescription eyewear that aims to revolutionise the traditional optical market. Glasses are designed and assembled in Scotland to provide higher-quality, better-looking eyewear at a fraction of the current price. £65 gets you fabulous frames, thin lenses and anti-glare and anti-scratch coating if your prescription is between certain parameters. I have a strong prescription and have a slight astigmatism and that was included, too!

I popped in to the Iolla showroom on a Saturday with Baby Girl unannounced; I had an appointment scheduled later in the week but had some time to kill and was passing by. Stefan, one of Iolla's founders, was so patient and helpful. It will come to no surprise to anyone who knows me that I tried on just about every frame in the showroom. Iolla have a variety of frames, all named after famous Scots, to suit every face shape and come in multiple colours. I went back and forth between a few different frames but in the end decided to go for a pair that were the complete opposite to my glasses I've had for the past 2 years.

I love my new Stevenson frames in light blue crystal! They really make my eyes pop and are just so far removed from my big black frames. I love that at only £65 you can have glasses that are truly a fashion choice and not just functional. In fact I loved my Iolla glasses so much I went back 2 weeks later for another pair!

Can you believe in 22 years of wearing glasses I have never had prescription sunglasses? For me they were just an expense I couldn't justify so it meant always wearing contacts when it was sunny or using these gigantic sunglasses my Dad gave me that go over your existing glasses so you look like a glaucoma grandma!

My Bruce sunglasses in plum are far more stylish and made sunglare worries on my morning commute a thing of the past. I honestly can't believe I went this long without prescription sunglasses!

Iolla frames can be purchased online and shipped straight to your door or you can pop in to the showroom on Argyle Street in Glasgow if you like to try on your frames before you buy. I love supporting local businesses and it's even more amazing when the local business service and product is better value for money than the corporate conglomerates!

All Iolla eyewear are at £65, with additional costs for multi-focus.

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Transatlantic Blonde was provided a pair of frames to review, but then loved them so much we bought a second pair out our own pocket. If that doesn't tell you our opinion is honest then what will?

What I Wore Wednesday: Vivienne Westwood Glasses

I got my first pair of glasses when I was 12 or 13 and then migrated to contacts, purple ones, I was super cool obviously, about two years after that. It those 2o years of glasses wearing (!!) I've had a grand total of 4 frames up until now. I've been wearing the same DKNY frames for at least the last 7 years and they are at least 2 prescriptions old---oops. I pretty much only wear my contacts but being back in an office I wanted to try and give my peepers a break and lets be honest after that long I can justify buying new glasses. Especially when my old glasses have been bent and scratched by a certain small person on numerous occasions.

I've actually been looking for new frames for as far back as March! I tried on and contemplated several frames in Ohio while I was home but I left it pretty last minute and couldn't get it together. Then every time I wanted to try on glasses I had on my glasses and well I can't see shit without a prescription so trying them on would have been pointless. Then one day I was in Costco (don't knock it) and tried on frames I really liked; I took a selfie to show NotBlondeHusband but then later made him come back to see them on me. He liked them and shockingly I still liked them (I'm fickle to put it nicely) so I bought them.

When I got them things seemed strange but the woman said it would take time to adjust to the new prescription and to not wear them until the next morning. So I did but wall edges looked curved and it looked like someone had punched my closet door from the inside. Turns out they turned up my astigmatism correction too much--whoops! Any who take two and my prescription is right and I can now show off my new specs!

 

Cynthia Rowley Skater Dress-TK Maxx
Black Cropped Blazer-HM
Leggings-Marks and Spencer
Black Studded Flats- New Look
Black Glasses- Vivienne Westwood

Star Wars Tee-Zulily 

What do you think? I try not to be a label snob but they are Vivienne Westwood! I absolutely freaking adore Vivienne Westwood so I was super excited. I was really shocked by how many designer name frames Costco opticians had at pretty reasonable prices. I'm so glad I looked on my way to buy 50-gazillion rolls of toilet paper!

I'd really wanted larger black frames but most that I tried on didn't look right. I'm not sure if it is because I'm so translucent pale but most just didn't work. The inside of my Vivienne Westwood frames are blonde coloured so I think that makes the black less harsh? Maybe I made it up but I think they work some how!

I do like my contacts but I think it's good to give my eyes a break now and then. Also my astigmatism isn't corrected in my contacts so I *think* I should get less eye strain with my glasses? Any way I like them and I'm looking forward to seeing what make-up and hair styles (see the poof/bump it above) I can get away with wearing them. Is that just a me thing or do you think you can get away with different hair and make-up when you wear glasses? Do you wear glasses?

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Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses

I can remember my name being called over the speaker in elementary school telling me to report to the principal's office, not something that generally happened to this good girl, along with a few other's from my class and wondering what I did wrong. It turned out I'd not passed the eye test and needed to see the eye doctor to get glasses.  Really? Doesn't seem like the most caring way to let a child know they need glasses by broadcasting it to the whole school!  Needless to say I've been wearing glasses for a long time so when GlassesUSA.com asked if I wanted to try out some of their cheap glasses I figured why not!

GlassesUSA.com believe seeing properly shouldn't be a luxury – it should be a necessity. They do their best to help their customers and take your vision needs very seriously. The eyeglasses are produced both in the USA and abroad and shipped worldwide to provide customers with top quality lenses in the most fashionable frames available! 

First I uploaded a photo of myself and played around with their Virtual Mirror which lets you try the glasses on your face first which was really helpful since while I've got a square shaped face, it's also quite round--figure that one out yourself--so not all frames look good on me.  Since black rimmed frames seem to be all the rage right now I decided to go with the Alicia frames in black.

The designer discount glasses I chose arrived in a few days and I was really pleased when they arrived as even though they are cheap glasses, they frames are sturdy and came in a lovely case with a cleaning cloth.

I think they look pretty cute, what do you think? 

It's good to know that if something happens to my beloved pink frames I've got a back up pair of stylish glasses in the correct prescription!

GlassesUSA.com are offering Transatlantic Blonde readers a 10% discount when they buy glasses online by using the code: Blog10

Transatlantic Blonde was provided a pair of cheap designer glasses to review but the opinions expressed are our own.