I think I was in the sixth grade when I had to get my first pair of prescription glasses. I honestly don’t think the majority of my classmates even realized I wore glasses, because I would purposely sit at the back of the classroom and put them on, and then quickly take them off when anyone would turn around. You think this sounds crazy? Well I know it was, but I couldn’t let anyone see those thick, black bulky frames. My reputation for being the cool, yet nerdy kid would be diminished to plain ole’ nerd if anyone found out my secret.

Needless to say, I think my first pair of glasses disappeared before the school year was up and I went about eight years before I purchased another pair. The pair I bought while in college were of better quality, sleek design, but the cost was pretty high – despite my discount from my parent’s vision plan. The specs were higher quality, but for some reason, they still didn’t do it for me.

In the past few years, many eyewear designers have been creating glasses that have the ultimate retro feel. Put a pair on and you immediately feel like you’ve traveled back in time. I love the retro look, but sometimes the styles can still be pricey. Of course people will still buy them, but what if you had options? Like hardcore, quality options?

Recently (as in last night), a friend of mine told me about Warby Parker. This eyewear company was “founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty objective: to create boutique-quality, classically crafted eyewear at a revolutionary price point.”

According to their site, “Warby Parker was conceived as an alternative to the overpriced and bland eyewear available today.” They don’t think prescription eyewear should cost $300+, but because the industry is controlled by a few large companies that have kept prices artificially high, they continually reap huge profits from consumers who have no other options.

Rather than having varying price points for different designs, every product on Warby Parker’s site is at a fixed price – $95. “The Warby Parker aesthetic is vintage-inspired, with a fashion forward twist – and every pair is custom fit with anti-reflective, polycarbonate prescription lenses.”

I was a little upset that I didn’t  come across this company before, but nonetheless, I will be placing an order. I hope I can get past my prior inhibitions and actually wear my new Warby Parker’s with pride.

To check out more of their styles, visit their site at www.warbyparker.