[image via Warby Parker]
As someone whose been in school non-stop since 1993 (eek!), I've certainly done my share of damage to my eyes and forgoing glasses or contacts isn't an option anymore. I personally don't mind wearing glasses, but buying them is a whole other story. Glasses in general are expensive and if you want a durable or chic pair, the prices become even steeper. Luckily, an alum of Brown University who had a problem with losing his glasses (and subsequently, his money!) found a solution to this problem by creating the company Warby Parker. Warby Parker makes frames that rival those of Prada, Tom Ford and Oliver Peoples for a fraction of the price. For the mere price of $95, you get both stylish frames and prescription lenses. The company also donates a pair of glasses to the organization Restoring Vision with each pair you purchase. To say this is a great deal is an understatement, don't you think?
[my frames, I love the cat-eye styling!]
I ordered the Harper style in the sandalwood shade since darker colors tend to wash me out a bit. The frames are lightweight and comfortable to wear. I ordered my pair on Sunday and received them on Friday, which is incredibly quick considering each pair is customized to your prescription. When ordering from Warby Parker it is essential to have your prescription information readily available due to state-specific laws on prescription eyewear. I simply scanned in my prescription and submitted it with my order.
[Here is how they look on]
I received notification that my glasses were being shipped on Wednesday night and they got to Boston by Friday. My order came in a small sized shipper box, which then contained another box with my glasses case and frames as well as a cleaning cloth. No need to worry about your frames getting damaged in shipping as their packaging was very thorough. I personally really like that the case is lined in bright blue.
[frames, case and cloth]
My only complaint about this experience is that when I received my pair that the right lense was a smidge loose, causing my glasses to make a lot of noise when I opened and closed them. This isn't a major problem, but the noises are a little bit annoying. I was apprehensive about calling customer service at first, so I left a message on their Facebook fan page asking what their suggestions were on fixing this problem. Less than a minute later, they had responded via Facebook telling me to call their customer service line. I called their customer service line and not only did someone pick up the line quickly, but their customer service was superb. They are paying for my return shipping and crafting me a completely new pair for free, so I can't complain! I didn't even realize customer service this good still existed these days. Overall, I'm very impressed with my Warby Parker experience and would recommend them to anyone interested in smartly designed eyewear. Too cool for school indeed!Edited 2/28/11: I just wanted to update this entry to say I received a replacement pair with a week and they are absolutely perfect. I'm very impressed by the quality of Warby Parker's customer service and am even more excited to check out their new collection of frames for Spring 2011.