I’m tackling a project to complete 101 Things in 1001 Days.  #59 on the list is Get some new glasses with bright frames.

Before I tell you about my rad new glasses, I’d like to make it super clear that this isn’t a sponsored post.  I know how frustrating it can be to read somebody’s blog and discover at the end of a post that they were paid to write it, or that they got stuff for free.  If you ever see sponsored content here on Scarlet Words (which is pretty unlikely, by the way) I will tell you before making you read through it.  I think that’s good blogging etiquette – and you know, just good manners.

So just to recap: This post isn’t sponsored.  Oscar Wylee has never heard of me or my blog.  I paid for my glasses, and I love them so much that I’m planning on buying a second pair.  I’m writing about them here because I am so happy with my purchase, and I was blown away by the price.

Oh, blogging!

Let’s move on.

Last February I had my eyes checked by my brand new eyeballologist, who updated my prescription and took photos of the backs of my eyes.  While I was there I chose a hot pair of Bvlgari frames with more bling than I knew what to do with and I’ve been enjoying the sparkle ever since.  They’re perfect for work because of the classic wayfarer shape, and the diamantes make them feel polished.  They definitely get attention when I wear them.

However, I knew that with all that sparkle I was going to feel a bit too noice, maybe a little too Kath & Kim if I wore them around the house with my sweatpants.  I wanted to find a pair that was casual and fun, and maybe a bit more adventurous than my usual black frames.  After trying on hundreds of glasses at my local optometrist stores I decided to take the search online.

A quick Google search told me that there are heaps of online stores selling prescription glasses.  We have a few in Australia, but most of the ones I found looked dodgy and the pictures were too small.  There were plenty of overseas sites that would ship internationally for a pretty reasonable price – in fact, some of the prices were so cheap that I wondered whether they would even last, and whether they’d get my prescription right.  Were they going to use the best materials for my lenses?  Would they get scratched after a week in my purse?  I started to get nervous about spending money on something I couldn’t see for myself.

I’d heard a lot about BonLook and Warby Parker from American bloggers that I follow (my glasses crush is Keiko Lynn), and trusted the reviews enough to know that the quality would be good.  But I still hesitated because I couldn’t try them on myself.

That’s when I discovered a new Australian-based company called Oscar Wylee, and their awesome free 5-day trial.

It works like this:

Start by browsing through the frames on their site, including all the different colour options for each style.  When you see something you like you can click the ‘Add to Home Trial’ button.  You can choose five different frames (or just five different colours of the one style!) for your free trial.

The trial really is completely free.  You will be asked for your credit card details during the checkout process and charged $1, which is refunded immediately once verified.  After this your credit card will not be charged again unless you fail to return the frames.

Aside from the fact that I really love their glasses, it was the packaging and no-nonsense delivery arrangements that impressed me most about Oscar Wylee’s home trial.  My glasses arrived in a beautiful fabric-covered box with individual compartments for the glasses I chose.  Inside, the glasses were packaged in individual plastic pouches and arrived with non-prescription lenses already installed, with none of those annoying stickers that you have to put up with at the optometrist.  You’re encouraged to wear them to work, out to dinner, and to get everybody’s opinion before it’s time to send them back.

The box also included a information about how to order, how to return, and a pre-paid label to attached to the parcel when it was time to send them home.  There was even a lollipop in the box to sweeten the deal!

I wore my glasses around constantly for the next five days, and it’s funny how much my mind changed during that time.  The glasses that I loved on Day 1 felt a bit boring by Day 3, and others were eventually dismissed as being too ‘out there’ for everyday wear.  I spent the last two days of my trial being completely obsessed with the frames in the photo below: Xander in Sapphire Tortoise.  Once I stopped being intimidated by their size I realised that they really were the best of the bunch.  Go big, or go home – right?

Xander in Sapphire Tortoise – how pretty are those little flecks of blue?  The colour is definitely less intense without all the backlighting of a professional studio, but they’re much more interesting than your average tortoiseshell glasses.

On Day 5 I sadly sent my box of glasses back to their home in Sydney, which was just a matter of popping them back in their box and sticking on the label provided.  To console myself I jumped on to their website and placed my order, using the prescription I had obtained from my optometrist.  I had expected that the price would increase when I entered my prescription and was kind of stunned when I realised that the lenses were included in the price.

The final cost: $98.  Shipping was free, once again.

And look, I’m getting a bit gushy here but there are some other cool things to know about this brand.  I’m getting a bit long-winded so let’s just dot-point them, yes?

• If you don’t need a prescription, you can still order glasses with UV-proof, anti-reflective, anti-scratch lenses.
• They have a big range of prescription sunglasses too, for both men and women.  This is next on my agenda, and if I’m honest I might even be choosing the same frames again for my sunnies.
• They work with your health care provider to provide the usual rebates that you would expect for your prescription.
• Although they only ship to Australian addresses right now, international shipping is on the horizon.
• This one is important: They have a One for One scheme partnering with non-profit organisations around the world to help ensure that many people in poverty-stricken countries will be able to obtain the fundamental human need of sight.  Hooray for global awareness and social good!

Summary: Great company, beautiful glasses and the quality (and the price!) is excellent.  The prescription is, as far as I can tell, identical to the expensive glasses I purchased through my optometrist and I’ve had a couple of months to really test them out and be sure.

It’s not every day that I’m so thoroughly impressed with a purchase, so I guess I just wanted to spread the word!

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