If you’ve read this blog for any length of time you know that I’m a fashionista bitch. Miranda Priestly is my spirit animal. I once stalked the city of Paris hunting my mentor, Karl Lagerfeld. I have a different pair of glasses for each day of the month. Anytime I can dress like a sailor, I do. I went to London once to buy a pair of shoes. I color block like it’s going out of style (which it never will). For Halloween, I dressed up like Brad Goreski. (Nobody got it, except for Alison, who went as Rachel Zoe. It was bananas. I die.) But, there’s another side of me that does not really go hand in hand with my fashion obsession. I’m pretty cheap. I rarely buy things full price, I’m a bargain hunting boss. Honestly, I should have my own show. So, when I can find gorgeous little things for very few dollars, I make this face:

Imagine my delight, when I found www.warbyparker.com. I know, I know, you’re all shouting at me, “What about www.zennioptical.com?” Fret not, my darlings, I can be loyal to two places at the same time. Zenni Optical is a freaking amazing website, but Warby Parker is truly something special. Let me put it this way: Zenni Optical is like a PC, they work fine for a time and you may enjoy them, but Warby Parker is the Apple of the glasses world.

Warby Parker is a unique fashion business that is stylish, social, charitable, and fully aware of its excellence. They turn the business of shopping for glasses into a pleasant and individual experience that is vastly different from other websites I’ve tried in the past. Zenni Optical is nice, but you have to browse through hundreds of pairs of glasses before you find a pair that might look good on you. They don’t cost much, so the risk isn’t great, but you’re stuck with what you have. Warby Parker, though, will actually send you five pairs of glasses to try on for free at your leisure. I was suspicious of this at first, but their Home Try-On is an excellent service and also fantastic marketing. (These people are geniuses–they advertise by marketing and market by advertising–genius, I tell you!)

I’m rambling, so let’s get into it. I selected five pairs of glasses that looked like they fit my style and added them to my Home Try-On Cart and within a few moments I was notified that I would receive them soon. “Remarkable,” I muttered to myself and continued to browse their selections. Each pair is beautiful and vintage inspired, none of that wire rim nonsense that makes everybody look foolish. Acetate rims will never go out of fashion, know this. Learn this. Got it? Good. If I could, I would try out each pair just for the fun of it! That would be dangerous, though, I’m addicted to glasses, I’d buy them all.

A couple of days later, I received this box on my front steps:

I opened it up and was incredibly impressed to see a nice cloth box to hold the samples.

These people care about what they’re doing. It’s obvious. Cynical me has hope for the world.

Of course, being an aspiring candidate for America’s Next Top Model (watch my audition tape and send it to Tyra, please!) a box of glasses means one thing: FASHION SHOOT! I couldn’t decide on editorial or commercial, so I decided to go sparse and shoot with a white backdrop. Since I’ve tidied my rooms, I have been unable to find my tripod and Topman traveling bag. This is a crisis. They don’t make it anymore and I use that bag to look painfully chic on my frequent trips. First world problems…

Anyway, each of the glasses were great, some phenomenal, but it’s up to you to help me pick.

As a reference, here’s how I look sans glasses:

Handsome, yes, but my severely dry eyes don’t let me get away with contacts very often and I look much more dashing with a smart pair of spectacles on. They’re my fashion signature–plus they draw attention away from the unseemly bags under my eyes from lack of sleep.

I had to prop my camera up on a pile of books, so my first shot came out like this:

Not exactly what I was going for, so after adding D.V. by Diana Vreeland and The Karl Lagerfeld Diet to my pile, I was good to go.

Preston in Whiskey Tortoise:

I really liked these frames, but they remind me of somebody I love/hate, and I don’t know if I could overlook that…but I really shouldn’t let my emotions get in the way of fashion.

Percey in Charcoal Fade:

These were my favorite pair, easily, I love the gentle curve of the frames and the proportions are really quite perfect for my face. Not that I’m vain or anything…just kidding, I make Dorian Gray look like a monk. Am I the only one that sees a resemblance to Matt Bomer?

Just me? Admit it, we’re twins.

Begley in Greystone:

I also adore these ones. I generally avoid circular frames because they make me look funny, but these ones are just right. They recall Old Hollywood to me (Cary Grant in Bringing Up Baby, yes?), which is enough to make me whip my credit card out.

Sinclair in Greystone:

I was exhausted by wardrobe changes at this point. These look fine with only underwear to compliment them. Andrew Christian briefs, mind you, I’m always classy. Not super crazy about these glasses, though.

Colonel Monocle in Whiskey Tortoise: 

How could I not get a monocle to try on? I’ve always wanted to start a review website called “The Glowering Monocle.” It’d be fantastic. I would have picked another pair of glasses, but the pair that made me weak in the knees (Bensen in Greystone) was unavailable. #sadface I don’t think the monocle is the right look for me, but I never can resist an opportunity to get out my velvet smoking jacket.

Well, what do you think? What should I buy? I really want to try on the Bensen frames, but I can already tell that I’m going to spend an awful lot of money here! Also, Warby Parker donates a pair of glasses to somebody in need with each pair sold. So, I’ll look sexy and help people. What’s not to like? This company is doing everything right. Watch this video.