The day you need reading glasses can be a solemn reminder that time moves on whether you like it or not.  A few years ago I noticed that, while I’m not completely blind without reading glasses, they do make doing things close up a lot more pleasant, sort of like giving my eyes a nice sigh of relief because they don’t have to work as hard.  I find reading glasses particularly helpful when I am knitting, my eyes are tired, I’m in darkly lit places or am on my computer for long stretches.

I have been wearing glasses for distance since I was nine years old.  I have worn contacts since the 8th grade.  A few years agof due to dry eyes, I had to limit my contact lens wear.  It was a super huge pain until I started wearing daily disposables and was able to wear my lenses more regularly.  Now that I am back in contact lenses, I am also back to wearing reading glasses when I need them.  When it was time again to get some reading glasses, I went to my favorite resource to buy them, Readers.com.

To be honest, I’m not sure why people freak at the idea of wearing reading glasses.  Yes, they can be a nuisance and a reminder that you are aging, but I see them as an opportunity to infuse some personal style into a look.  Take, for example, the pair I am wearing in this Instagram photo.  It’s the Robin style from Readers in dark tortoise.  They way I see it, if I am going to have to wear reading glasses I might as well have some fun with them.

After I posted this photo on Instagram, Readers reached out to me about doing a post featuring their reading glasses.  Already a fan, I was happy to do it.  Readers let me select some styles for free to try out.  And to be clear, while I got comped some fun styles, this post is not sponsored or paid for by Readers.  I am sharing about them because I am genuinely a fan in addition to also being a fan of their sister company Felix & Iris for prescription eyewear.

Reading glasses have come a long way from dated styles that your grandma wore on a string around her neck.  With all the affordable options out there, I find myself wondering why anyone wouldn’t look to buying styles that are interesting.  I mean, if you have to wear reading glasses, why not have fun?

Yet, I realize that not everyone knows where to start with shopping for styles or may not feel confident taking a risk with funkier looks.  Therefore, I decided to share a few styles I received from Readers with some commentary about how I envisioned wearing each style.  With reading glasses from Readers being so affordable, it’s nothing to have several pairs on hand so you can change them as your looks change.

Here are some outfits.

How to Look Chic in Reading Glasses with Readers

Outfit #1

reading glasses

As I write this post, I am wearing this style from Readers, the Petunia.  What I like about them is the emphasized cat style, which I find looks particularly good on my face shape and they are funky without being as funky as my Robin style that I like when I really want to make a statement with my reading glasses.

The outfit I styled with the Petunia readers is a very me look.  Simple basics brought together to create a stylish outfit.  In the look I created, I styled a pair of navy ankle length pants from Vince with a v-neck camel cashmere sweater from J. Crew.  I added some interest through the printed scarf from Johnny Was and finished the look with burgundy flats from Lucky Brand and navy bag from Botkier.

Outfit #2

reading glasses

You may not know this, but I have a rugged side to my style.  I love to pepper in more natural materials to my looks through my accessories and rich colors like cognac, and tortoise are definitely my jam.  I also love jeans.  I’m not a dressy person and prefer to dress more practically because of my job.  Even when I get dressed up, you will never see me in ruffles, lace, bows or anything too girly.

This make Readers’s wood style, the Journey, so desirable to me.  Being a Brooklynite, we tend to like the look of rugged natural paired with urban sleek. It’s sort of our thing.  This would totally be an outfit I would wear, a pair of jeans, like this pair from Madewell, with a chambray button down, like this one from Caslon.  For soft layering, a relaxed cardigan like this one from Halogen would work and I’d definitely finish an outfit like this with cognac accessories, like these booties from Pikolinos, bag from Rebecca Minkoff and tortoise bracelet from Stella & Dot.

Outfit #3

reading glasses

While I wouldn’t wear an outfit exactly like this one, simply because I have nowhere to go looking like this, the look was definitely inspired by a side to my style which is more quirky, preppy.  To me, Readers’s Sailor style is more of my geek chic go-to.

Similar to the look above, I played on that geek chic look by having fun with pairing a bright yellow, somewhat retro, jacket from Boden over a classic navy and white breton t-shirt and stretch crepe dress pants from BOSS Hugo Boss.  I finished the look with navy peep toe booties from Sole Society, white bag from Cole Haan and a Jemma Sands station necklace.  I like the classic yet unexpected look of the outfit.

Outfit #4

reading glasses

This last outfit is a look that I don’t own but would wear in the summer in a heartbeat.  What I like about the use of Readers’s Lemon style is that it makes a statement without pulling from the outfit on a whole.  I also prefer more tailored items, making this dress desirable to me.

The reading glasses is styled with a tailored dress from L.K. Bennett, a pair of cognac sandals from Nordstrom, straw and cognac bag from Tory Burch, gold bracelet from Stella & Dot and necklace from BCBG.

Sun Readers from Readers.com

reading glasses

It should also be noted that Readers also has sun readers, perfect for the warm weather that is on the way.  You can shop for bifocal sun styles, that allow you to wear them all day, and full magnification lenses that are perfect for poolside reading.   You can check out all their sun readers here.

Get 40% off your reading glasses purchase with Readers.com

Readers.com has generously extended an exclusive discount to all blog readers.  Get 40% off one item by using Raes40 at checkout.

So what are you waiting for?  If you need reading glasses, lean in and embrace it with style.