Glasses Archives - Sophster-Toaster

Sophster-Toaster is reader supported. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn a small affiliate commission.

I’ve gotten into the Kibbe Body Types recently and it’s unlocked a whole new way of engaging with my body and style in a really positive way. If you’re not familiar, here’s a great introduction from The Concept Wardrobe. It takes time to wrap your head around the system and untangle all the perceptions you’ve built about your body since childhood. After barking up a few wrong trees, I’ve settled into feeling right in the soft natural group.

As I understand it, a soft natural is defined by her broad, somewhat angular frame, softened with rounded facial features, soft curves and a middle height. Although we can appear small, we don’t hear the words dainty or petite thrown around often as our bone structure lends more towards a sturdy and sporty appearance. This look gives us an air of fresh innocence and casual sensuality – a classic girl next door.

A soft natural looks best in glasses that are simple, refined and light, in nature-inspired hues and textures. We tend to be easily overwhelmed by thick frames and bold colour palettes. Round lenses are harmonious with our facial features and tortoise shell brings out our natural essence. Here are my top picks for glasses for Kibbe soft naturals.

Wright in Tide Pool Tortoise

Wright has a simple shape and mass appeal. The cool-tone tortoise with flecks of blue brings a little pizazz while still being tame enough for everyday wear.

Watts in Pacific Crystal

Watts is probably my favourite. I love a minimalist, clear frame with the tiniest pop of colour. The oversized, round lenses are balanced by delicate temple arms.

Blakeley in Violet Magnolia

Blakeley brings a bit of angularity to the round look. The frames are textured and vibrant while being slim, lightweight and refined.

Sadie in Oak Barrel

Sadie injects a little more cat-eye femininity with those soft, round lenses that compliment us so well. I love the academic look these frames could bring to an outfit.

Duncan in Oak Barrel with Riesling

Duncan has a 90’s throwback appeal and a very light and minimal wire frame. The warm tortoise shell is subtle and down-to-earth. A soft charm.

Gillian in Nutmeg Crystal

Gillian has bigger lenses offset by thin acetate in a barely there tone. If, like me, you’re a fan of big glasses that blend into your view, these are perfect.

I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Something I’ve noticed, in 10+ years of being a part time glasses wearer plus almost 2 more of being a full time four eyes, is that, more than anything else, glasses really become the core piece of one’s aesthetic. There’s no getting around the dual facts that you have to wear them all day, everyday and they are, generally, the first thing people see when they talk to you. My current big, vaguely 80s glasses came along while my wardrobe was right at the beginning of a natural aesthetic evolution and replaced my sort-of 50s clubmaster glasses – jump starting my shift from 50s/60s fashions to a more 70s/80s style.

For most of my life, I was obsessed with all things mid-century. I loved the perfectly set hair, the fit and flare dresses with big, fluffy crinolines, the clean lines, the red lips and the contradictory understated elaborateness of it all. Mid-century style became trendy and I filled my closet and home with vintage and reproduction pieces. I felt so lucky. I clung to my liquid liner cat eyes and hoped the good times would never end.

Then, one day, I started admiring campy 70s and 80s colours and prints from the corner of my eye. I resisted their call at first. With still vivid memories of all the not-so-great 80s stuff I grew up with and a solid investment already made in my mid-century-meets-modern aesthetic, I didn’t want to fall in love with something new. Nevertheless, things that leaned more towards the end of the mid-century era started slowly making their way into my life. I looked around my home and noticed that all the hand-me-down items I had rescued from the homes of older relatives while helping them downsize; all the things I had picked up at thrift stores; all the things I had collected and saved since childhood, just because I liked the way they looked, were all from the 70s and early 80s. I was shocked to learn that I had already been in love for years.

Now that my style is more broadly all things vintage/retro/nostalgic, and I’m worried about getting new glasses before my prescription expires during this pandemic, I need to chose between my two loves.

Do I follow my first love and choose the more classic, 50s/60s leaning frames from the new Warby Parker Summer 2020 Collection? Maybe get a second pair with blue light filtering for when I’m working at the computer, or some unabashedly bombshell sunglasses for glamorous dog walking.

Esme in Sesame Tortoise

Ida in Marzipan Tortoise

Or lean fully in, commit completely and indulge my new love: upgrading my current pair to an even more authentic 80s look and going whole hog with the sunglasses too?

Alston in Champagne

Rachel in Mesquite Tortoise

Photos courtesy of Warby Parker.

Sophster-Toaster

Glasses

Glasses for Soft Naturals