Yesterday, I went Lenscrafters with my wife to pick up her new frames.
While she was getting fitted by the optician, I kiddingly reprimanded my wife for not getting the Tina Fey frames. The Optician promptly corrected me, “Oh you mean Sarah Palin frames.”
And then she took us over to the showcase to let us see them up close. They cost a mere $365. And think about this:
All they consist of are two temples (or bows) which attach to the lenses. And, of course, the $365 price doesn’t include the lenses.
I won’t be getting a pair of Palin frames any time soon then. The most I have ever spent on glasses with lenses is about $80 bucks! The pricey frames all look the same as the ones in the bargin bins to me.
Why does everybody act like $365 is extravagant for frames? I go to Lenscrafter’s and look for cheap ones, and they still run $200 or so. (My frames are a few years old, so probably $250 or so now.) I’m a guy and not into “designer” anything, but I can see women’s frames costing lots more.
Fun fact: Fukui Prefecture (a very rural region on the western coast) has found itself in somewhat of a bind over who to support in the election. On the one hand, Sarah Palin’s now-famous glasses are made there. On the other, Fukui is also where the town of Obama is located, which earlier threw their support behind the Democratic candidate.
I am still hoping for a clue as to where to get cheap frames (as I think I will need a new prescription before New Year’s Eve, and I have another broken temple), so I guess I will try the fine optometrists and opticians at Wally’s World.
This site http://zennioptical.com/cart/home.php got positive reviews from some people I know. You’ll need your prescription but the frames are decent quality.
Sears also advertises a $69 complete pair of glasses: frames and lenses. Not sure what types they have but it might be worth it to check.
If you are a AAA member, you can get good discounts as well.
CostCo, Sears, anywhere in the Evil Empire (Wally World & Sam’s Club) are a ton cheaper. My wife’s ex took his son to Lenscrafters and paid $222 for exam and glasses (with insurance). I took my son to Sam’s Club and paid $129 for exam and the exact same glasses (without insurance). If anything happens to them (and with kids it’s not an “if” but a “when”, and that when has happened several times now) I stop by the local WalMart and get them repaired free of charge.
For myself I have fairly modest frames, not designer, and I think I paid about $80 for the frames and lenses. My Rx safety glasses for work were an even better deal at $45 (we get up to $50 reimbursement so my work glasses were $0.00).
So yeah, $365 for two temples that attach to lenses that cost extra seems a bit extravagant to me.
I’ve had my glasses (United Colors of Benetton) for more than a few years, and I remember that the lenses cost a lot to replace* a couple of years back, but that the frames were originally pretty cheap at $100 back in 2000. With my needs and my desire to not look like I’m staring back at you through the bottom of a Coke bottle, the lenses will almost always inflate the cost to more than the frames, so I tend to make sure that I like the frames enough to keep them through multiple prescription changes if necessary. Until I’ve got a lot more money, I’m not going to have more than one pair of glasses.
[sub]*When you combine high index lenses, Transitions, non-reflective coating and a scratch-resistant finish with my prescription, it ended up around $500 for the lenses after discount. I have, however, not needed to replace the lenses yet and I still like the frames. [/sub]
Just as a pedantic nitpick, I would assume $365 also includes a bridge to connect the two lenses, otherwise it’s more of a Cyclops effect, which would be cool.
I had wanted to get frames like Tina Fey’s next time I got glasses but now everyone would assume I was copying Palin. I definitely wouldn’t spend that much on frames though, no matter what they look like.
I was a bit annoyed the other day when someone on TV remarked that someone else had Sarah Palin bangs. SP didn’t invent bangs. I have bangs, I’ve had the same hairstyle for a while now, before I’d even heard of Palin and if anyone dares suggest I have an SP hairstyle I might punch them in the nose.
I’ve been wearing the rimless glasses for a while now and I love them. No one’s mentioned that they look Palinesque, which is a good thing for them. :mad:
It amazes me that her glasses are such a big deal. People have been wearing that type for several years now – they’re not that startling! And I don’t live in the center of the fashion universe, either. I tried some on the last time I got frames, around 2006, and they really didn’t flatter me at all.
But they’re cute and flattering on her, so I suppose that’s why they’re such a “sensation.” :rolleyes:
