wear contact lenses?
Don’t Miss…
Where I Roam
A the feed is probably down. Try again later.
Eyeglasses Stores are for&Suckers
November 10, 2006
WE’VE MOVED! This post, the conversation, and research have shifted to . Join us for in-depth recommendations and horror stories. It seems that quite a few people are looking for alternatives to over-priced eyewear.
——–
I’ve stepped into my last eyeglasses store. I’ve been wearing glasses since junior high, and the prices have gotten outrageous. The last pair I bought at LensCrafters, in 2004, set me back about $300 and never fit properly — even after multiple trips back. They broke the last week of October.
I’ve had my eye on, and nearly purchased a pair of Silhouettes a few months back. They were the titanium hingeless variety. I priced them out at a couple of stores and with AR (anti-reflective) lenses with scratch-resistant coating, I was looking at about $500. I don’t claim to be the smartest guy in the room very often, but no way in hell was I going to buy into that.
The best deal I could find in a store for a pair (in a non-welfare frame) approached $270 — without AR lenses. That would not do either. There had to be a better alternative. I decided I was going to find the Silhouettes online. I already knew what I wanted and they’d have to be much less online. I googled — and found them — for $410ish. Not good enough. I went back to my search results. You know how google has the ads on the right side (of course you do)? I ignore them almost all the time. For some reason (my empty wallet?) I decided to click a link to Zenni Optical (a.k.a., and I kid you not — ).
Zenni had a couple of titanium, hingeless frames. I priced them out. I decked them out with AR coating ($4.95 compared to $50+ in the stores), a clip-on sunshade ($3.95 versus $70 in the store) and went to the optional higher-index (thinner) lenses. Total?
The downside? A couple of things… they might take a month to arrive and I really had no idea on the quality.
I tend to be an overly cautious buyer. I’ll buy, but not before I research the hell out the options and alternatives. Put another way, I’m an informed shopper. The markup on eyeglasses frames can routinely be 1000%! Yes that was one-thousand percent. Screw that noise.
For $81, I could risk it, but not before an hour perusing the most-excellent (if not sparse), . Zenni got decent reviews, so I ordered on October 26th.
They arrived on Thursday, November 9th and they appear to be perfect. The lens quality and fit is excellent.
Was I done?
Nope. A whole new world had been opened up to me. I decided I needed to hedge my bets. I ordered an even cheaper pair from
also. This was a cheaper, very different, style frame. With lenses (they don’t offer an especially high-index lens), they came to $25 (and that includes AR, UV, and anti-scratch coatings!). I decided to up the ante a bit and add the photochromic treatment (Transistions — darken in the sun, clear indoors), after all I’m testing this out and $61 is hardly excessive for a pair of glasses.
These arrived on Wednesday, November 8 (12 days). For the price, I couldn’t be happier. They look great and the lenses are perfect. The fit and finish is not of the same quality, but they’re really nice just the same.
Without question, I’ll order from each of these places in the future. The prescriptions are tack sharp, the selections are better than the stores and the prices are incredible. Eyeglasses for less than a pair of shoes? Yes, please.
UPDATE: I got a comment from an optician — .
UPDATE TWO: Thanks for all of the kind words and thoughtful responses!
I can’t believe the nerve this has touched. Want to share your experiences? I’ve started an aggregator site (), that will hopefully evolve into both a place to rate the shoppes and discuss this topic further. I really feel like the can of worms may be open now. Let me know what you think!
Like this:Like Loading...
This entry was posted on
November 10, 2006 at 1:29 am
and is filed under , , , , , , , .
Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.
%d bloggers like this:Selecting the Perfect Corset: Sizing and Style Tips, Part 1
Corset Shopping Guide for the Novice Corset Buyer
Nearly everyday we get questions from new customers looking to buy their first authentic steel boned corset from . What size do I need? Which corset should I buy if I have a short waist? a long waist? small hips? large hips? large breasts?…and the list goes on and on. Here are some tips compiled from our knowledgeable staff and customer feedback we receive.
How to Measure:
When you wrap the tape measure around you, pull it taut but not tight. Don’t leave any slack in the tape, but don’t create a crease or indent in your body by pulling it too tightly. You will need your natural waist (often the smallest part of your waist-check out this ), hips, underbust and fullest part of your bust (for overbust corsets) in inches. We will discuss corset length in .
Underbust measurement
Waist measurement
Upper hip measurement
When I measured myself, the smallest part of my waist was about 27″, my underbust just shy of 30″ (37″ at the fullest part) and my upper hip was about 36″. The fullest part of my hip measures about 40″, but your corset will not come down that far. With these measurements I am pretty solid size 22 with just barely enough hip curve for the 426. The 411 and 426 short fit great, as does the 201 and 301 if I am in the mood for a shorter fitting corset.
. Notice that the bottom of the corset is almost closed, forming a ‘V’ shape in the laces. Not a tragedy, but parallel is what we’re looking for here. She just doesn’t have quite enough hip to fill out the 426.
Orchard Corset has developed and exclusive system for determining the “curviness” factor of a corset. This is determined by taking your waist -upper hip and waist-underbust ratios to determine how curvy you are to help you choose a corset that will fit properly. It’s possible to create more curves than you have by moving up a silhouette level, but new corset wearers should take the time and select a corset that isn’t too far from your natural shape. The leaner you are-the more you will need to select a corset that has your shape. If you are blessed with some extra fluff, then the corset will redistribute tummy weight to fill out the top and bottom of your corset, in essence shaping you to the corset. As you can see from to the right, Danielle doesn’t quite have enough hip to wear the 426. The bottom can close completely, but not the rest of the corset. Check out our
to see where you fit. Remember, this is not an exact science-just a guideline.
Silhouette Level
Bust-Waist Ratio
Hip-Waist Ratio
Level 1 Moderate
4-5 in. (UB) 5-6 in. (OB)
6-7 inches
Level 2 Enhanced
5-6 in. (UB) 7-8 in (OB)
7-9 inches
Level 3 Extreme
6+ in (UB) 8+ in (OB)
10+ inches
How to Determine the Right Size:
As a rule of thumb, we have our customers order 4-7 inches below their natural waist size. So if you have a 29″ waist, you would order a size 24 corset. However. there are other factors to consider. If you aren’t looking to really cinch up your waist, but perhaps are more interested in back support, , or a costumed event, then we recommend only 3-5 inches. That would mean that same 29″ waist could order a size 26 (depending on curve and type of clothing worn under the corset). Brand new corset wearers should error on the side of too big and work your way into a smaller corset. Another important factor is the “squish” factor. Lean muscle is not going to have as much give as soft tissue. So if you have 28″ waist that is packed with muscle and very little soft tissue, you will find cinching down to a 22″
corset very challenging and very uncomfortable. Whereas someone with a 34″ waist with ample soft tissue will be able to cinch down into a 28″ or even a 26″ corset, depending on their level of experience. Individuals with longer torsos will also find it easier to lace down-more area to spread the excess “fluff”. If you are tall and have lots of extra fluff, you may find 8-10 inches is not too extreme a reduction.
for more information on corset length and overbust/underbust comparison.
If you’re still not sure what size and style of corset is right for you, head over to, give us your measurements, and one of our sizing experts will be happy to help you!
Share this:Like this:Like Loading...
You may also like
About Post Author
I have been with Orchard Corset since June of 2012 and what a journey it has been! I've gone from complete newbie to Marketing Director to Chief Operations Officer and I've learned more about corsets, corseting, shapewear, social media and myself than I would have ever thought possible. I have really enjoyed the journey and we at Orchard Corset are dedicated to providing a wealth of information for new and seasoned corseters alike.
TwitterBreaking hearts with those curves ?
… Babe status ?
… Gorgeous curve ?
We still have a few more white mesh corsets in stock, too!… Popular Posts (6) (5) (4) (4) (4)Archives
Send to Email Address
Your Email Address
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
%d bloggers like this: