By Rachel Weingarten

People who wear eyeglasses can often be divided into two basic categories: Those who love just about everything about wearing eyeglasses, and those who prefer not to make a spectacle of themselves. 

But what if you don’t fall into either group? Rimless glasses might be the perfect option for someone who isn’t always sure whether they want their frames to be the focus of their face.

What exactly are rimless glasses? 

Rimless eyeglasses are a type of eyeglasses designed in a way so that the frames are as unobtrusive as possible. On rimless glasses, the lenses are attached directly to either the bridge (the part that crosses your nose) or temple (the part the goes across the side of the glasses and rests over the ears). 

READY TO SHOP FOR RIMLESS EYEGLASSES? Find an optical store near you.

Wondering if rimless glasses are for you? Here are five reasons a cool pair of rimless glasses might be in your future:

1. You’re not ready to tell the world you’re wearing glasses 

Maybe your vision changed drastically, or you suddenly find yourself needing reading glasses. While some people have grown up wearing glasses, others find themselves needing a pair after the age of 40. 

Then again, maybe you’re just a private person who doesn’t enjoy people commenting on your appearance, you’d much prefer that they notice your great work or accomplishments instead. 

In those cases, rimless glasses – especially pairs with anti-reflective lenses – can help correct your vision without anyone immediately noticing that you’re even wearing a pair. 

2. You prefer your other accessories be the center of attention

If you’re a fan of statement necklaces or wear bold earrings as part of your signature look, you might not want your eyeglasses to offer any kind of added distraction. 

If you do choose to go rimless, consider a temple that accents your hair or eye color or offers a contrast to the colors you wear most often. 

Or try something completely different: Look for pink gold or even neon hues that can enhance your look without overwhelming the overall effect. 

Do bear in mind, though, that unlike days gone by when glasses sometimes made people feel self-conscious, modern frames are incredibly high tech and beautifully crafted. If you love wearing glasses and accessories, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t! 

3. You’re easily distracted

For a while there I always chose oversized glasses frames because I became far too easily distracted when working.

Seeing bright colors when I was trying to read something or being sidetracked by patterns or designs when I was trying to enjoy nature made it too much of a problem for me to wear any type of design or noticeable color. 

I eventually noticed that once you get used to your eyeglasses frames, you can learn to tune them out, the way you might be able to look out of the window and notice the street view and not the window screen. 

If you haven’t been wearing glasses for long, if you do a lot of close-up work like crafting or the like, you might find that any type of frame becomes far too noticeable. Rimless glasses can be the perfect option since all you see is what’s right in front of you without a frame getting in the way. 

4. You’re planning for a special occasion

While it’s entirely acceptable for a bride to wear glasses on her big day, sometimes the glasses can distract from her headpiece or gown or overall look. 

The other part of that equation is that you’re going to be photographed frequently at your wedding and won’t be able to control lighting or reflection. 

At any occasion where you’re going to be photographed frequently, or plan on being onstage, you might not want people to notice your eyeglasses more than they notice you. 

Also, worth keeping in mind: Even if your glasses are rimless you should probably match the temple and bridge to your jewelry. 

While it’s always fun to play around with mixed metals, on a big day or important occasion your best bet is to try to go for a sleeker and more unified look. 

5. You want a pair that goes with everything

Maybe you’re a minimalist and prefer to keep things sleek and simple. Then again, perhaps you’re just lazy and don’t feel like figuring which pair of glasses to wear on a daily basis. 

Rimless glasses keep things easy and take the stress out of matching your glasses to your clothes.

6. You want to lighten up

While many of today’s eyeglasses frames are made of sophisticated acetates or even titanium, they can add extra weight to your face. 

If you plan on wearing your glasses for many hours, you might start to become aware of the extra weight on your nose or even cheekbones. 

Rimless glasses weigh less because there is actually less on your face.

Whatever your reasons for choosing rimless frames, they can be as serious or playful as you choose. It’s all about how you choose to face the world. 

SEE RELATED: 6 fun facts about rimless glasses

Page published on Wednesday, September 18, 2019