I think aviators looks really cool on other people, but unfortunately they don't look good on me. Give them a try! I would at least try them, even if made for men. I was shopping for new glasses recently and the person in the store said so many of them are gender neutral these days. And if I recall correctly - it's been over a year since I've been in their store - all of Warby Parker's glasses are gender neutral.

Yes aviators are gender neutral...what may be more important is size. I find the smaller/petite frames fit my face better. Also, I couldn't wear them because of the nose pieces. I'm always flipping the glasses up on top of my head and those nose pieces tear at my hair. So I have to wear the plastic frames with the smooth integrated nose pieces. Of course, if your glasses stay put on your face than it's not an issue for you. Just something to consider.

I like aviators!

If you like them, get them!!

Another case demonstrating that different styles are preferred by different people.

I dislike frames with integrated nose pieces. They seem to be most common and I believe also less expensive. I find them very uncomfortable, especially in warm weather. Glasses with so-called "nose pads" are all I will wear. Most metal frames have nose pads. Plastic frames with nose pads aren't as easy to find as they once were but they are findable.

It all boils down to what looks good and fits your face. And, what feels comfortable.

I’m narrow and hard to fit. I have Brooklyn Spectacles and Oliver Peeples.

If you personally like them on your face, aviators are a classic.

Very presidential. 🤓

Well, that isn't the particular look I'm after, especially now.....

I’m not a fan of aviators. Brooke Shields wears them. She’s gorgeous and I can’t even like them on her.

They give me the ”Palm Beach lounge lizard in a leisure suit” vibe.

These are my glasses (Warby Parker Ailey, discontinued)

I think they give me the Eugene Levy vibe

I also have a pair of clear frames similar in shape to the Aileys. In the catergory of different strokes, I cannot stand them because they have the separate nose pieces. Those suckers hurt! On my list of things to-do this week is try to have the nose pieces adjusted one more time to see if they can be made comfortable.

Warby Parker Arti

If only I looked as cool as my glasses.

I can’t think of aviators without thinking of Gloria Steinem. Good grief, she is 90.

^^^What Annie said. I have the same issue with nose pieces. I cannot stand the floating type nose pieces that fet stuck in my hair or any heavy frame either. I only need a good pair of reading glasses, and always have at least one good pair tailored to my prescription. I usually end up with Lafont. I have several cheaper pair (including some WP and Eyebob brands) that work remarkably well for keeping stashed around the house. I just need frames with a narrow nosepiece and smaller frame across the top and with shorter ear pieces.

I think aviators are cute and if they look good on you and fit well, go for it. If they look too over-sized and look as if they might slide down your face, I’d likely say no.

I like them on other people. I have a few styles in sunglasses and OTC readers, but aviators are not flattering on my face. Worse yet - Cat eye style.

I have a small face and am easily overpowered by large glasses. Also, as some others here, I can't stand those "pinch pads" on my nose. That said, aviators look good on the right face. I suggest going to a site like ZenniOptical where you can easily snap a picture of yourself, upload it and try on all of the styles.

I think they look best on square faces with more angular features.

It is such a personal choice, I think what's more important is what they FEEL like on your face and nose. The aviator style does fit my face right, just feels odd to me. I also don't like glasses that have the nose pieces because they catch in my hair because I put them on top of my head sometimes. If I'm being honest, today's glasses styles really aren't all that flattering (IMHO). Some of them just look ridiculous if I must say so myself...HAHA! I just wear readers and prefer a large frame that has a lot of glass real estate, I feel I see better that way. (I don't really care how ugly they are) So, the aviator fits that bill. Too bad they don't fit my face right. At least they have gotten away from those tiny little glasses that were so popular about 10 years ago, I always wondered how anyone could really see out of them!

I agree that face shape is important. I've found that rectangular look best with my face.

But the aviator style does come in different shapes as well...some deeper and more pointy, others more rounded or squared off at the bottom.

Also proportion is critical. While the style was for oversized glasses in the 80s, no more. I think that's why the Brooke Shields look is less than flattering.

I also like my eyebrows to show. And then there's the sweet spot where the frame blocks the view of my under eye circles...

The thing about separate nose pads, distinct from "part of the frame" style, is that they can be adjusted. Every nose is different, every person's spot where glasses rest is different from another. The angle from vertical, (straight up and down versus slanted to the side and how much so) varies even for one nose, one side compared to the other. The width of the nose where the glasses rest differs from person to person, the twist from exactly perpendicular to the face or angle out or in varies. Nose pads move in their mountings to make the final angle and distances just right.

A good optician knows how to adjust the brackets the pads attach to. Just taking a look at my own glasses when worn, the vertical angle is about 30° from vertical. Most of my sunglasses are aviator style with eye pieces (edit - s/b nose pads) but my Roy Orbison-style sun glasses that I wear occasionally don't have nose pads. The nose section is more vertical than my regular pairs with nose pieces (edit, s/b pads). No wonder they're not as comfortable.

I have no vested interest in what anyone chooses but to hear a complaint about nose pads pinching made me want to explain that such frames were not properly adjusted and doing so to achieve comfort is easily done.

What's 'in' today? Are we finished revisiting the oversize lenses? I still have an pair of those from forty years ago. Glasses hide under-eye circles and the lack of mascarra and eyeliner, which I can no longer apply due to tremor. (More realities for my 'Ladies Guide to Old Age'.)

I still remember when I was wearing old frames from the 80s, and one of the sec'ys at work mentioned to me that by wearing them, I was really dating myself. I replied, "If I knew I could date myself, I'd not have had as many lonely Saturday nights!!" :)

I think anything YOU think looks and feels good is a go. Face shape definitely factors in. I wear reading glasses and sunglasses. Choosing sunglasses takes me much longer. FWIW, you can find lots of links online with tips for finding what might work best. This was one of many regarding aviators.

chloebud, do you like those glasses?

Elmer, I’ve worn aviators but the ones in the photo wouldn’t work for me. I thought the brief write up with the photo might help lucillle decide for herself.

Oh, got it. Those seem too big to be attractive. Attention getting for the wrong reason.

I need a certain style that is not “in style” right now. I did get something because I needed them immediately but I’d rather something else. I wonder if the readers I see at the drugstore or bookstore can have the lenses replaced by my optician? They tend to be more suitable for my face.

bpath, it’s possible but they might tell you they aren’t responsible if the frames break, if you even care that much.

Maybe take a picture of the ones you like and see if the optician has an equivalent? My guys have probably a thousand pairs of glasses in the store, and they would search high and low to help me find something I like.

I have bifocals with prisms, and a glare coat and Transitions. The lenses are the most expensive part of the purchase , and IMHO, they shouldn't be put in any just kind of inexpensive frame. I understand that Warby Parker and other similar companies are good for simple prescriptions--single vision-- but I needed more. Plus, I am in the optician store on a semi-regular basis getting the frames adjusted. For free. I am not sure where people go for that, if they don't buy locally. Don't get me wrong, I know that we all like to save money. But my glasses are my lifeline. I have only one pair, but having recently graduated to the prisms, I can't go more than a few minutes without the specs on my nose. So I need quality. And I need glamour too.

I havent read the whole thread but like faftris, i have a very challenging prescriptions. i wear multi distance (not bifocal) lenses, with prism, with very extreme astigmatism curves.They are also very expensive ... i wear lenses with "zones" rather than bands for both mid range use and long distance. (This allows me to work and do everyday tasks despite my vision issues) Even before the need for all this, zenni couldnt handle my astigmatism prescription ...

I use a boutique glasses shop where the owner has worked with me to get everything worked out, to choose the right lenses and a digital lab that could handle all my various curves. I wont go through all the stages to get here but it was a long and trying journey. Their frames are not inexpensive but their service has been invaluable for my specific needs and i am loyal to them. I dont know what I will do when the owner retires!

Adding: I also have a very narrow nose bridge and a large tomato head-- they also work with me to find the best frames for my face and the ones that look best with my coloring. I appreciate that because when i am spending well over $1000 for lenses and purchasing multiple pairs, I want/expect them to look good!

If you can get your glasses from a zenni or warby parker or wherever, great! I know they can handle prescriptions for mild astigmatism but even before I needed prisms and progressives/zones, etc they couldnt handle my straight old prescription.

🍅-head. You’re cracking me up!

FWIW, I buy Warby Parker frames and have an optician elsewhere prepare and install the lenses. I tried WP lenses twice. They just cannot get it right. Nevertheless, I like their frames.