Caroline: I think eyeglasses are a great accessory. They are almost like jewelry, or in some cases I’ve seen them where they ARE jewelry.
Cynthia: There’s a wonderful trend toward embellishment of eyeglasses with crystals and even with gemstones — there’s no doubt this exquisite eyewear qualifies as jewelry.
Caroline: Yes, I’ve seen some that are very upscale, with precious metals and diamonds, etc. Very nice. I also have a few friends who wear really interesting glasses that always coordinate with their outfits.
Cynthia: No question — eyeglasses can convey a lot of personality!
Caroline: Yes, they certainly can. Do you give much thought to your earrings or your necklace when you’re wearing eyeglasses?
Cynthia:  lol – you’re one of very few people who have seen me wearing my glasses, as I’m vain about wearing my contact lenses most of the time! I do like to coordinate jewelry with eyewear. The more colorful or dominant eyeglasses are as an accessory, the more they need to be a consideration in the choice of jewelry.
Caroline: So if a female has colored rims on her glasses, then she needs to give more thought to what jewelry she wears with the glasses?
Cynthia: That’s right. If the frames are close in hue to her skin tone, neutral like tortoiseshell, or clear, then she can easily wear a wider variety of colors and styles in her jewelry. But if she’s wearing, for example, bright lime green eyeglass frames, then her jewelry, especially anything worn near her face, needs to be chosen in a compatible color and style.
Caroline: I know most people who have colored glasses coordinate their clothing. Thinking about coordinating with their jewelry is smart, too.
Cynthia: I fear some women think they can’t wear earrings if they wear glasses. A jeweler can help them see how attractive the combination can be!
Caroline: Ok, for instance, if you have metal frames — yellow or white — does it matter if you wear yellow or white earrings/necklaces with them?
Cynthia: I’d follow the general rule to carry one color metal throughout the ensemble. Silver-colored eyeglasses suggest white metal jewelry.
Caroline: I’m assuming if you have larger eyewear you might want to wear smaller earring….or is the other way around?
Cynthia: It’s both! Let one accessory dominate and the other play a supporting role for the best look.
Caroline: So it’s smart to find out what glasses someone usually wears, if it’s their only pair, and if all are in the same color family when a potential customer is shopping (and wearing glasses) in your store. That way, you can see if what you’re showing them fits. Or maybe they have new glasses and might want a few new pieces to accent those.
Cynthia: No question about it, eyeglasses are a great conversation starter.

Today’s Jewel

Notice the color and style of your customer’s eyewear, see what clothing style she’s wearing and take a quick jewelry inventory – does her jewelry work well with her glasses? If she’s wearing a colorful or unusual style of eyeglasses, use that as a conversation starter to determine if she likes to vary her looks in eyewear and whether she’d like to develop a jewelry wardrobe to work with her various styles of eyeglasses.

JCK