Looking fashion-forward these days seems to require a plethora of purchases. Or so clever marketing would have you believe.
Gone are the days when one pair of spectacles, and perhaps one lot of prescription sunglasses, was it for the bespectacled among us.
Welcome to the concept of a glasses wardrobe: you might choose from your vintage, geek-chic or hipster pair depending on your outfit and mood.
And you might fancy some other pairs, depending on whether you're in the office, playing sport or out for drinks with friends.
Over the past few years, companies such as Sneaking Duck have popped up in Australia. They deal directly with international manufacturers and sell frames under their own brand name, mostly online.
Chief executive Mark Capps says the business model means the company doesn't pay fees to sell big-brand glasses or spend large amounts fitting out and staffing high street stores. That keeps prices down for consumers.
"You suddenly make it possible for normal people to have multiple pairs of glasses and when they do they love it," he says.
"They love to mix and match with what they're wearing and the only reason they haven't before is because it has cost them so much money to be able to do it."
Formerly at Google, Capps teamed up with the team behind the design-your-own-shoes business, Shoes Of Prey, to form Sneaking Duck in 2011.
He says there are several tools to help consumers confidently purchase spectacles online.
There is a virtual try-on option, so customers can take a photo of themselves using a web cam and have frames placed over their image on screen.
Customers can also use a try-before-you-buy service, whereby they are sent a selection of frames to trial at home, return, then make their selection.
OPSM senior optical frame buyer Francesca Pezzutto says consumers are also stocking up on multiple frames from bricks-and-mortar stores.
"There are different personalties in us all," she says.
"During the day we've got one face to carry and when we're in our free time it's another."
She says jewellery embellishment and studs on frames are key looks this year, as are either floral prints or delicate flowers created from stainless steel.
Pezzutto says people with active lifestyles often also choose sporty, lighter-weight frames.
"We have always seen day to night, but we are really seeing that weekend, more casual-wear and sport customer also coming through."
There has long been a small number of people who purchase spectacles with non-prescription lenses.
"I've actually heard people say that they do it so they can look, it sounds terrible, but it just gives them that exterior of intelligence ... particularly for job interviews," Pezzutto says.
TIPS FOR SELECTING YOUR SPECS:
- Square shaped faces tend to suit a rounded frame, while corners complement a rounded face. Oval faces can wear most styles.
- Use free try-at-home options and/or virtual try-on tools before purchasing online.
- Measure the width of your existing frames to help with fit.
- Post a photo of yourself in different pairs of spectacles on social media to get feedback from family and friends if you are shopping alone.
