It's plain to see

Here at Retrospecced, it's plain to see that we love glasses.

They help us see, they make us feel good and they keep our eyes happy and healthy!

What’s not to love?

Many of us would be lost without our specs and we’ve been thinking about the fabulous things we are able to do because of them.

Delve into a book

For many, the gift of opening a book is impossible without a pair of frames.

Vision Aid Overseas work tirelessly to ensure that everyone can read. In fact, they ensured that Adams received his first pair of reading glasses. An eleven-year-old student living in Zambia, Adams was struggling at school simply because he could not see well enough to learn.

However, he paid a visit to a Vision Centre, received a full eye test and was prescribed a smart new pair of glasses that restored his vision. He is now able to read.

Thanks to glasses, we can enter new realms and become absorbed in characters and worlds beside our own. We can learn, we can laugh and we can be inspired to write our own stories.

Reading is a wonderful thing and we have some recommendations of our own to share...

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - a mournful yet uplifting true story of a man who becomes paralysed and communicates only through his left eye, this book will leave you grateful for the mundane abilities you possess. It is haunting and deeply powerful and encourages you to seize every day.

Shuggie Bain - a powerful autobiographical tale of a young boy being raised by a single mother in Glasgow. A winner of countless awards. A must read!

Need glasses to read? Retrospecced have got you covered. You can get some of our glasses reglazed or reglaze your exisiting glasses in order to find yourselves the ideal pair.

Take a trip

Glasses also allow us to get out and see the world. Setting out on a road trip and gazing out at the long road ahead is made possible for many by spectacles. What’s more, sunglasses add a rose tinted glow to the world. Frames open the door to exploration and for that we are grateful.

Travelling to new places can also be transformative for eye health it seems...

Lansana and Ismail are Optometry Technicians and set up the Vision Centre they work in. However, 80% of the people in their district who need eye care live too far away to visit Lansana and Ismail. They used donations and grants to obtain a motorbike and help the people who need them most.

Glasses make way for exploration. We love the chance to go on an adventure and have recently traversed some wonderful places ourselves...

The Isles of Scilly - many will have ventured down as far as Land's End. However, even further away - across a stretch of water - is the Isles of Scilly. A group of islands in the middle of the Atlantic, they are home to unique wildlife, tropical plants that thrive in the mild climate and crystal blue waters. A desination for the travel bucket list!

Cornwall - although considered by many as the picture perfect seaside spot, there is much more to Cornwall than meets the eye. It has a rich heritage and a rugged landscape that goes far deeper than just ice creams and sandcastles, and Lucy knows this first hand thanks to her work with Cornish Lithium. Cornwall has much to offer; take a trip and step off the beaten track.

Glasses for the road, the sun lounger, the cliff-top walk - check them out.

Add the finishing touches

The final - perhaps less practical but just as important! - reason that we love glasses is the way they complete an outfit and make us feel good. They are often our most dominant accessory and can become the principal feature of our style. They frame our faces, add a splash of colour to a dull outfit, and distinguish us from others.

Here are some fashion icons who wore - and still wear! - it best.

Glasses just don't get old do they!

Completing a look with finishing touches is satisfying. Even more so when it is good for the planet too. We love coming across places where we can find unique fashion pieces that - like our glasses here at Retrospecced - don’t hurt the Earth...

Olde Rope - one of our favourite spots is this little gem in Falmouth, Cornwall. Home to all sorts of hand-picked sustainable goods made by local sellers, it is a treasure trove. Yes, we may be biased as they house some of our vintage and designer stock(!), but they also showcase some fantastic fashion pieces like statement boiler suits, gorgeous jewellery and hand-knitted hats.

It's plain to see

We are passionate about what we do and are proud to sell products that allow people to get out and enjoy what the world has to offer! Glasses are amazing. They can open our eyes to an array of possibilities and can change the way we view the planet. Get yourself a pair if you don't have some already and start exploring.