DAV/D K/ND

A couple of months ago I misplaced my eyeglasses. The worst.

And it wasn’t one of those situations where I switched purses and left them in the old purse, or they slid under my seat in the car, or got lost under a stack of bills. I left them at a restaurant and they never did turn up. They were super gone. The worst.

So, in a pinch for a quick and cheap replacement pair, I thought I’d try one of those mail order companies that lets you pick five frames to try on at home, then you just order the pair you like best in your prescription.

Only, it was a big, fat, flop.

I spent more than 3 hours one evening hmming and hawwwing over which frames I wanted them to send me (decisiveness, as it turns out, might not be my strong suit), but not one of them was even close to a home run. They fit my head poorly, were made cheaply, and even for a quick, cheap replacement pair, they just weren’t worth it.

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Call it a happy coincidence, but several weeks later my friend Kacia told me about David Kind. I assumed it was another “we’ll send you a box of frames to try on at home!” company where it was all up to me. But this time, the approach was completely different.

This time, I spent three minutes and not three hours. Because, as it turns out, I am not a professional eyewear stylist. And, as it turns out, Trish, Lead Stylist at David Kind, is that and more. She was actually the manager/buyer at Fred Segal Eyes for 5 years. She has styled and thrilled thousands of very particular customers. And Trish was the one who selected my frames based the photo I shared with them. It was her job to pick my frames, not mine.

This time, the fit was fantastic and the frames were really really nice. Dave, the Founder and CEO, has an impressive background in eyewear styling and design as well – and together, he and Trish collaborate to design every frame in their collection. The frames and hinges are solid, with beautiful, unexpected details everywhere. And, though I don’t understand all of the science behind it, the lenses are actually clearer than traditional lenses.

This time, the options made sense. When my box arrived, I opened it up just as soon as I could and started trying on frames, one after another. Trish sent me a couple of frames in two different colorways, and it was fascinating to see that I actually look better in brown frames than black of the same style. She pushed me with a pair of clear frames and even a gold pair (wait til you see them, you might be surprised!), but I fell in love with one pair and wore them around the house the rest of the day.

When Ryan walked in the door that evening, he immediately noticed them and told me how adorable I looked (isn’t he cool?). And just a while later, I discovered a tucked away, handwritten note in the box from Trish saying she hoped I liked the frames she’d chosen for me, and that she thought I’d like the Otto in Dune best. Not surprisingly, that was the pair I’d already fallen in love with.

And this time, it was personal. A few days after my frames arrived, I received a follow-up email that made it clear that David Kind would bend over backwards to be sure I found the right frames. In fact, we actually video-chatted one afternoon last week so Trish could see me try on the frames and answer any questions I had.

Honestly, one of my biggest questions was, “Do you do this for all of your customers, or just me because I’m going to write a blog post about you?”

She had a video chat scheduled right after me with a non-bloggy customer :)
(and I thought I was special!)

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So, which pair do you think is the pair I lurve? The pair Trish picked for me, and I picked without knowing it was her favorite? The pair that made my husband tell me I was adorable right when he walked in the house?

(You have to know I’m the nerd who loves to make option collages. And – wait for it – there’s definitely an animated .gif at the end showing all of Ryan’s frame options. Yep, he wanted to try a box, too!)

We seriously had a blast shooting these – we tried on frames from each other’s boxes, and actually ended up liking a pair from my box on Ryan!

(my sister said the animated .gif makes her carsick. If you feel similarly, ssssssarry!)

Dave and Trish asked me to write a super honest review of my experience and their product, and in a nutshell, this is my takeaway:

• The difference in time spent between this and the other mail order frame company I tried was huge for me. My time (and yours) is valuable and I super appreciated how quick and convenient the order process was.
• Y’all know I love a good personal stylist – let the professionals do what they’re great at. I realized that this totally applies to eyewear, too. David Kind is great at what they do. I loved the options they sent me, and because they were great quality, none of them were ruled out for bummer things like fit or flimsiness.
• This experience was personal. I walked away feeling heard, like I have the best pair of glasses for my face I have ever had, and like I want to tell my friends about it.
• This isn’t your run-of-the-mill, mail-order eyewear. David Kind’s frames are handcrafted in Italy or Japan, and their state-of-the-art lenses are made in California. Entering their site feels as if you just discovered a gorgeous boutique, where eyewear is custom curated for you. And because of that – because it is better, it costs more. 

Now comes the fun part where you get styled by Miss Fred Segal Fancy Pants. (I only call her that because she’s actually super cool and approachable, and for as talented as she is, I want to call her Miss Fred Segal Fancy Pants just one time!)

Click below to start the (super quick) process. Styling is completely complimentary and shipping is even free both ways! Let Trish style you and experience David Kind for yourself!

“Our mission is to provide the highest quality frames and lenses, hand selected to match your facial features and personal style by a friendly, qualified, real person. We provide people with glasses they look great in, lenses they see better through, all via unparalleled customer service.” – David Kind

Happy Monday, friends!! It’s almost CHRISTMASSSSSSSSSS!

(Remember, a fantastic pair of frames will only serve you properly with a professional, up-to-date prescription. Shout out to my local and very awesome eye doctor, Matt Morrison at The Spectacle Shoppe in Franklin. Matt knows and cares more about eyes than anyone I know. I super recommend him if you are in or around Williamson County.)

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