NO SHADE: TOYSHADES

When I was first introduced to TOYSHADES I was literally trigger happy like a child that had been let loose in a candy shop and if you bear with me I’ll explain why…I remember the day I was told that I was going to need glasses. I don’t know exactly the reason why, but I was devastated. I didn’t want to wear glasses; and it was probably because I was roughly nine years old and everyone else I knew my age that wore glasses were, let’s say, not on the popularity scale. It’s pathetic I know but when you’re young that’s how you think. I just didn’t want to be associated with the lesser cool kids in school.

I remember reluctantly picking a pair of glasses and I’ll never forget the horrible rainbow colour and the fact that they looked like they had been spattered all over with dots of paint. I needed them but the reality was I hated them. So much so, that instead of wearing them when I was supposed to. I tucked them in my room somewhere and abandoned them there. 

Fast forward a few years, and because of the neglect of my specs my eyes had gotten so bad I literally couldn’t see anything without them. I remember walking past my mum afterschool in the high street because I couldn’t make out people’s faces! Rather than embarrass myself with a mistaken identity situation, I would just keep walking.

When I was sixteen I went to the opticians again and spoke to them about getting contact lenses. I remember begging the consultant if she would prescribe them to me but she had said that most girls my age abused the lenses and ruined their sight further so she wouldn’t be giving me the go ahead for lenses until I was eighteen.

I swear, I must have gotten a mental calendar and counted down the days because I had scheduled an appointment for the day of my eighteenth birthday, and on the dot, I was seeing the same consultant. Although she was as reluctant as she was two years before to give me the lenses she had to give in. One I was of age and two she had to keep her promise. 

She helped me put the lenses in and checked them over asking me how I felt. Before leaving she gave me the lecture of a lifetime about how to look after them. How long I could wear them for and how to discard them. Also, under no circumstances was I to sleep in them. I nodded like the churchill dog and when I got out of there I felt like I had made it in life. I was so happy! 

I could see! I could ACTUALLY see! It was so deep that when I looked at myself in the mirror it was as if I was meeting myself for the first time. My face had changed so much, and I wouldn’t have noticed because when I looked in the mirror my face was blurred and when I put my glasses on it was covering half my face. 

Since leaving the opticians that day I have never looked back. I had literally worn contact lenses everyday until I was diagnosed with my first corneal ulcer around the age of 21. Just as the consultant had warned, I had become negligent and began sleeping in my lenses. Not only that but I would wear them way past their sell by date thinking I was saving myself money; but can you put a price on your sight?

You’d think my diligence would have got better but then my relationship with glasses hadn’t improved. In fact it had got worse; due to excessive lens wear, my prescription worsened year by year. This won’t make sense to a non-glasses wearer but my prescription at the moment is R -6.25 L-5.25. This means that when I’m not wearing anything I can’t see anything past two inches from my face. 

Not only that but when I pick up a pair of glasses in the opticians I can never find a frame that fits my face because my head is really small. They look ridiculous on my face and no matter how much they try and tighten the screws at the sides – when I look down my glasses always fall off. 

Are you starting to get a picture of my glasses trauma now?

THEN, I got introduced to TOYSHADES. Frames that were ACTUALLY attractive, stylish, fashionable and not only that but all their frames – prescription or not were £25.

There was nothing for me to lose. I ordered a pair of ‘BUTLER’S’ because I had tried my friend’s faux pair on and decided I loved the smallness of the frame and how they tidily fit my face. 

When they arrived I could hardly hold my breath – hence why I no longer have the box to show you. I think I tore it. LOL

I tried them on and I felt just like I did when I left with my first pair of contact lenses – I had arrived! 

They fit perfectly, they were presented beautifully and for £25 I couldn’t be happier. For years I had been spending in excess of £80 for specs I completely hated which kept me reliant on my contacts when I should have been giving them a break. 

For the first time in my life I was wearing my glasses religiously – but the arm of the glasses broke when I was cleaning the lens in less than two weeks of me receiving them. I was devastated but I wasted no time in emailing TOYSHADES and asking them if I could get a replacement pair.  

The lady responded to me within hours saying she was sending a replacement out. It took a while but I was grateful. Unfortunately, this time the arm of the glasses broke again within a week of me receiving them. I was so reluctant to go without them again I superglued the arm back and just tried to ride it out but that obviously wasn’t a good long term solution, and eventually they broke again. 

In all honesty I felt cheeky emailing the lady again after I had tried to superglue them myself but I explained to her what I had done and why – and she said I should rather send it to the warehouse so I could get them replaced quicker. 

Now I don’t know about you but when you’re dealing with a relatively new company, the responses to situations like this don’t usually go this way.  

Although the quality could be a bit better which I’m sure in time it will – they never once blamed me and even after my delay in sending the second pair back they were still willing to replace them for me. 

I admire the company for that and also the fact that they are so reasonable in their pricing and always sending promotions which allow for at least 50% off.  It’s not everyday pay minimal cost price and charge consumers arm and a leg RRP.  

So for a blog that promotes fashion within a budget – TOYSHADES you’ve not only got my vote but you have a customer for life

Thank you for giving me the confidence to go out in a pair of specs!

Have a great weekend

Joanne