My fashion eyewear makes me blind


by Jamie Brazil, Portland
Her blog
Author of Prince Charming, Inc.

My vision is seriously impaired.  Not only do I suffer occasional bouts of label blindness, but 365 days a year I can’t see a damn thing from behind the rims of my one-and-only pair of Chanel sunglasses!  I’m seriously thinking of getting rid of them… except they were such a great deal.

Two years ago, I bought this authentic pair of 1990s-era Chanel sunglasses for $15 at a yard sale.  The smooth black frames and the noticeable-but-not-too-obnoxious interlocking C’s are chic and timeless.  Unfortunately, the lenses are so dark I strain to make out shadowed objects on the brightest days of August.  I wouldn’t dare drive in these glasses.  There’s such as a thing as lenses being too dark (unless of course the wearer is facing a paparazzi mob – something I’ve never done – but I imagine these glasses would be an excellent choice for say, Bono or Lindsey Lohan).

My own reality equals Oregon.  Which equals rain.  Which equals dark, cloudy days.

Why do I own these sunglasses?

Maybe the downsizing gal who sold these to me at her yard sale was onto something. I have two pairs of sunglasses that are more useful.

  1. A cheap pair of over-sized Dockers that wrap around my head (outdoor sports)
  2. A pair of Kate Spade’s I bought at Off 5th for only $40!  Now those are driving sunglasses, alfresco sunglasses, shopping sunglasses.  They’re my go-to pair.

Yet here I am, holding onto a pair of glasses I don’t need, wear, or can see out of.  Am I really so label-blind that I must continue to keep them?  The rational part of my mind says consign them to a re-sale shop.  The collector in me insists on keeping them.  Maybe the paparazzi are just a little slow finding me.

But seriously… what am I going to do?  Sell or keep?


Disclaimer: Articles featured on Oregon Report are the creation, responsibility and opinion of the authoring individual or organization which is featured at the top of every article.