I was a FLY GIRL long before JLo made it cool
I have been wearing glasses since the age of 10. It was never cool wearing glasses, but in order to see the board in school I had to wear them. When I was about 11 years old I got a pair of photogray prescription glasses. For the first time I could walk outside and my glasses would turn into sunglasses and I could look “cool” wearing them. This would help me in middle school, I too can fit in!
That is what I thought until I walked into a department store with my older sister. The photogray lenses would take a good five minutes to become clear again so when we began looking around the store the glasses were still dark, dark gray. My sister turned to me and said “Renee you look like a FLY!” I thought about it and visualized myself wearing the dark, dark gray glasses walking around inside the store. I thought, she is probably RIGHT! I immediately took the glasses off my face and held them in my hand. How embarrassing, I don’t want to look like a FLY!
After leaving the department store my Dad was driving home and I realized I left my prescription photogray glasses at the store! With a big gulp in my throat I said “Uh Dad, I think I left my glasses at the store”. OMG, he started cursing as he turned the car around to head back. He was not happy. I ran into the store looking for my glasses. They were no where to be found. I went back to the car and told my Dad. He lost his sh*t. With insurance those glasses cost around $400 years ago. I never heard the end of it.
By age 12 I was old enough for contact lenses! Finally I could see and not wear glasses. From then on I bought inexpensive sunglasses to wear with the contacts. If I lost them it was no big deal. Problem Solved.
After the age of forty I needed multifocal contacts and I just couldn't adjust to wearing them. I saw so much better up close without any glasses. I found it easier to wear glasses and take them off to read. Plus these days there are so many fabulous frames to choose from. I gave up contacts all together.
In my forties I bought my first pair of designer prescription sunglasses and loved them. Before leaving the eye doctor's office, I thought how will I take care of these gorgeous sunglasses and not scratch, damage or lose them? I have never used those bulky cases you get with glasses. I decided I would simply buy a handbag that had a protective pocket designed just for glasses. It didn’t exist. That is exactly how I ended up designing handbags. It was my way of solving my PTSD from years ago. #theOGflygirl
