glasses

Persol: 1917 to Today

October 21st, 2011 | Posted in * Men's Eyeglasses *, * Men's Sunglasses *, * Women's Eyeglasses *, * Women's Sunglasses *, Blog, Celebrity Sunglasses and Eyewear, Must Have Designer Sunglasses, Must Have Mens Sunglasses and Eyewear, Must Have Womens Sunglasses and Eyewear, Persol, Trunk Shows and Events | No Comments
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Persol, an Italian Eyewear company founded in 1917 to make advanced lenses for Italian fighter pilots, has come a long way in its almost century long history. From the aviation experts of the First World War to the celebrities of yesterday and today, Persol has never lacked in aficionados. Lets take a look at some of Persol’s biggest fans.


George Clooney looks great in his Persol 2243-s, but there’s no suprise there.

Want his look? We can provide the sunglasses, but you have to bring the swagger.

His Ocean’s 12 costar, the timeless Julia Roberts, also loves Persols, helping to break the “boys only” image.

Julia and an unusual, closed-mouth smile.

New Hollywood loves Persol too. Here’s Justin Timberlake bringing sexy back in his favorite pair.

Justin, I love you. Let's get married and live in a wonderland of fedoras and sunglasses.

Lindsay Lohan, America’s favorite hot mess, covers her hangover grimace in this popular Persol frame.

It's ok, Lindsay. Coffee, orange juice, and a few cigarettes will set you right.

Orlando Bloom wears the same frame, but in a lighter color. And with less hopelessness on his face.

The one frame to rule them all...

Even James Bond wears Persols.

Ok, it's Daniel Craig, but whatever

Lastly, the most iconic Persol wearer, and my persomal favorite, Steve McQueen.

Look at him.  You can almost smell the manliness.

No matter what your look or style, Persol has a frame for you. Come find it at our Trunk Show this Saturday, October 22, 2011.

Chanel Envy

October 21st, 2011 | Posted in * Women's Eyeglasses *, * Women's Sunglasses *, Blog, Celebrity Sunglasses and Eyewear, Chanel, Must Have Designer Sunglasses, Must Have Womens Sunglasses and Eyewear, Trunk Shows and Events | No Comments
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Chanel.  Just the one word is enough to bring to mind images of timeless beauty, classic style, and groundbreaking fashion.  Chanel means many things to many people, but to us, it means flawless style. 


Even pushed back on Anne Hathaway’s head, her Chanel 5012′s make a statement.

Look how pretty!

Britney saves a bad hair day with an awesome shield frame.

Well, tries to save it. But the glasses look great!

Dita Von Teese has such a wonderful vintage style that Chanel works perfectly to compliment. Here she is in her 4180s.

Can you believe that she was married to Marilyn Manson?

The former Mrs. Woods also has a perfect Chanel frame for her style, sporty but elegant.

Hope she used Tiger's card...

Jennifer Love Hewitt uses her Chanel model 5138 to channel Holly Golightly.

I think we've all channeled Holly Golightly. If you haven't, you should.

Jenny McCarthy, one of our staff favorites, also loves Chanel. In this picture, she’s being styled here at SF Optics by our very own Alex Feldman.

She is just to cool for words. Seriously. I have no words.

Now for our suprise guest, Lady GaGa. She may not be the most obvious Chanel wearer, but she coaxes a new vibe from a classic frame.

Who would have thought to wear Chanels with beer can hair rollers?  Genius.

Coco Chanel really knew what she was doing all those years ago, and her legacy has been continued by the wonderful designers that do her work today. For any style, classic and understated, or edgy and fierce, Chanel has a perfect frame. Come see the entire collection, including all the new Fall 2011 styles, at our Private Fitting this Saturday, October 22, 2011.

Golden Hearts turned Chrome

October 3rd, 2011 | Posted in * Men's Eyeglasses *, * Men's Sunglasses *, * Women's Eyeglasses *, * Women's Sunglasses *, Blog, Celebrity Sunglasses and Eyewear, Must Have Designer Sunglasses, Must Have Mens Sunglasses and Eyewear, Must Have Womens Sunglasses and Eyewear, Trunk Shows and Events | No Comments
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This week we are celebrating Chrome Hearts eyewear and the people who love them.  This brand, founded in 1988 by Richard and Laurie Stark, originated making motorcyle gear, but as their fanbase widened, so did their collections.  This bold and trendy brand is a favorite of both the rich and famous, and the famously rich.

Let’s start with Katie Holmes. Half of one of America’s favorite Hollywood power couples, Katie looks every bit the part in these rock star shield sunglasses.

Katie Holmes sunglasses

Heidi Klum, our favorite German import, bundles up against the cold and protects her eyes with a sporty Aviator style frame. Take a style tip from the queen of the runway and don’t let a little snow rob your style!

Heidi Klum sunglasses

Justin Chambers, one of the resident heart-throbs of Grey’s Anatomy, was caught dressing down in his Chrome Hearts “Erected.” Snow or Sun, keep those eyes covered!

Justin Chambers sunglasses

Dr. 90210 (Robert Ray), the king of Hollywood cosmetic surgery, has been seen wearing his “Beast 3″ while working his rounds. Chrome Hearts go well with his stethoscope, don’t they?

Dr. 90210 Robert Ray sunglasses

Even the Country world is getting in on the Chrome Hearts trend. LeAnn Rimes has been crooning country toons since her early teenage years, but she’s proven she has more edge than we thought. Seen here in the “Double Tip.”

LeAnn Rimes sunglasses

In case you need a second opinion, we have yet another doctor (albeit fictional) in our list. Omar Epps, one of the stars of House, is often seen in his Chrome Hearts glasses.

Omar Epps glasses

In addition to two fictional doctors and a real plastic surgeon, lets round out the list with a fictional plastic surgeon. Nip/Tuck’s Julian McMahon has been spotted in some great Chrome Hearts sunglasses.

Julian McMahon sunglasses

Chrome Hearts most loyal Hollywood devotee? Paris Hilton. Here she is in her favorite, the “Queenie”

Paris Hilton sunglasses

Intrigued? Come out to our trunk show this Saturday, October 8, 2011, and check out the entire collection, including the newest Fall releases! RSVP on our Facebook page.

Glasses Worthy of a Rockefeller

March 14th, 2010 | Posted in * Men's Eyeglasses *, Blog, Celebrity Sunglasses and Eyewear, Must Have Mens Sunglasses and Eyewear, Ray-Ban, Shop Online | 3 Comments
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Tonight, the long awaited Lifetime premiere of “Who is Clark Rockefeller?” starring Eric McCormack as Clark Rockefeller and Sherry Stringfield as his wife and successful business consultant Sandra Boss, aired. But the true star of the movie are the large black thick rimmed plastic glasses worn by Clark Rockefeller.

For those that don’t recall this true story which not too long ago was the big news in the headlines, Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, a German man who immigrated to the United States in 1979, used many different aliases over the years, Clark Rockefeller being his most recent. For many years, he kept himself in the circle of high society posing as an heir to the Rockefeller name, during which time he married Sandra Boss and had a child with her. During their recent divorce, he kidnapped his daughter, and the truth about his identity came out. He kept up the longest running con known, but now is in prison for the kidnapping, and is under suspicion for a double homicide from the past when he was living under one of his other aliases.

This whole story makes his choice of glasses that much more interesting. The ‘geek chic’ look that he took on with his frames is quite similar to the look of Clark Kent – Superman’s secret identity. And interestingly enough, the name that Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter made up to go along with the famous surname Rockefeller just so happened to be Clark. Was this his way of associating himself with Clark Kent, a master of multiple identities?

Regardless, the geek chic look is definitely one of the biggest fashion trends right now, and Clark Rockefeller found a great use for the Ray-Ban Wayfarer aside from being a sunglass. Pop out those sun lenses and put in a pair of clear lenses, and now your Wayfarer is the ultimate ‘geek chic’ frame. Whether you want to be a hero disguised as a nerd, or a con man disguised as high society wealth, the Ray-Ban Wayfarer can give you that look.

You can purchase the Ray-Ban Wayfarer here.
Prices include shipping in the United States and applicable taxes.

The real Clark Rockefeller wearing glasses (left)
and Eric McCormack in glasses portraying Clark Rockefeller (right):


All Eyes on SF Optics

April 11th, 2009 | Posted in As Seen In ... | No Comments
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On April 3rd, 2009, Examiner.com did a feature on us written by Dino-Ray Ramos. Check it out:

All Eyes on SF Optics

The streets of the Marina have a small town feel with eclectic charm that still resonates the aura of San Francisco. On a nice day, this is, by far the place to be – and what better way to enjoy a sunny day in the Marina than with a nice pair of sunglasses (or a pair of regular spectacles at that) from SF’s swanky boutique of specs, SF Optics.

The name of the shop may sound like an ordinary place to get some shades, but don’t let the name fool you. Under the tutelage of Alex Feldman, SF Optics has the fashionable mainstays in the world of glasses (Chanel, Gucci, Robert Marc, Prada, Marc Jacobs), but they up the ante and then some with pieces that are unique and will rest on your head with style.

Brands like Gold & Wood combine a sense of nostalgia with urban flair via frames made out of actual wood. But it’s the Ete glasses that will pull you in, the frames encase feathers – yes you heard that right – FEATHERS. But don’t worry, no birds were harmed in making the glasses.

If these uber-chic glasses aren’t your cup of tea SF Optics has a buffet of specs you can choose from including in-vogue Ray Ban wayfarers and aviators of all types (a necessity in everyone’s accessory arsenal). Their newest Oliver Peoples collection is indeed the hot item of the moment. Modeled by their newest poster gal Zooey Deschanel, the new line is sealed with a kiss by the actress – literally. Each pair has a “kiss” from the beautiful Zooey.

http://www.examiner.com/x-508-SF-Fashion-Examiner~y2009m4d3-All-eyes-on-SF-Optics

Examiner.com Editorial - April 09

Examiner.com Editorial - April '09

Glasses can solve ALMOST all your problems…

March 13th, 2009 | Posted in Jokes | 2 Comments
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A woman walks in a store to return a pair of eyeglasses that she had purchased for her husband a week before.

“What seems to be the problem, madam?”

“I’m returning these glasses I bought for my husband. He’s still not seeing things my way.”

‘Catchy’ Glasses for Cooking

November 26th, 2008 | Posted in The Wise Optician Says... | 2 Comments
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Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I must say it’s probably one of my favorite holidays of the year. Why? How often do you get to have such an extravagant dinner (well, in my case, sometimes even 2 or 3 … or maybe 4 – yeah I gain weight at the end of November)?

So I’ve been building up my appetite, excited for the big day, and I got to thinking about all the effort that goes into the kitchen to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. There are so many foods and courses involved, and it must be a mess in the kitchen getting it all together. And slowly my mind wandered towards one of my favorite subjects…the eye.

I remember once when I was younger, maybe high school age, I was frying a chicken breast on the stove. I must have turned the heat up a little too high and suddenly the oil started shooting out of the pan. A drop landed on my arm and it was pretty painful. I was barely even able to get to the handle of the pan to remove it from the heat because there was so much oil spraying. I can only imagine how painful and damaging it would have been if a drop of hot oil had gotten into my eye!

I decided to go back to my roots and conduct a little research, only to discover that according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), half of all eye injuries occur doing everyday chores, a major one being cooking. You could be starting off your morning with the regular routine of frying bacon and end up being one of the 2.5 million eye injuries that Americans suffer annually (this number is reported by the new Eye Injury Snapshot, a clinical survey of eye injuries across the United States).

So my thoughts went from yummy turkey to ‘catchy’ glasses. Aside from improving ones vision, not only can glasses be fun and stylish, but they can literally be ‘catchy’ by protecting the eyes and blocking hot oil shooting from a pan. Just recently, in July 2008, The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Ocular Trauma announced a recommendation that every household should have at least one pair of ANSI-approved protective eyewear to be worn when doing project or activities that could create a risk for eye injuries, including cooking.

For those that are style sensitive, or perhaps in a situation cooking in public, ANSI-approved protective eyewear might not sound like the most exciting idea. Well, now you have one more excellent reason to wear your eyeglasses while cooking. And if you don’t have a prescription, now you have a great excuse to get that frame you love with plano lenses. The fact is that having a frame with lenses in front of your eyes will create a barrier that is better than nothing, and allow you to cook more safely while looking great.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, and be safe with cooking glasses!

- Alex Feldman

Safety Note: If an eye injury occurs, see an ophthalmologist or go to the emergency room immediately, even if the eye injury appears minor. Delaying medical attention can result in permanent vision loss or blindness.

Kazuo Kawasaki – Fashionably Rimless

November 18th, 2008 | Posted in Celebrity Sunglasses and Eyewear, Must Have Womens Sunglasses and Eyewear | 1 Comment
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Sarah Palin wearing Kazuo Kawasaki

Sarah Palin wearing Kazuo Kawasaki

Everyone is familiar with the Sarah Palin glasses craze. She set a new trend by bringing class to the Kazuo Kawasaki frames that can be compared to Jackie O’s impact on fashion.

Kazuo Kawaszki is an incredible rimless collection with titanium chasis. You can customize your own shape lens, just as Governor Palin did, to create your own unique look, or use one of Kawasaki’s several pre-designed shapes. The frame hardware is pressure mounted into the lens, ridding you of all the discomforts of screws. This rimless design is fashionable and edgy, yet intelligent.

It’s definately the way to go if you want a pair of durable and comfortable rimless frames. And they definately made the books as an eyewear fashion must-have.

Also, check out Swissflex and 2.5 eyephorics, the sister collections of Kazuo Kawasaki, which are made of surgical plastic!

Kazuo Kawasaki, Swiss Flex, and 2.5 eyephorics are available at SF Optics.

Purchase Sarah Palin’s Kawasaki’s here.

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San Francisco Optics has been recognized as one of the leading optical stores in the Bay Area, servicing all of the following locations:

San Francisco County: The Marina, Nob Hill, Noe Valley, Haight Street, Sunset, Richmond, Inner Sunset, Castro, Mission District, Financial District, Fisherman's Wharf, North Beach, Pacific Heights, Laurel Heights, Fillmore, Chinatown, Union Square, SOMA, South Beach, Polk Street, Russian Hill, South of Market. North County: Marin, Napa County, Solano County, Fairfield, Martinez, Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, Alcatraz, Belvedere, Carmel Valley. Peninsula: Half Moon Bay, San Mateo, Redwood City, Santa Clara County, Palo Alto, Woodside, Portola Valley, Atherton, Foster City, Mountain View, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Stanford, San Bruno, San Mateo, San Carlos, South San Francisco, Burlingame, Colma, Daly City, Brisbane, Belmont, Pacifica, Veo Optics, Bay Area Glasses, Sunglasses in San Francisco, Celebrity Glasses in SF, Celebrity Eyewear. East Bay: Emeryville, Oakland, Berkeley, Fremont, Richmond, Moraga, Lafayette, Orinda, Walnut Creek, Concord, Danville, Diablo, Walnut Creek, Pittsburg, Antioch, Hayward, Castro Valley, Union City, Newark, El Cerrito, Piedmont, Livermore Valley. San Jose and Silicon Valley: Santa Clara, Milpitas, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Mountain View, San Jose. West Coast, Midwest, East Coast: New York: Manhattan, Brooklyn, New York City; Florida, Philadelphia, Chicago, Illinois, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, Washington, Texas. Worldwide: Canada, London, England, Italy, France, Israel, Mexico, Germany, Sweden, and more.