From Light to Dark

Light responsive lenses by Transitions Optical UK (gift) | Shirt by Albam (gift) | Jeans by COS (gift) | Trainers by Converse (gift by size?) | Cap by Brooks Brothers | Socks by MHL | Watch by Void Watches

Paid partnership with Transitions Optical UK

Back in the days when I was in short trousers - and we're talking late 80s / early 90s here - we were lucky enough to take our summer holidays in Orlando. Me, my Mum, Grandparents and my older brother and sister would pack our bumbags, lace up our rather ugly matching Airwalk trainers and don our colourful Disney baseball caps, in prep for two weeks of mega times in the Sunshine State.

And when I think about it now, not much has changed; we still live in the same seaside town as we grew up in, we still head to Orlando every now and again with the family, and we still all enjoy a good ugly trainer. Memories of my family wearing light sensitive glasses spring to mind when thinking back to those trips in Florida – they both took to wearing them in the early 90s, due to perpetual sunny days out at theme parks and lazy days by the pool. It’s quite a nice feeling to think that three generations of our family have been linked by something as simple as these lenses.

When you combine the craft of Transitions lenses and the design credentials of London's own spectacle maker Cubitts, the outcome is a modern, discreet design, good for any occasion.

These reactive lenses are UV sensitive, meaning they look just like regular optical glasses indoors, but when the lenses are exposed to UV rays they will automatically start to darken, with them becoming fully engaged outside in direct sunlight. I'm wearing the Cubitts Flaxman frames in quartz with Graphite Green lenses - somewhat of a dream combination of my love of clear frame glasses + anything that comes in khaki. So here's to not carrying around two pairs of glasses anymore!

Mat.

Design Matters | Ace & Tate Glasses

We welcome the newest contributor to Buckets & Spades, Graphic Design graduate Lucas Owens.

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If you haven’t heard of Ace & Tate yet, they are an Amsterdam-based eyewear brand with a handful of stores across Europe. I say "if" as they seem to me to be all over Instagram, well, at least on my feed they are.

One reason to this prevalent online presence is due to their clever social media marketing; encouraging people to share their #acessentials for a chance to win a free frame. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts I’m still yet to win!




They have strong links with the creative world, offering funds to up-and-coming artists, such as their new partnership with British design magazine It’s Nice That. This has since led to a collaboration between to two brands on a limited edition pair of sunglasses + lens cloth.

The company offer a variety modern frame styles, without breaking the bank. However, the affordable price does not effect quality; with all frames being made in Italy from high quality acetate – which cleverly forms the brand name.

I was ready for a new pair of specs due to a change in my prescription, so I thought I would give Ace & Tate a shot. The service was exceptional. You can order multiple pairs to try on at home, or alternatively you can pop by one of their stores, where they can squeeze the whole fitting and buying process into your lunch break. I opted to order a pair online, and after entering my prescription the frames were on their way.




The packaging is simple but visually appealing; a minimal white box, made from heavyweight card, with an embossed logo. The & glyph accompanied by two circles represent the brand without being too intrusive. A unique touch I liked was a coloured sheet in the box with a personal hand written message.

I have put the Pierce model to daily use for the past two months now. The frames are pretty light but feel sturdy and durable. If you wear glasses everyday you can find the hinges can become loose, but this hasn’t happened with these. I'd definitely recommend Ace & Tate's service highly to anyone looking for a quality product for a fair price.

Do you know of any brands who are being more subtle with their creativity on Instagram?

You can find Lucas at - Instagram | Twitter | Newsletter

ASKET Everyday Essentials

 Wearing - T-Shirt + Sweatshirt c/o ASKET | Barbour Chinos | Watch c/o Farer | Glint Glasses

Though their unique measurement system, ASKET's aim is to make buying everyday essentials a whole load easier. Identifying that the "one measurement fits all" shtick doesn't wash is the easy bit, but ASKET have advanced on that issue a step further. Last month the Swedish brand introduced a sizing plan, which is applied across their new product range. Sticking to timeless basics; the T-Shirt + the Sweatshirt (and soon to add the Oxford Shirt), each being available in three colours - white, navy + grey melange - with a total size 15 combinations per piece.

I'm left in constant frustration with sizes; sleeves being too baggy,  t-shirts making me look like I'm in a Cribs tribute act, necks not being high enough, and fabrics being poorly made, I'm picky, sure, but I'm not one to settle for something that just doesn't meet a certain standard. While ASKET are yet to offer varying neck and sleeve types, the addition of a length choice is a much welcomed one. 

The T-Shirt is made from 180g combed Egyptian cotton, and The Sweatshirt features a 380/sqm Loopback knit construction, both being made in Portugal. For more information visit ASKET.

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Introducing Glints London Eyewear

Generally speaking, the first thing that attracts me to a product is the looks. The rule doesn't always work (the need for a function pays a big role), but most of the time that's what I'm thinking about; be it clothing, food, cars or things like DIY tools + cleaning products. But when that nice looking product is all potatoes and no meat it soon leaves you looking for something else to replace it.

When buying glasses I'm attracted the frames first, and lenses are an after thought. Why is that? Surely the lenses are the most important thing - after all it's our sight we're talking about here. Well, that's not something I'd considered until I visited Glints' newly opened studio in the heart of Mayfair, London.

The idea of having high quality lenses, to go with your well made frames, is something I hadn't (maybe naively) considered. But after discussing with the Glints team about consumer buying patterns, brand loyalty and where quality + price plays its roll, it began to make more sense.

Having spent the afternoon being "schooled" on the art of frame and lens making, and the reasoning behind why Glints decided to aim at the quality-over-trend-driven customer, I was left with the option of trying a pair out for myself.

Wearing - Gresham Glasses c/o Glint | Shirt c/o Triplstitch x Nutsford | Daniel Wellington Watch | Uniqlo Tee | adidas Trainers c/o Mainline Menswear | Albam Socks

The frames are handcrafted in Japan, but the lenses are produced much closer to home, in a small town in Wales. But what makes these lenses better than others? That is a tricky question, and one probably best left for the experts - but I can tell you that they have been manufactured by a company that produces lenses for hi-spec camera + surgical equipment.

The Gresham frames have far surpassed any other pair of glasses I've worn previously. Where the lenses in my Ray-Ban glasses have left me feeling slightly off balance + overly-aware of my surroundings, the Glints' correct my eyesight to a comfortable and sharp level.
 

I was invited to visit the Glints team, and offered a complimentary pair of frames. This isn't a sponsored post and all opinions within this post are honest and impartial.

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Store Visit | Cubitts Workshop Soho, London

A wander around Soho, London back in December led us to visting the recently opened workshop store by Cubitts. Sitting in the heart of Soho, between Carnaby St and Portland St, just around the corner from Red Wing + Shinola, The Cubitts Workshop store is seemingly in the perfect location. Cubitts is a King's Cross-based independent eyewear specialist, offering a full service from their small, well considered store. They've been making quite a bit of noise since they opened their doors back in late 2014 - offering first class before + aftercare, and personable service in a environment which has been carefully kitted out using traditional optometry fixtures + fittings. Frames starting at £125 all in.

Boy that was a mouthful, but it has to be said that this is one of the nicest and most well considered stores I've visited in Soho. Sadly we arrived at a busy time so I wasn't able to get as many clear shots as I would have liked. But then again, that gives me the excuse to visit again soon.

We previously featured Cubitts here. The Cubitts Workshop, 37 Marshall Street, Soho, W1F 7EZ.

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DITTO Eyewear | Virtual Try-On at Home

As clumsy as it may sound, I'm starting to get through glasses like there's no tomorrow. This year I've had two pairs of specs; the first I managed to loose in Dublin on my trip with ASOS and the second have ended up with skewiff legs due to me carrying them in a "trendy man's" leather glasses slip - Hollie's words not mine.

I've worn glasses since I was around 17 years old, only using them for driving and long distances, but I've always have an affection towards wearing them. I was constantly reminded of the fact that I didn't need a pair when I was a kid–I was only member of my family not needing a pair "full time"–but I always thought they evoked a certain cool but most importantly, adulthood. I'm usually trying to find a good excuse to wear my RayBan frames but I know the consequence is that I'll end up relying on them, then be stuck with lids for life! I do think round frames suit my face though, but it was trial and error finding the perfect style.

When it comes to looking for a new pair of specs there's many routes to take. It's pretty hard to decide whether to check out your local opticians, seek recommendation or stick to what you already know. DITTO are offering something a little different from the rest - the online eyewear specialist has developed some crazy futuristic technology that not only lets you virtually try on glasses from their full collection, but they've also designed the programme so you can twist your head around to see the glasses frame at every angle.

I asked the ever-willing Hollie to try on a few a few pairs of glasses using DITTO's try-on service, to give you a better idea of how it all works. We picked several styles to try from their designer glasses range; Wayfarer, Oval, Round + Oversized.

Currently DITTO's brand list includes Ray-Ban, Persol, Linda Farrow, Illesteva, Chloe, Super, so there was plenty for us to choose from for both male and female. The experience of "virtually" trying on a pair of glasses online before you order can only be a positive thing. We could clearly see which styles suited Hollie, and with a slight tilt of the head, which styles didn't! It was kinda spooky how real they looked on her. I did have a go trying on a few pairs too but Hollie is much more photogenic that I am!
 

Overall it's not only a fun service but also a helpful exercise to see if we are making the right choice, to avoid disappointment at home. The next time you're shopping around for a new pair of glasses–be that prescription or UV–it's definitely worth checking out DITTO's services. Plus they're Currently they're offering a $50-off incentive, easy international shipping + no hassle returns.

In Collaboration with DITTO

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Archibald Optics | Craftsmanship In Construction

We’ve been talking a lot about glasses in recent months at Buckets & Spades. Back in March Mat ran a Ray-Ban giveaway, I was lucky enough to get a pair of sunglasses from London based Cubitts, and we were invited to an Eye Respect launch at Duke Street Emporium. All-in-all, it seems that glasses are getting a lot of attention this year.

I wasn’t taken by surpise to get an email from another London based brand, Archibald Optics, suggesting a meet up. I’m sure Mat will agree, one of the perks of blogging is the opportunity to meet new people, in new places, and drink a lot of coffee - enough so you can stay up all night researching and writing new pieces!

It was great to meet with Archibald Optics, not least because they introduced me to a tiny coffee shop on Frith Street in Soho, where we sat and watched all of those very interesting folks that inhabit the streets of Central London.

I’m by no means an expert on glasses, although in the last month I’ve learnt more than I ever knew before. Those I saw from Archibald Optics had a good weight to them and a firmness in the arms that indicate quality. I reckon these could take being sat on a couple of times. A frequent problem when I take sunglasses off on the tube. And as this video shows the quality of these frames comes from the dedicated craftsmanship in their construction.

It’s fascinating to get this sort of insight into a product’s construction. It always make for a more compelling argument to invest in a particular brand when you’ve seen ‘behind the scenes’. Mat’s post on Loake is a case in point. The company create optical lens and sunglasses for both male and female - all of which are made in Japan.

I’d be interested to hear of other glasses brands that folks out there like and also any more brand / product insight videos doing the rounds… For more info on Archibald Optics visit here. - Nik

 

You can find Nik at - Conrad's Beer | Twitter | Instagram

Cubitts Eyewear | Inspiration On The Doorstep

There are lots of brands associated with a country or town, but I can't think of any that, like Cubitts, take so much inspiration from a single area of a city.

Cubitts can be found in Kings Cross and from here they design, finish, and mail their glasses. The area is deeply ingrained within their brand, with their name taken from the architects who designed many of Kings Cross's 19th century buildings, each pair of glasses named after the neighbourhood's streets, and the design of their logo taken from the preserved remains of the area's industrial past. Even the cloth provided with their glasses pays homage to the area.

The intense attention to their surroundings is replicated in the details of their glasses. Tom, their founder, ran me through the development of their meticulous design and manufacture process, a full run-down of the materials they use, and every single feature that has been developed with style and comfort in mind, rather than any penny-pinching of corner-cutting. These glasses really do look and feel like a quality product; I can see many folks in East London, in particular, itching to get their hands on.

Cubitts Glasses are available online, including a frame trial service that let's you test which pair suits you best before ordering. Also, check out the exclusive range they have just done with Albam. - Nik

 

You can find Nik at - Conrad's Beer | Twitter | Instagram

MyOptique Giveaway | Win London Retro Glasses

To be frank, I'm a right wally. Whilst in Dublin shooting for the ASOS on Tour campaign I went and "mislaid" my 3-week old Ray-Ban frames. After searching high + low and tweeting up every single place we visited several times, I had to concede that they'd simply fallen out of my pocket, resulting in someone swiping them. Someone, somewhere is enjoying those glasses right now, that's assuming they have the same prescription as me!

I finally found a frame shape that I was 100% and they slipped away so quickly -  MyOptique are really decent folk and as an extremely kind gesture they've offered me a new pair of glasses and a brand new giveaway for you guys! We're giving away a pair of London Retro Glasses of your choice. Choose any style from the men's or women's section - worth £79!

Below are a couple of London Retro unisex styles which caught my eye in particular -

Reggie | Kings | Highgate

How To Enter

To enter this giveaway you must be a subscriber to Buckets & Spades - simply complete the form below. Giveaway is open worldwide. Best of luck!

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