You probably know already what a big fan I am of services that deliver straight to your door, saving you a journey when there just never seem to be enough hours in the day. British eyewear brand Scarlett of Soho offers a super slick home try-on kit which lets you spends five days testing out four frames…

I really liked the designs on offer – classic but still modern – and chose four frames I thought would suit me. Glasses are a tricky one. Short-sighted since a teenager, I’ve only ever worn two or three styles! My current ones are a safe pair of Wayfarers in tortoiseshell. So it was quite a treat to try some new looks. I very quickly decided on the pair I liked best – the Hammerstein – just changing the colour of the frame to a translucent olive, dark but not as severe as the all black (I think all black looks best on blondes!).

Made from renowned top quality Mazzuchelli acetate (very cute Vimeo video here on how the Italian family-run business manufactures its acetate sheets, still using lots of handmade aspects), the frames are handmade in China – on the same production lines as top designers the brand says. I must say, the quality is excellent, and the frames feel sturdy and durable.

A lovely pair of glasses really, and ones I reach for on the days I forgo my contacts. Also I love the little touches, like the pre-paid postage for returning the glasses, the extra stickers to seal the box, the advice on how best to fold the specs… The company’s personality really shines through and this is a lovely touch and one that is bound to garner a loyal following. Here I am goofing around with my frames, and below, the ones I decided on… what do you think?


A big thank you to Scarlett of Soho for sending these lovely frames for review and for my Hammerstein pair – gorgeous!