Custom Eyes

	Nerd No More

Quick, decisive action definitely has a place in our lives, but sometimes it's better to consider our options and savor many possibilities before making up our minds.

Choosing eyeglasses is one of those times.

Chain-store ads trumpet budget-priced glasses delivered in a hurry, and mass marketers offer racks of ready-made models.

But our most constant accessory deserves more time and thought than a hurried lunchtime decision.

And it may not be realistic to expect a pair of glasses that you'll wear for years with comfort and confidence to cost less than dinner for two.

"[High-end] glasses could be as much as $1,000 off the shelf, depending on the lens," says Ruth Handel of L.A. Eyeworks, an internationally distributed eyewear designer and manufacturer.

Choosing from among the styles offered at the average optical shop or eyewear boutique isn't always easy.

For the nearsighted, trying on glasses involves peering at a blurry image in the mirror and hoping for the best. Some shops have temporary lenses on hand that slip in behind the frames so shoppers can get a clearer impression of how they look -- an improvement, but not a flawless solution.

So consider taking along a friend whose opinion you trust. Or arm yourself with a digital camera, and take photos while modeling your favorite choices for later scrutiny.

Eye on Options

Manhattan image consultant Laurie Krauz says it's not unusual for her clients to try on 20 or more styles before coming up with the perfect match.

The ideal glasses are a "marriage of a person's taste, lifestyle and the shapes and colors they're attracted to," Krauz says.

Body type makes a difference, too, so she prefers taking her clients to shops that provide a full-length mirror. "Focusing just on the shape of the face is an enormous mistake," she says. "The head-to-toe look affects the overall choice. Small glasses may look silly on a person with a small face but a tall, broad body."

Krauz advises, "Stand ... away from a full-length mirror. Give yourself a moment to just 'be.' Until you think you look great, don't buy the product, no matter what it is. Get different views of yourself: Look at yourself in a handheld mirror, go outside or near a window, since the lighting in stores is not always great."

Glasses send a message about personality and personal style. "The preview for The Good Shepherd had no less than 12 pairs of glasses in it. They conveyed the time frame, who the people were, that these were serious guys," Handel says.

	L.A. Eyeworks Juarez ($420)

She points out that you could be practically anywhere on earth, wearing an outfit as neutral as jeans and a T-shirt, and when "you put on glasses ... an informed choice makes a statement."

The ways in which we live, work and play have a role in making that informed choice.

Sometimes it's asking too much to expect a single pair of glasses to go with every outfit, feel comfortable in every season, and be appropriate for every activity and event.

You may be a fixture on the club scene and have the personal charisma to pull off flamboyant, bleeding-edge styles. However, "glasses that would suit that side of the personality might not work on Wall Street," Krauz says. "You can go with a style without going with a radical version of the style. You can tone it down without looking like a nerd."