Warby Parker's Model Citizens

It's crazy how quickly the social stigma around glasses has so totally reversed itself in the past few years. Once the calling card of dweebs and social outcasts, today one's popularity seems to measured by the girth of their glasses' frames. But with such social recognition, glasses got pricey -- of course. Nowadays a trendy pair can set you back a couple of hundred dollars. And as usual, big-name designers are producing them at record speeds and with astronomical price-tags. Sad, really.

Fear not, though. The laws of physics stipulate that what goes up, must eventually come down. The four founders of the spectable-centric Warby Parker are dedicated to making affordable frames without losing any of the quality or cool factor. And, should you take a spin on their website, you'll see they've done just that. Nostalgically retro eyewear gets a sharp update in the hands of Warby Parker, featuring glasses that aren't obnoxiously cool, but practical and fetching. And what we're loving about this season is who they've chosen to model. Instead of falling for the charms of inhumanly perfect models, they've opted for a bevy of attractive and interesting "real" folks. Take for example cutie Luigi Tadini (editor at Paper Magazine, above) and the surly, tattooed stylings of Russell, the founder of Tommy Guns Hair Salon (below). Even our very own Brent Austin Coover got in on the action.

Oh! And another fabulous little treat these four-eyed aficionados have in store for us? A guy one/give one sort of deal a la Toms shoes. For every pair sold, a pair is donated to one of the millions of people in need of glasses. The gift of sight is a mighty fine one, indeed.