Hello there DAV/D K/ND!

My hair stylist told me in conversation once that you should never let someone cut and style your hair if they themselves do not exude a style that you yourself find attractive.  And I totally agree.  If I'm going to someone for a semi-permanent aesthetic change, I want to be able to trust that I've put myself in good hands.  I have that with my stylist.  Her personal style inspires me and I totally appreciate and admire the way she carries herself.  I walk in and say "do with me what you will - you know best."  She helps me be more stylish.  She is not just a hair expert, but a style expert.  A winning combination.

When it comes to eyewear the same sort of combination is a must.  I want an expert on eyewear and also a style expert.  They need to be exceptional at both.  The dorky "frame guy" I sat in front  of growing up at the eye doctor's for way too long putting on lots of glasses that made me feel just as dorky just does not cut it.  

Well, hello there David Kind.

DAV/D K/ND is a new online glasses shop (although, shop seems like the wrong word, experience might be a better one) unlike any other you might have used in the past.  The big thing that sets them apart is their curated service.  You aren't sitting in front of a dorky guy who might know a few things about eyewear and zero about style, and you aren't blindly picking out frames on your own hoping they are the right color and shape for your face.  When you sign up to receive a take home box, you actually get a stylist who picks out frames specifically for you based on your coloring, face shape, and personal style.

Sound complicated?  It's not.  You can send easily upload photos or easier yet, sign in with Facebook.  A stylist then works to curate a box of six frames that work best for you.

And by stylist, I don't mean some computer program, but a real live expert.  Like Trish.  Super-cool-super-stylish head stylist who was the manager and buyer at Fred Segal for five years and has styled lots of "A" listers.  She knows her stuff.  And so does Dave - founder & CEO.  Between the two of them they have designed, styled, and created amazing product.  Not amazingly good looking at the expense of functionality and quality type of amazing, but legit all around amazing right down to the lenses. And when I talked about trusting your hair stylist based on their style and skill... you guessed it, these two hit the mark. I got to video chat with them a few weeks back and not only was I immediately inspired by their vision for optical experience as well as their personal style, but also felt like I had some instant new best friends.  Those are the kind of people you want to buy eyewear from.

So without further adieu, here are the frames from my curated box:

So what do you think?  I already have my pair picked out -- but would love to hear from you.  Which option do you like?  What I think was really fun about the box Trish sent me is that she sent a couple that she knew I would like and feel super comfortable with, but also sent a couple that would be a stretch of my style -- ones that are super cool that she believed I could rock if I chose to.  She included little notes as to why she picked the different frames and what features of mine they would most bring out.  She told me her top two picks of the box, and sure enough - they were my (and my husband's for that matter) top picks too.  Like I said, she is my new instant best friend.

Talking with Trish and Dave I'm so thankful for their point of view.  When you think of eyewear right now you think of so many different trends.  Glasses go on your face.  Whether you are wanting to or not, you're making a statement.  So perscription glasses fall into this really unique category of being both a fashion piece and a medical necessity.  You don't want to be willy nilly about your fashion, and you don't want to just nod your head and open up your wallet to pay for something without knowing you're taking care of you eyes the best way you can.  

I so appreciate that when you pick out your glasses you know exactly what you get up front.  You get to feel and experience the quality of the frames for yourself.  You get to send them notes about fit, likes, dislikes.  Heck, you can even email with your stylist or even video chat to really get things right.  Also, unlike all other online glasses purchases, you get the best right up front.  You don't have to pay extra for the anti-relection-anti-scratch-etc-etc add ons.  Trish & Dave say why not start with the best and not make you have to choose to have better options.  Right on!  

My husband was just saying the other night about something entirely different that if you want to give someone a good experience, you have to start with a good first impression.  You blow that and you're done.  Well from every moment start to finish I have been wowed by not only aesthetic and quality of product, but by amazing customer service.  I can also tell you that I haven't just gotten the "star treatment" as a blogger writing a review -- I've already heard all these same sentiments from non-bloggers who have already experienced David Kind's expertise and style for themselves.  So as blogger or not, I'm now officially a David Kind loyal customer.  They've completely won me over.

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