Monday 15 June 2015

Specs Appeal


"Here's another of those Dear Blogger emails", I said to Jon the other day, "This is from Firmoo, who claim to be the world's most popular on-line eyeglass company, they're offering me some free glasses in exchange for a review". "Another pair?" He asked. "You've already had some, I need a spare pair, I'll have them. They don't know your name so it's not like they're bothered who gets them as long as they get some free advertising."


Unlike Glasses Direct (who sent me a pair for review HERE) the Firmoo website is a bit clunky & awkward. There's no clever option to use your webcam to take 90 degree view of your face to try on glasses, instead you upload a screen shot, the picture quality isn't great and the specs look almost comedic. In addition to uploading your prescription details the website also asks for the PD measurement (pupilary distance) which involved measuring the distance between pupils with a ruler three times and taking the average measurement. No mean feat if you're not fortunate enough (like Jon was) to have a partner to hand.


There was an extensive selection of colourful frames in the Blogger's Selection but Jon chose a 1960s-inspired style in fake tortoiseshell which didn't look overly wacky. 


The specs arrived within a week - despatched directly from China. There was no mention of the country of origin on the website but it would explain the poor English and strangely worded emails.


The glasses are great, they fit well and the quality is good, the map printed case is a cute little extra although we had to laugh at the spectacle repair kit included in the parcel. Are they suggesting that they don't expect them to last very long?

ME: Dress (last seen HERE), vintage sunglasses (jumble sale)  JON: Charmingly offensive tee shirt & skinny shorts (both jumble sales) 
With just over a week to go we're in full-on Glasto mode. We camped in the garden last week and discovered that the air bed had a slow puncture, causing us to abandon the tent and slink back into the house in the early hours. After some very tedious internet research we've been out and bought a new one today - one of the rare items we wouldn't buy second hand. My side plait is an experiment in festival hairdos that don't need a mirror and work with week-old unwashed & windswept hair.


 I'm testing out these leather boots for Glastonbury today by wearing them to unload the stock from the van, go shopping and clip Dad's hedge. So far so good but will they stand up to an average of 5.1 miles walking a day, hours of dancing and carrying our belongings up and down the hill of doom to the festival camp site? It's a tough ask for any pair of boots. They came from the car boot sale last week and cost a trifling £1 as the seller thought I was beautiful (sounds like he might need Firmoo's services).


Right now we need to practice another festival essential, daytime drinking. The sun's out and the lager's cold. Cheers!

See you soon.

55 comments:

  1. Looking very intellectual Jon :-)
    I'm impressed with your Glasto-prep... and look forward to reading about your adventures as always!
    x

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  2. This is the best blogger product review I've ever seen. Hilarious! I've had emails from them too, but my prescription is so big that I need to pay loads for the super thinned down lenses, so no point in cheapie specs for me. Jon's do look nice though

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  3. Love your dress and boots. Sorry Jon, think you look better without the glasses!

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  4. Looking lovely in your specs - v jealous of your impending festival fun!

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  5. Bloody fab! You both look specking gorgeous. I've had emails from them as well but not gone for it because of my prescription lenses. I can just about get away with Boots cheapest and most cheerful!
    Bloody love Jon's T shirt.
    Bet you are in festie mode....it's going to be lovely and sunny because I've said so.
    Loves ya!
    xxxxx

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  6. Great glasses! I would really love a new pair, but need to get my eyes checked first. My hubby wants a new pair too, but he is so picky! Love the side braid, wish I had enough hair to do that. And he t shirt is priceless! :)

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  7. #1-Jon's shirt had me laughing out loud. So much so, that Derek came into the room to see what I was cackling on about. Love it!

    #2-Jon looks great in the glasses!

    #3-You both make me smile!!!

    Why I numbered these comments? Eh, no idea. <3

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  8. I'm not supposed to be commenting; I'm supposed to be working. BUT - while I love Jon's new specs, I am flipping out over how awesome his T-shirt is!!!

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  9. Jon looks great in his new glasses ! I love the case the glasses come with, the side plait seem a good idea for camping ! Have a great week to you both xxx

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  10. He looks great in them, but the t-shirt is even better!! x

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  11. Love the specs , I am testing the daytime
    drinking at the moment toto lol xxx

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  12. Jons glasses are very nice. I love your boots, they look very comfy and practical - are they waterproof? hope so! Have fun. Betty

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  13. Very cool glasses! Jon looks extra handsome. I tried that site too and was too frustrated by all the measuring, so I let them go by. Glad you two stuck with it! Love your plaited hairdo. xox

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  14. If he really needs glasses and is wearinmg those to Glastonbury I recommend taking a spare pair. I had some like that last year which only had frames at the top and the bloody lenses came out ALL THE TIME and needed to be sent away each time to be fixed. After 9 months of this I returned them for a reund. I was heartbroken as they were gorgeous, but never again. If he needs specs to see the bands, heed my words and take spares.
    The side plait looks great and those boots were such a lucky find! xxx

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  15. I think Jon looks great in those specs !
    I think its great to order specs online - much cheaper so one can have several pairs to choose from . I have 3 pairs plus one pair of shades in the car .
    Xxx

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  16. Fabulous glasses, and they fit him very nicely!, Jon looks even more cool than usual! (I'm now thinking about accepting a pair of glasses too, even if I have seven pairs!)
    I'm glad you're getting ready for the festival season!!, and testing your boots is a fabulous idea!
    besos

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  17. I always leave rearing your post last so I can laugh at your wit and funny view and review, hahhaha.
    You are both fan fabulous
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  18. Ooh, what air mattress did you choose? We need to get a new one tomorrow. We're on our third. It's so annoying as they are just useless when they get a leak.

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  19. hahaha brilliant, I think this was my favourite ever blogger review. The glasses are great - I'm actually hopping over now to look at the frames so your review worked ;) xxx

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  20. Thank you for not breeding! Hee hee! He's so naughty! But looking good in those spectacular spectacles. It's nice to see him featured on the blog. I haven't heard of Firmoo up until now, I'll be interested to hear how tey hold up. Those boots are lovely, what a bargain. Yes, what is it about airbeds? They only seem to last about three goes before you get that sinking feeling. Ooh Glastonbury, here you come! i do love a side plait thingy and it looks swell on you. Xxxx

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  21. Jon is the dude! He looks cool in his glasses! Ha, I love your description of Firmoon- usually reviews say, "Lovely folks at Firmoo blah blah blah...wonderful...blah blah blah.... "
    xxx
    Ahrgh, the air bed! We had ours for ONE camping trip and it had a puncture!x

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  22. I can't imagine what Tania means when she says airbeds only last for about three goes! Groovy bins Jon, free specs for both of you can't be bad....and as for the t-shirt, bloody hilarious, only wish more people would take heed! xx

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  23. Best t-shirt EVER .... great specs too
    xx

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  24. Like several others, my strong prescription keeps me in practical mode, but I would so love to switch out glasses depending on how the mood strikes me. You both look pretty rocking.

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  25. Ha ha! Love Jon's tee.

    I think he did quite well with the glasses. I also got a pair from them and they've held up very well in fact. I was surprised.

    You have so much more stamina that I. Just the thought of camping overnight somewhere exhausts me!

    Love the boots too. I hope they hold up for you.

    bisous
    Suzanne

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  26. Goodness, I went back and had another close look at the pics. You snapped up a pair of ALDO (Canadian brand) boots for 1 pound!!!! Good for you!

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  27. Those glasses look great. Excellent vintage looking style.

    Very nice boots. Bet you're getting excited! I am ... I always love your posts about the music festivals. xo

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  28. So nice photographs of you together! Love Jon's t-shirt! Your boots look great and hope they will last in spite of all the miles and dancing!

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  29. hi Vicky...am i glad to be back to your blog after such a long time!!!...actually I have been travelling like crazy...reading your posts in between but nit able to comment!!!

    the glasses look chic but as you said..made in china stuff is highly dubious!!!!

    www.myunfinishedlife.com

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  30. best choice of specs - jon looks very sharp!
    and you are beautiful my dear!!! ts!
    the new boots look cool and sturdy - but better to have another pair in reserve - feet love a change. wish you a fabulous time at glasto!!!!!!!
    xxxx

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  31. Ha! You're both bloody adorable, I love the image of you together :) The 60s style glasses are really nice. The boots look great, and what a bargain! Fingers crossed that they'll be comfortable enough for Glasto. xx

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  32. You two are so funny! I LOVE Jon's glasses! Perfect for him.
    Glad your festival rehearsals are going well in spite of the little setback. xx

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  33. Ooh, I'm busily preparing for the guide camp I'm organising - 600 kids to look after for a week. I might need to borrow this hair styling idea.

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  34. Smashing pair of boots there Vix, a style that I would definitely nab for my own wardrobe (unless you're a size 5 of course...). x

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  35. Those are perfect on him! Vintage appeal. ;)

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  36. your post made me laugh! strange emails aside, what matters is that the glasses arrived quickly, in a good shape...and most importantly- they look great on Jon.

    Plus, that tee he has on is so funny. Both of you look fabulous!

    I absolutely love those boots you are trying on....they are so cool!

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  37. I had to laugh at Jon's t-shirt - very funny! The glasses look great as well.

    I love how prepared you are for glasto, I wouldn't even think to test out the tent or airbed which shows how often I go camping! x

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  38. Love everything about this post. Jon's glasses, your clever and honest review, Jon's tee, your boots and of course, your outfit. You "made" my morning!

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  39. Jon looks seriously smart (ass) in those specs and awesome t-shirt. I received an email from Firmoo as well but I have such a complicated prescription that I couldn't be bothered to try a pair.

    Very organized of you to do all the pre-festival prepping, especially the boot test. Hope they pass!

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  40. Jon looks seriously smart (ass) in those specs and awesome t-shirt. I received an email from Firmoo as well but I have such a complicated prescription that I couldn't be bothered to try a pair.

    Very organized of you to do all the pre-festival prepping, especially the boot test. Hope they pass!

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  41. Jon looks seriously smart (ass) in those specs and awesome t-shirt. I received an email from Firmoo as well but I have such a complicated prescription that I couldn't be bothered to try a pair.

    Very organized of you to do all the pre-festival prepping, especially the boot test. Hope they pass!

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  42. Great spex, but Jon's t-shirt had me chuckling! I love that dress you made - halter necks are my one of my faves, and those boots were a steal for a mere quid. Looking forward to reading about your wardrobe for Glasto too, Vix xxx

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  43. I though all air mattresses came with a slow puncture!

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  44. Looks good :)

    lovely Greets!

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  45. Looking very intellectual there Jon. But the Tshirt wins the prize!
    Loving the side plait Vix and all the research. That's why you are so successful I suspect. Thoroughness!
    I'm with Beate, although the boots are gorgeous, since they are new I'd take a spare. Sore feet will ruin everything.
    Have a great time!!! Xo Jazzy Jack

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  46. Jon looks exceedingly spunky in his new glasses!
    O gawd, thank goodness you did a pre Glasto check! How very organised!
    Reminds me I want to look into an inflatable mattress, and I need to fix the hole I drunkenly put in our tent the first time we used it before Summer......
    The drinking practice is very important!
    Love Helga XXX

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  47. Jon's primly worded tee is a perfect match for his professorial glasses. Very intellectual! This ensemble lacks only a clipboard for recording daft answers to impertinent questions.

    Do wish I could join your cats in a tree to observe the pre Glasto preparations in progress. If anyone can manage the festival with grace and panache, it's you two. However, there's not enough cash in Berne's banks to persuade me to spend a week using port-a-loo's and not washing my hair! Yes, yes, one remembers you can endure 5 hour bus rides into the wilds of the Indian sub-continent, but still...

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  48. Blimmin gorgeous couple you are. Glasses are fab and I'm loving the festival hairdo. Xx

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  49. Put him down, Vix! Or can't you keep your hands off him now he's got extra specs appeal?! Jon looks great in his new glasses, and the t-shirt is hilarious (yeah, didn't do too well in that department myself, but hey ho...)
    Tan's comment about three goes and you get a sinking feeling made me laugh - I think we know now what goes on in her's and Q's tent! Good call to get a new one, and those boots look like they'll do the Glasto business too. Hope the daytime drinking was equally successful - a girl's got to be prepared, right?
    Love you, and see you soon! xxxx

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  50. I don't see an offensive t-shirt. Crap do I need new glasses?

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  51. Jon looks great, I love the glasses, they are pretty cool frames, love a torty! I got an email from them too, I'm going to look into it as my glasses get a bit pricy, my lenses would need scaffolding if they weren't made smaller - bugger about the air bed but yay for testing it, and drinking practise is very important, I'll be thinking of you both! x x x

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  52. Love the side plait Vix! And the seller was right, you are beautiful! I had a similar pair of boots like that once (chazza shopped) and I wore them for about 4 hours and then the soles completely fell off! With no warning either, I had to elastic band them back on haha it would have been funnier if I hadn't been at work!

    Jon looks great in the glasses he picked a fab style. I love the 'dear blogger' emails, it's hilarious when they don't even take the time to find out your name! Mind you once I got sent a sat nav, which was brilliant as I didn't even have a car at the time! Adrian was going on tour though so it ended up being very useful! xxxxx

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  53. oh Vix! we don't need glasses to see your gawwwgusss! i never go ahead with any of the random offers i get. usually they are also from China and for something like a formal gown like dress which i don't see how its relevant to my blog, but any hoo! Free stuff is free!

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Lots of love, Vix