10 Reading Glasses for Women That Are Cuter Than Drugstore Options

Reading is our favorite relaxing activity. We love to curl up with a good book and find out what our story’s heroine is up to. And when we’re not reading, you’ll find us doing our second favorite activity — scrolling. (Because we also love to curl up with a tiny screen and find out what the dogs of the internet are up to.)

Both of these activities require our eyes to focus on tiny objects in front of our faces. It sounds simple enough, but if you’re farsighted or have started to experience presbyopia, then your eyes might not be interested in that type of workout. You’ll need reading glasses to get the job done. (Because looking at dog memes is a very important job, and someone’s gotta do it!)

But the wrong reading glasses can take a relaxing activity, like reading or scrolling, and turn it into a headache (sometimes literally!). If your reading glasses are heavy or don’t fit right, they’ll slide off your face and leave indents on your nose. Ugh! And if your reading glasses aren’t cute, well, you’ll just be bummed every time you have to wear them.

Avoid this sad story, and find a pair of glasses that make you feel as fabulous as the heroine in your favorite book. We’ll explain what to look for in reading glasses for women and share 10 cute pairs that you can style in dozens of ways.

What to Look for in Women’s Reading Glasses

Choosing new reading glasses for women is like choosing a new outfit. If you want to be excited to wear it, you need the right combination of comfort and cuteness. Much like how a cute dress is 10 times more exciting when it has pockets, a cute pair of frames is 10 times more exciting when it’s lightweight and durable. Keep these features in mind when you shop for women’s readers, and you’ll find the perfect pair.

Durable, Lightweight Frames

The key to finding lightweight glasses frames is to look at the material. Cellulose acetate — a plant-based plastic — is one of the most lightweight materials for eyeglass frames.

Unlike metal frames, acetate isn’t a source of skin allergies. It’s also a flexible material, which makes it more durable.

For the most durable styles, look for a full-rim frame with spring hinges. While a half frame or semi-rimless option might seem like it would be more lightweight, it offers less protection around your lenses, making the glasses more fragile.

As long as you’ve chosen a lightweight material, there should be very little difference between the weight of a semi-rimless and a full-rim frame. A full-rim is also a more timeless style, so your reading glasses will stand the test of time in more ways than one.

High-Quality Lenses

After the weight of your frames, the quality of your lenses is the next biggest factor to affect your comfort. Look for lenses with an anti-glare and scratch-resistant coating.

This type of coating is like those pockets on dresses. Not all dresses come with pockets, but they all should — just like how not all glasses come with an anti-glare coating, but they definitely all should.

An anti-glare coating can help prevent eye strain when you’ve got your hands on a page turner. You can take it one step further by opting for blue light glasses, which make the best computer reading glasses if you spend hours scrolling.

And of course, you should make sure any women’s readers you’re considering are available in a range of magnification strengths — from +0.25 to +2.75 — so you can order the most comfortable strength for your eyes.

Face-Flattering Silhouettes

When it comes to shopping, there are practical considerations, like lightweight frames and anti-glare lenses (or as we like to call them, the “must-haves”). And then there are less practical considerations, like style and color (or as we like to call them, the “also must-haves” because you will not catch us wearing reading glasses unless they’re super, duper cute).

Unlike the practical considerations, which are pretty much the same for every woman who needs a pair of reading glasses, your style is as unique as you are. Different frame shapes will look better on different face shapes. So, if you don’t know which face shape you have, now is the perfect time to find out.

We’ll explain which face shapes look best in each of the women’s reading glasses below. You can also look at the glasses’ measurements to determine if a pair of frames is the right size for your face. Or you can make the whole process easier by using the virtual try-on feature on our product pages to decide if a pair of frames is right for you.

Fashion-Forward Frames

Even though you won’t be wearing your reading glasses all of the time, when you do wear them, they’ll be front and center on your face, which means they should show the world who you are.

With Pair Eyewear, you can choose a classic pair of women’s frames (for those days when you’re feeling like a classic beauty) in black, tortoiseshell, blue tortoiseshell, clear, blue clear, or pink clear. Then, you can customize them with snap-on Top Frames, which fit over your Base Frames and allow you to change the look of your glasses whenever you want.

Today, you can have teal frames, tomorrow plaid, and the next day leopard print. You can even add snap-on Sun Tops to turn your reading glasses into reading sunglasses. It’s everything you need for your next beach read.

10 Perfect Pairs of Reading Glasses for Women

Now that you have your wish list of the features you want in reading glasses for women, get ready to check it off.

These 10 pairs of women’s reading glasses are made with durable and lightweight cellulose acetate frames. They feature anti-glare lenses that you can customize to fit your needs. And they come in a variety of frame shapes so you can find one that’s the perfect size and shape to flatter your face. And yes, they’re all compatible with Pair Top Frames!

1. The Kirby

These oversized reading glasses are a great fit for medium to wide faces or for anyone who loves a big frame (and dramatic, movie star style!). With their square frame shape, The Kirby glasses are flattering on round and oval faces.

2. The Larkin

This pair is a best seller for women with narrow faces. The Larkin is a classic rectangular frame that flatters round, oval, and heart-shaped faces. It has the look of a retro, 1960s horn-rimmed frame, but without the heavy horn rim. So, you get comfort and classic style.

3. The Wanda

Cat-eye glasses are feminine, flirty, and fun in every decade. The Wanda takes the cat-eye style one step further with an oversized silhouette. They’re a great fit for medium to wide faces, and the shape is nearly universally flattering. Our customers say they get complimented on the daily in their Wandas!

4. The Ella

For a smaller cat-eye frame, The Ella will fit narrow to medium-sized faces. These stylish reading glasses have a slightly rounder silhouette with those sassy cat-eye corners. They flatter square, triangular, heart-shaped, and oval faces.

5. The Finley

The ideal rectangular frame for medium-sized faces, The Finley is as classic as they come. This pair of glasses says, “I’m bookish in a good way.” The shape looks great with heart-shaped, oval, or round faces, and the top of the frame sits just below the browline, so it won’t hide your shocked expression when you encounter that next plot twist.

6. The Casper

These friendly frames feature a softer square silhouette. Yes, The Casper are still square glasses, but they have a slightly arched top line and rounded corners, so they’re a great in-between for anyone who can’t decide between square and round frames (like those lucky people with triangular faces who look good in both). They’re also flattering on round and oval faces, and the medium size fits most people.

7. The Twain

This pair is truly for the book worms out there! The Twain has an extra-narrow fit for petite faces, and the frame shape, which is somewhere between round and square, is flattering on most face shapes.

8. The Reese

The Reese is a round eyeglass frame made for smaller faces. They have a playfully arched top line that will emphasize your perfectly arched eyebrows, and they look great on people with square or triangular face shapes.

9. The Otis

These round oversized glasses frames will provide that movie star look to anyone with a square, oval, or triangular face. Add a pair of Sun Tops, and you’ll look like you're hiding from the paparazzi. The oversized silhouette on The Otis frames is ideal for medium to wide faces, or for anyone who wants to add a little extra drama to their look.

10. The Soto

If you thought the first pair of round frames was too small and the second pair was too big, then get ready to meet the Goldilocks of round glasses! The Soto is a medium-sized round frame that fits most faces. The classic round shape and keyhole nose bridge never goes out of style, and is a flattering fit for oval, square, and triangular faces.

Book Smarts Meets Fashion Smarts

Being bookish has never been so beautiful! With the 10 pairs of women’s glasses above, you can find frames that flatter your face shape. Then pair them with snap-on Top Frames in your favorite colors and patterns, and you’ll be able to curate a collection of reading glasses as unique as your book collection (or your meme collection).

Customize your lens type and add your favorite Top Frames at checkout. Plus, get free shipping on all U.S. orders of $45 or more with hassle-free returns for up to 30 days after you receive your eyeglasses, so you can shop with confidence (or gift with confidence with a Pair Eyewear gift card!). Once you place your order, all you’ll have to worry about is which book to read next.

Head to Pair Eyewear to find your perfect pair of reading glasses for women.