If you've spent $100 on a pair of jeans or shoes, put your hand up.
If you've spent $150, keep it up.
If you've spent $200, WTF?
Would you spend that much on glasses? Not sunglasses, just plain glasses.
My vision insurance allows me to buy new frames every two years. It's been at least that long since I bought my brown Oakley frames, and I splurged on some black Dolce&Gabbana frames on Wednesday. The total cost with lenses, anti-glare coating, non-scratch material, etc., was a about $250. I spent the same amount on my Oakley glasses last time.
I made dinner that night for Amanda and Moos and excitedly told them about my purchase. Amanda replied, "What!? I bought all of my glasses at Wal-Mart for like $10."
The PR person that I am, I tried spinning the numbers. "Well, I only have two pairs of glasses now and you have at least double that!" The counter-argument didn't hold.
The question: Are glasses an accessory or necessity?
Amanda rotates through her glasses based upon what she's wearing, treating glasses as an accessory. In contrast, I wear the same pair every day and basically elevate my glasses to being a part of my face.
She's not the type of person to buy uber expensive jeans or shoes, and neither am I, but she'll spend more on jeans or shoes than glasses, and that's where we differ. (While denim is the culture uniform, when did it become so normalized to spend a car payment on it?)
Glasses are corrective, like hearing aids. They just so happen to be more stylish. Necessity first, accessory second, right? Where does your price threshold stop for buying glasses, and how does that compare to the less necessary attire (jeans, shoes, etc.)?