I love these t-shirts designed by one of my favorite artists Betsy Walton. I told myself that I would stop buying t-shirts, but these are just so tempting! You can purchase them here for $28. I also really like the tote bag that she designed. Check them out.

P.S. Don’t forget about the Teacher Outfit Contest! You can still enter to win Polaroid film until Monday, June 1!

*Note: Do not try to post a photograph of your set in the comments as it will not show up. Please just post a direct link to the set you’ve created.

(Credit: “geeky” by kris atomic)

Some of you may recall a post I made a while back confessing my love for girls with glasses. Well– being a fairly nerdy glasses-wearing female myself, I decided to ask some of the girls at blackcigarette to share their favorite frames. The response I got was too great to keep to myself! So, I’ve decided to compile a few [there were so many good ones--it wasn't easy] of my favorite frames & share with you what these girls had to say about being a fabulous four-eyed female!*

This is what the above girls had to say about their glasses:

1. “i got these in 2006 and i still love them. they are from prada.” ~cheapcheapcake

2. “Mine are from the cheap-o section of the no-name chain of glasses stores in the mall. I know a lot of people who have gotten really cute frames from their local generic eyeglass store. It’s such a pain to dig through all those zillions of frames, but I’m sure there’s sweet nerdy gold in there somewhere!” ~reconnoitere

3. “I got these 2 years ago at a Savers.” ~owlsss

4. “i’ve had these glasses for about a year. They are orange and red tortoise shell and I love them. I just got them at Lenscrafters though.” ~handzfirst

5. “have what some people have called ‘lab glasses’ or ‘goggles’, but i love them to bits. this was the day i got them, so i was super happy.” ~jinology

6. Photo from undrthenightsky

7. “I recommend going to a thrift store & finding some cool frames. It doesn’t cost much to get your ‘script put in!” ~ladymoz

8. Photo from thatspecial

9. Photo from autobotamy

10. “these are mine! they’re Chanel and they were 50% off ;) I have prescription glasses since I was 4 and I absolutely hate people who wear them without needing them.” ~fluweel

11. “[these are by] tom ford! i was ridiculed so much at school when i got these last year cos they are “manly” and “geeky”, now they’re so trendy?! i am so so blind and i wear contacts most of the time but i think it’s still important to have a good pair of glasses, these have a subtle brown and black stripe design on the actual frames (like tortoiseshell but a bit different!) and rose gold inserts on the arms. ~stratagems:

12. “probably more old man lawyer than hot geek chic, but these are mine. i want a big geeky pair next!” ~ notsolaconic

Here are a few more excellent comments & tips on the subject of glasses:

“I used to take $10 sunglasses frames to Walmart and have them filled with my prescription. If your health insurance doesn’t cover lenses, that’s the cheapest place to go that I’ve found, and sometimes they’ll even do it while you wait.” ~ novimnet

“Sometimes I wear fake glasses because I think I look way cuter with them…Unfortunately I don’t have a picture, but I looove glasses and occasionally curse my 20/20 vision” ~sweetrainfalls

“I love finding great old pairs of eyeglasses on e-bay. It was really cheap to do the whole thing. My pair cost me 15 bucks then another 35 to get prescription lenses put in them.” ~thegreatmollusk

I am specifically looking for a pair of vintage frames. I had never thought to look at Ebay or Etsy for them before. The only thing you need to be careful of when buying vintage is getting the measurements right as well as the actual quality of the frames. I believe this suggestion by thegreatmollusk is important to keep in mind: “I took measurements of my favorite glasses and tried to find pairs that were similar in demensions. It’s hard but possible to find frames that fit. Just know your measurements and what your face can carry.”

Another interesting thing, I believe, to point out is the changing feelings towards girls that wear glasses– both in mainstream media and fashion. Celebrities such as Chloe Sevigny & Zooey Deschanel are seen wearing wonderfully nerdy spectacles out & about the town. Zooey Deschanel even helped design some glasses for Oliver Peoples. This is all to say, I feel like the world is finally starting to embrace girls with glasses– seeing them as intelligent, unique, and even sexy instead of frumpy, geeky, or unappealing. It’s about time! 

* Note: If I have shared a photograph of you & would you like me to take it down, please email me & I will do so ASAP. It was not my intention to share anything against your consent & I am more than willing to take it down if you wish for me to do so. 

You may recall me posting about Kareem Rizk’s prints before. Well, lucky for us all he is having a 20% off sale on his Etsy shop now & throughout the entire month of May.

Also check out his blog to see his latest work & find out what he’s up to.

Yes, that is me in the above picture. Sadly, it’s probably the most recent picture of myself I have on a bicycle. That probably goes to show you how much expertise I have on the matter of bikes and biking in general. Regardless, I have been mulling over the idea of riding a bike as an alternative mode of transportation for a little while now. There are a few reasons this appeals to me. First of all, with the fluctuating price of gas and the economy in the midst of a tail spin, biking would leave me with a little more spending money in my pockets. Secondly, although Cincinnati is not notorious for being the most “biker friendly” city– with its many hills and its lack of appropriately designated bicycle lanes– I still feel it is a shame to live at the heart of a city and not own a bike! I also would be remiss if I left out the whole “going green” and getting healthy motivation for biking.

Although, I must admit, one of the main reasons I want to get into biking is the sheer “coolness” factor that comes along with it. I have always thought that people riding their bikes to the grocery store looked pretty bad ass; especially when biking up next to me whilst I’m driving my (totally the opposite of bad ass) white Hyundai Elantra. I have always found the whole “bike scene” to be very appealing– albeit slightly intimidating. Therefore, I have decided to go on a quest to discover what a “wanna be” biker needs to know in order to make the transition with ease.

I began my research by posing a question on Bikeforums.net which is an excellent source of information about all things bike-related. I received several responses to my question in which I asked what sort of information I need to know before purchasing a bike and/or beginning to bike as an alternative mode of transportation. One member gave me some good, practical advice:

I was also curious to know what types of things I should look for when purchasing a used bike. I don’t want to be swindled into purchasing a “lemon” used bike. Here is what one article said on the subject:

Next, I was worried about sizing. It seems to be the number one reason as to why people struggle to purchase a bike. I know it’s one of the main reasons I have had trouble finding a bike.  A member on Bikeforums.net told me this little piece of information: “If you’re 5’6″ to 5′ 10″  a 19″ frame should fit pretty well. Taller? Try 21″. Shorter? Try 17″. Seeing as I am barely 5’5″, I think this means I am going to need between a 17″ to a 19″ frame. Here is a link to another excellent resource for more specifics on finding a bike that will fit you properly. I believe another excellent and practical piece of advice that I received was simply to test ride the bike. If it doesn’t feel right or comfortable, it is probably not the right one for you.

Consequently, May is Bike Month. There are a lot of events going on around Cincinnati in order to advocate and help get people out there riding. Below is a short video that aired on the local news featuring some avid bikers in Cincinnati:

Although I haven’t found a bike quite yet, I believe I discovered a lot about the “nuts and bolts” of purchasing as  bike from the feedback on the discussion board. I plan on keeping you posted and letting you know how my progression is going. I know there is still a lot to learn. Do any of you have any advice?

Here are a few helpful resources if you are interested in getting connected with the bicycling community in Cincinnati as well as some other basic and important information in regards to bicycling in general:

Bicycling life – (Practical Cycling tips
Cincyrides.com
Cincinnati Cycle Club
Queen City Bike