FashionComeLately: Here's Looking At You, Shweetheart! (apologies to Humphrey Bogart!)

As we women "of a certain age" get better over time, we might find that we need a little help in the vision department. I don't mean creative ideas - I mean seeing, reading, or looking at things.

When I was a kid, I really wanted to wear glasses because I thought they were a great fashion accessory AND they made you look smarter. I wasn't wrong.

Back then, glasses only came in a couple of styles

but today, the options are varied, fun and affordable.

First and foremost, go to a professional to get your eyes checked. You'll want to know what strength you'll need to have in your glasses' lenses. And to ensure that your eyes are healthy and well. Then you'll want to try on a variety of frames...maybe buying several for different looks and moods.

Here are some options to consider:

The cat eye frame is very fun and a tad sexy.

Round frames are cute and funky.

Square frames are smart looking and bold.

Aviator frames are sporty and lightweight.

Wire framed glasses are very light and fun.

There are even frame less glasses.

And there are the half-frame reader glasses (good for close up work like embroidery or knitting and watching TV - you can see over them to watch TV)

Of course, there are oddly shaped glasses for the young-at-heart devil-may-care woman.

And sunglasses in prescription lenses are widely varied and stylish.

At our stage of life, we deserve to wear glasses that make us happy (and help us to see price tags, menus, recipes and great books).

You can pay a lot of money for designer frames.

Or inexpensive magnifiers (like I do) at most any drug store or discount store.

Many celebrities wear glasses...

Tina Fey

who helped make glasses sexy and smart

Jennifer Aniston

Christina Hendricks

Jamie Lee Curtis

Annette Bening

Meryl Streep

Jane Fonda

Sally Field

Megan Mullaly

There are guidelines to picking glasses frames that say you should wear certain frames based upon your face shape but I don't agree...buy the ones that you like and will wear.

You need to ensure that your eyes are visible behind your glasses, so take some tips on how to wear eye makeup behind those glasses:

1. Start with clean, clear eyeballs. Some people like to start with eye drops to ensure no redness. Try it!

2. Clean up your eyebrows. Make sure they are shaped and filled in because others will pay more attention to the frames of your eyes.

3. Be sure to use a primer for your eyelids and below your eyes. You don't want your shadow or mascara to run (glasses can cause makeup melt).

4. Curl your lashes with a lash curler. If you are one of the lucky ones with long lashes, you don't want them to hit the glass. If you're like me, you need to brighten and open your eyes by curling the short lashes you have.

5. Put on your eye shadow (keep it subtle but strong enough to showcase your eyes).

6. Wear a thin eyeliner on your top lid. Not too thick because your glasses will magnify your makeup on your eyes. I recommend liquid liner because crepey eyelids make pencil liners skip and smudge.

7. Mascara next. Top lashes are critical to use mascara. Lower lashes are your decision. I like to do mine but make sure that any under eye smudge (as the day progresses) is removed.
8. A touch of shiny white or pale pink shadow on the inside of your eyes also helps to open up your eyes behind the glasses.

One more issue is losing your glasses...it happens.

There are different methods of keeping them available and close to you...

I prefer to keep a pair of glasses in every room in the house and one in my handbag. Since I buy mine at The Dollar Tree ($1 a pair), it is easy to do.

You no longer have to look like your grandmother did in glasses - you can be stylish and still be able to see.