Meet Westward Leaning, a gender-neutral eyewear brand that makes it easy to buy stylish prescription glasses online
- Westward Leaning is a California-based optical brand known for its eclectic, high-fashion sunglasses.
- The celebrity-favorite brand recently launched a collection of prescription eyewear that also supports a great cause; 15% of net profits will be donated to the Northern California Chapter of Vision to Learn, an organization that provides free eye exams and glasses to children in low-income areas.
- We tried a few pairs of prescription glasses from Westward Leaning and were very impressed with the easy ordering experience and the overall quality of the glasses.
For me, wearing glasses is purely a necessity, not a fashion statement. Since I have to wear them during every waking moment of my life, I've always played it safe by getting a basic pair — so safe, in fact, that I've bought the same pair of black, square Ray-Bans multiple times in a row when my prescription changed.
I had looked for stylish alternatives in various brick-and-mortar stores hoping to be able to try the pairs on before committing, but the selections were usually limited and rather boring. Then my editor told me about Westward Leaning, a new eyewear startup that offers a variety of gender-neutral frames through an easy online shopping experience.
Founded in 2012, Westward Leaning started out as an eclectic sunglasses brand favored among the Hollywood crowd. But with its recent launch of prescription eyewear, it's become an optical brand for all types of wearers.
Beyond a great selection of eyewear, Westward Leaning's ability to be socially conscious separates it from the many other places to buy glasses online. The brand prides itself on using sustainable materials, utilizing ethical business practices, and regularly donating proceeds from its different collections to specific causes.
One of its current initiatives is to donate 15% of proceeds from the Optical collection to the Northern California Chapter of Vision to Learn, an organization that provides free eye exams and glasses to children in low-income areas.
We tested three eyewear styles (and one pair of sunglasses) from Westward Leaning and were collectively impressed with how easy the ordering process was and the overall quality of the glasses. Read our full thoughts, below:
Shop prescription eyewear at Westward Leaning now.
Review of the Vanguard Optical 03, $304 with prescription lenses:
I gravitated towards the Vanguard Optical 03 because of it's classic and timeless design. They're definitely more interesting than my black plastic frames, but I wouldn't have to worry about them going out of style any time soon. Notable people like Malcolm X, President Lyndon B. Johnson, and Colonel Sanders (yup, the KFC guy) have all worn browline frames, so I figured I could pull them off, too.
I was very impressed with the quality of the frames, the packaging (each pair comes with a collapsible glasses case and a microfiber cloth), and the simplicity of the ordering process. The only gripe I had was with the lenses. I could see out of them clearly, but they had a substantial amount of glare which somewhat hides my eyes. If you look closely at my photo above, you can probably see a reflection of my phone and other lights in the surrounding.
Personally, I won't be wearing these every day because they're not blue-light-blocking, which makes a huge difference if you regularly look at screens for long periods of time, but they're a great second pair for the weekends when I want a different look. If Westward Leaning had more options for lenses, I wouldn't hesitate to wear these on a daily basis. — Amir Ismael, Insider Reviews reporter
Review of the Vanguard Optical 09, $304 with prescription lenses:
Westward Leaning's glasses come in mostly funky retro styles — some of which are more flashy than others. I went for the Vanguard Optical 09 because I've always liked the way that frame shape looks on my face. I also tend to prefer glasses with adjustable nose pads because I have a skinny nose that most glasses slight right down. The glasses are clearly well made — they feel sturdy and the polished crystal acetate looks cool with the silver wire running through it.
I like them a lot, though I prefer to wear them when I don't have to look at a computer screen for long periods of time, as the clear frames create a glare that irritates my eyes (I have this problem with all clear acetate glasses, so it's not just these!). The ordering process was very simple, too. After I checked out, Westward Leaning emailed me to ask for a copy of my prescription so I did have to fill it out myself (and risk messing it up). — Malarie Gokey, Insider Reviews Deputy Editor
Review of the Concorde Optical 06, $294 with prescription lenses:
As you can see from the photo above and below, these glasses are kind of huge on me — but I don't care! I love them, and I wear them almost every day now. They have a definite '70s vibe, which I love, and I haven't experienced any oxidization of the metal frame yet despite that they touch my face and come into contact with skin-care products a lot. The adjustable tortoise acetate temples are also a nice touch that keeps them feeling secure against my head.
The ordering process was really easy, as the only thing I had to do once I placed my order was to send a picture of my prescription via email. However, once my glasses were produced, I got a message letting me know that they found a small scratch on my lenses and were remaking them and sending them with expedited shipping. It wasn't too much of an inconvenience since I had plenty of other pairs of glasses to wear in the meantime, but I imagine that since prescriptions are newer to the brand, they're still working out some little kinks in production.
As an apology, they also sent me a pair of sunglasses that they were able to make with my prescription, even though there's no ordering option to do so online. If you want a pair of sunglasses with prescription lenses, I suggest contacting them directly and asking if they're able to do it for the pair you want. I don't think you can for the pairs with colorful lenses, but I got a regular greyish-black pair that I love. — Sally Kaplan, Insider Reviews senior editor
The bottom line:
Overall, shopping for glasses at Westward Leaning was a positive experience for us all. None of the styles are distinctly masculine or feminine, and that's perfectly fine. We had no trouble picking frames that we liked and would continue to wear.
The frames aren't the cheapest options available online, but they are fairly priced considering how well they're made.
It's worth noting that the optical collection we reviewed is Westward Leaning's first crack at prescription eyewear, so while options like blue-light-blocking lenses aren't available just yet, one can hope they'll be available in the future.