Herbsley
Steadily Retiring
There have been a couple of threads recently of buyers who have been disappointed with their purchase - whether it has been a new product or a model from yesteryear, their expectations have been dashed once they have the item in their hands. This got me thinking of whether I've had similar encounters over the course of my collecting (spanning back to the 1990s) - and whether we have all felt that heart-sinking thud at one time or another in our Oakley careers.
Cases of "Never Meet Your Heroes", where a product from the past has not met the hyped expectation you had prior to holding one in your hands. (A recent thread on a Juliet purchase springs to mind).
Or cases where a new product has come to market and you've thought the look and feel of the product - or the quality, texture, finish, view thru the lens, etc - was going to be different or better in some way.
Or how about cases when you have seen a frame online and thought "THEY WILL BE MINE!!!!", but then tried them on and discovered to your horror that either (a) they do not fit you, and/or (b) you look like a complete tool in them.
And then there are disappointments of travelling long distances to an Oakley store or Vault, only to realise that you actually could have just stayed at home and looked at a better selection of frames there.
For me personally, my major disappointments over the years are probably . . . .
1) TOOL.
I look like a tool in Frogskins.
I wish I could carry off the Frog. They are an Oakley collector's DREAM. Loads of sick colorways. A timeless frame with an endless run that just keep on rolling out new products. Part of EVERY special edition run or 'collection'. But hey. I look like a right ar5e in them. Perhaps my wallet is thankful for this, but in the meantime I am insanely jealous of @Mrs H 's collection for this.
2) QUALITY.
Most Women's frames.
Bear with me . . . .
One of the things about being married to another collector is that you can buy Oakley gifts at Xmas/birthdays/whenever and get that Oakley purchase buzz by proxy. However, nearly all of the Women's frames are rubbish. Next time you are in an Oakley store, pick one up. And for a real shock, pick up a Beckon. My vote for easily the worst quality Oakley sunglass ever made.
Xmas/birthdays/whenever presents are therefore not as easy as you might think.
3) GOT EXCITED. BUT THEY DON'T FIT.
Sideways. Ahhhh, the Sideways. Like someone has taken a Hijinx, made it too heavy by making it out of acetate, then skewed the icon. And yet, I love the look of that frame.
Just not on me.
Too small, y'see. Grips my head like a vice.
But just look at the Polished White and the Devil's Brigade editions of that frame and try telling me they are not awesomely different.
IT'S TIME FOR A SIDEWAYS 2.0
(Just make it BIGGER!)
Pit Boss. Fuel Cell. Felon. Two-Face (Ferrari). See above. All just too tight.
Hmph.
4) 'MEETING HEROES'.
I think this was my first ever disappointment, going waaaay back.
It's sacrilege to say nowadays, perhaps, but . . . .
Did anyone else think the Over-The-Top was gunna look and feel better when you held one? Come onnnn, admit it. It's not just me. You saw it on TV or in a magazine and thought "That is the coolest fking thing I have ever seen". To be fair, I was so revved up, nothing could have lived up to that hype for me.
Well, that's mine.
Or at least what I can think of right now.
Anyone else want to share their top/major examples?
Cases of "Never Meet Your Heroes", where a product from the past has not met the hyped expectation you had prior to holding one in your hands. (A recent thread on a Juliet purchase springs to mind).
Or cases where a new product has come to market and you've thought the look and feel of the product - or the quality, texture, finish, view thru the lens, etc - was going to be different or better in some way.
Or how about cases when you have seen a frame online and thought "THEY WILL BE MINE!!!!", but then tried them on and discovered to your horror that either (a) they do not fit you, and/or (b) you look like a complete tool in them.
And then there are disappointments of travelling long distances to an Oakley store or Vault, only to realise that you actually could have just stayed at home and looked at a better selection of frames there.
For me personally, my major disappointments over the years are probably . . . .
1) TOOL.
I look like a tool in Frogskins.
I wish I could carry off the Frog. They are an Oakley collector's DREAM. Loads of sick colorways. A timeless frame with an endless run that just keep on rolling out new products. Part of EVERY special edition run or 'collection'. But hey. I look like a right ar5e in them. Perhaps my wallet is thankful for this, but in the meantime I am insanely jealous of @Mrs H 's collection for this.
2) QUALITY.
Most Women's frames.
Bear with me . . . .
One of the things about being married to another collector is that you can buy Oakley gifts at Xmas/birthdays/whenever and get that Oakley purchase buzz by proxy. However, nearly all of the Women's frames are rubbish. Next time you are in an Oakley store, pick one up. And for a real shock, pick up a Beckon. My vote for easily the worst quality Oakley sunglass ever made.
Xmas/birthdays/whenever presents are therefore not as easy as you might think.
3) GOT EXCITED. BUT THEY DON'T FIT.
Sideways. Ahhhh, the Sideways. Like someone has taken a Hijinx, made it too heavy by making it out of acetate, then skewed the icon. And yet, I love the look of that frame.
Just not on me.
Too small, y'see. Grips my head like a vice.
But just look at the Polished White and the Devil's Brigade editions of that frame and try telling me they are not awesomely different.
IT'S TIME FOR A SIDEWAYS 2.0
(Just make it BIGGER!)
Pit Boss. Fuel Cell. Felon. Two-Face (Ferrari). See above. All just too tight.
Hmph.
4) 'MEETING HEROES'.
I think this was my first ever disappointment, going waaaay back.
It's sacrilege to say nowadays, perhaps, but . . . .
Did anyone else think the Over-The-Top was gunna look and feel better when you held one? Come onnnn, admit it. It's not just me. You saw it on TV or in a magazine and thought "That is the coolest fking thing I have ever seen". To be fair, I was so revved up, nothing could have lived up to that hype for me.
Well, that's mine.
Or at least what I can think of right now.
Anyone else want to share their top/major examples?
