How much are those glasses worth?

I observed some years ago after sitting on my sunglasses for about the third time in two years, that once they are broken, all sunglasses are the same value. Worthless. Unless you favour the DIY repair school of thought and are handy with electrical insulating tape.

I mention this because yesterday the sun shone in London, which for many citizens of the UK is indeed a newsworthy story. So the sunglasses were out and about, with a vast range of styles. I have heard it referenced that you can tell a lot about a dog owner by the type of dog they own, I wonder if  you can make the same assumption of sunglass wearers.  The malls have stores dedicated to the latest and most fashionable styles of shades, as do airports, where people stand admiring themselves and asking assistants which pair are right for them.

If one is label conscious then there are only a few ‘must have’ brands that will realistically be considered, and I for a while was loyal to one particular brand, which was known for being for ‘cool dudes’ and the rugged outdoor type, which obviously I was so I couldn’t really be seen wearing anything else. Until I sat on my third pair in two years. (Before you ask why did I have my glasses in my back pocket – I didn’t they were left on seats I had recently vacated)

I realised that the cost of major branded labels is disproportionately expensive in many areas to the functionality of the goods. This is not to say we should not buy what we want, but sometimes we should stop and think about what we need. My eyes are sensitive to bright sunlight so I need a good lens with the UVF and Polaroid filters. The frames as long as not from a Joke Shop are a secondary consideration, so it was, last month in Florida when I sat on my ‘cool dude’ sunglasses I realised that irrespective of how much one pays for glasses, once broken they are all worthless.

So I went to a huge pharmacy store and went to the sunglasses section, where I found great glasses for $30 all with UVF and Polaroid filters, and promptly bought three pairs, which in total was still 50% less than my last pair.  Maybe it is the sense of global recession, or a realism that functionality should always be a priority above style when expenditure is important.

I will admit that so far no one has said to me “Hey I love your glasses”, but then again, no one ever has (must be a guy thing), which was a pity as I had hoped to say “Oh CVS” but say it with a French accent so it sounded fancy.

We need to get back to the purpose of spend and investment at the heart of our strategic choices in our professional lives, and not get too caught up in they symbols of success. Because they are not really worth anything once you sit on them.