Style Eyes Optical: Margie Toney Wants To Pick Your Perfect Frames
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – For a shopkeeper in Brooklyn, how you look is almost as important as how you see.
Optical stylist Margie Toney runs Style Eyes Optical, a Flatbush boutique focusing on rare eyewear from independent labels.
"Every single line I carry, there's got to be something funky," she said.
A native of Haiti, Margie has worked in the industry for over 20 years.
"I love what I do, so to me, it's not really a job; it's a passion," she said.
At Style Eyes, Margie aims to curate a bespoke experience; she believes in the importance of matching frames to personalities.
"I think every great eyewear fitting starts with a conversation. You want to know what they do for a living, what their lifestyle is like. Are they conservative? Are they artsy? Do they want to blend in a little bit? Do they want to pop? That's all the stuff that decides which pair you put on them," she said.
The right glasses can do more than improve vision.
"People put on a good pair of glasses, and it boosts their confidence. It boosts their self-esteem," she said. "When I fit someone, there's a look that happens when it's the perfect pair. Their body movement changes. You see them primping their hair. They're looking closer in the mirror."
She has witnessed increased demand in recent years for bold, unusual colors and shapes.
"I think people are more daring now than they used to be," she said.
In the world of eyewear, she sees endless possibilities.
"You could be corporate. You could be business-like. You could have a slight edginess to it. Have fun with it," she said.
Style Eyes Optical
1005 Flatbush Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11226
(718) 942-5957
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