Jacques Marie Mage - Wolves, Obnoxious Acetate and The American Dream

[FlyingHorker]

What got you all into JMM?

For me, it was actually Moscot.

My cousin has this frame, I think. I look similiar to him and thought they looked stunning on him. I had no local dealer for Moscot, but was always interested in wearing a bold, chunky framed style that actually worked on my face. Derek's writings on JMM made them sound pretty appealing.

This one looks cool to me as well, but looking at total frame widths, most of Moscot's frames are 5-10mm narrower than my JMM pair.

 

[lsterling]

What got you all into JMM?

For me, it was seeing their glasses on people like Jeff Goldblum, Dan Levy, Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig, and a few others, I'm sure. I have had glasses since I was under 2 years old (though I no longer wear them full-time) and never was able to find a frame that I really liked on my face. Once I got into college, I would get the most tolerable frame from my optometrist's office, wear them for a few months, and end up chucking them because I just hated how they looked on me. I now find myself at a place in life that allows me to spring for things like JMM glasses and I can honestly say that they're the first optical frames I've ever liked on my face.

Funny side-note: I remember several years ago seeing someone in a pair of Cutler and Gross specs and thinking they were mad cool, but couldn't imagine who in their right mind would pay $450 for glasses. Here I am, years later, six pairs deep into JMM...I'm the crazy one, apparently.

 

[FlyingHorker]

Even now, I'm tempted to get one of the frames up there by Moscot, but jet black chunky acetate frames is already a niche filled in my wardrobe.

Most other 'classic' or conservative JMMs already seem pretty similiar to the Dealans, and almost all of the titanium pairs I've seen look bad.

I'm still not sure on Masahiro Maruyama as a brand, seems like the appeal is mainly the artistic detail in having subtle or bold asymmetry.

I keep coming back to these Ascaris in Vintage Tort though. On paper, they look stunning. I'm not bent on the Ascaris, mainly just the colourway.

Put it this way, what styles would you all suggest that these DON'T work with?

 

[FlyingHorker]

For me, it was seeing their glasses on people like Jeff Goldblum, Dan Levy, Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig, and a few others, I'm sure. I have had glasses since I was under 2 years old (though I no longer wear them full-time) and never was able to find a frame that I really liked on my face. Once I got into college, I would get the most tolerable frame from my optometrist's office, wear them for a few months, and end up chucking them because I just hated how they looked on me. I now find myself at a place in life that allows me to spring for things like JMM glasses and I can honestly say that they're the first optical frames I've ever liked on my face.

Funny side-note: I remember several years ago seeing someone in a pair of Cutler and Gross specs and thinking they were mad cool, but couldn't imagine who in their right mind would pay $450 for glasses. Here I am, years later, six pairs deep into JMM...I'm the crazy one, apparently.

Bolded nails it for me. I've no doubt that hype and exclusivity subconsciously influenced me, but when I tried on the right pair, it was instant for me. The quality and build was a factor as well.

 

[lsterling]

On the subject of Moscot, I actually considered them as an alternative to JMM when I was first trying to talk myself into spending what felt like a veritable buttload of money on a pair of glasses. I'm sure Moscots are perfectly nice frames - I just knew I'd always see the JMMs and think, "man, those are just a little bit cooler than what I settled for."

 

[lsterling]

Bolded nails it for me. I've no doubt that hype and exclusivity subconsciously influenced me, but when I tried on the right pair, it was instant for me. The quality and build was a factor as well.

Quality is huge for me, too. I'm a lover of well-made things, which I guess I get from my dad. In fact, when I got my first pair (Fellini), I went to my dad's house and said, "you gotta see these things." He's got four pairs now. It's a problem.

Edited to add: the hype and exclusivity probably got me too, but had I picked up that first pair and felt like they were no different in build quality than, say, your average Ray-Ban, I would have been sending them back. I'm not going to spend this kind of money and feel like I got a similar product to something that costs less than half as much.

 

[LeBeef]

I also had a mini Moscot connection to JMM. Was looking at round frames, but Moscot measurements seemed smaller than I wanted and I didn’t have an easy way to try on other than ordering online. This was around the time the Fumio came out and I was able to check them out at the JMM store in Venice. Really liked that they were bigger than round glasses I’ve tried in the past.

 

[FlyingHorker]

On the subject of Moscot, I actually considered them as an alternative to JMM when I was first trying to talk myself into spending what felt like a veritable buttload of money on a pair of glasses. I'm sure Moscots are perfectly nice frames - I just knew I'd always see the JMMs and think, "man, those are just a little bit cooler than what I settled for."

I didn't realize how much bigger the average JMM was vs. Moscot just by online images. My cousin's Moscot glasses looked hefty, and I thought my JMMs were comparable after getting used to them. Someone pointed out that mine are chunkier than the Moscots.

This reminds me of getting used to roomier overcoats, everything slim felt off to me afterwards.

Quality is huge for me, too. I'm a lover of well-made things, which I guess I get from my dad. In fact, when I got my first pair (Fellini), I went to my dad's house and said, "you gotta see these things." He's got four pairs now. It's a problem.

Edited to add: the hype and exclusivity probably got me too, but had I picked up that first pair and felt like they were no different in build quality than, say, your average Ray-Ban, I would have been sending them back. I'm not going to spend this kind of money and feel like I got a similar product to something that costs less than half as much.

Yeah I wouldn't want a similiar feel to a pair of modern Ray-Bans. I found a vintage Ray-Ban thread on here that had some varied styles that looked great though.

I remember holding the Moscot's, and they felt like a similiar build quality to my JMMs, and they really are half the price. I think the ultra-thick acetate also colours our perceptions of quality.

I also had a mini Moscot connection to JMM. Was looking at round frames, but Moscot measurements seemed smaller than I wanted and I didn’t have an easy way to try on other than ordering online. This was around the time the Fumio came out and I was able to check them out at the JMM store in Venice. Really liked that they were bigger than round glasses I’ve tried in the past.

This thread helped me figure out I can probably wear more varied frame styles and widths than I thought.

I always thought my face was narrow and small, but didn't consider that my curly, wavy hair and full beard can let me mess around with larger frames overall.

I don't think I would have touched JMM if I didn't have local access, especially because I use mine as opticals for 16 hours a day.

 

[WBaker]

Nice! Do you know how they compare to the Kobo?

For me just as a stand-alone object the Kobos really are something special. I wanted them to work, they're just so different than anything anyone's doing. When they're on a table it's like looking at a sculpture, very fun. However on the face the softness of the edges just made for a dorky look on me. The standifords are a bit more angular and just frame my face better. That said if you've got the face for Kobos they really are one of Jmms cooler frames.

In highschool I stumbled on Cutler and Gross. At the time they seemed like the height of luxury and way out of budget. After begging my folks for months I worked out paying half and them matching me. I had a pair of blue 1044s that I always wore, so much so I think everyone I knew associated me with them. So at one point I had 4 pairs I'd find cheap on ebay because I had a "this is my uniform I'll always wear these" mentality. Now I buy things knowing my taste will change and who knows what I'll wear in 5 years, it's not worth planning ahead for.

 

[RegisDB9]

Wow the 1962’s skyrocketed in price. Thank goodness I got my Altans. Also speaking of overpriced someone sell me their PCHs already

 

[RegisDB9]

For me just as a stand-alone object the Kobos really are something special. I wanted them to work, they're just so different than anything anyone's doing. When they're on a table it's like looking at a sculpture, very fun. However on the face the softness of the edges just made for a dorky look on me. The standifords are a bit more angular and just frame my face better. That said if you've got the face for Kobos they really are one of Jmms cooler frames.
View attachment 1781877


In highschool I stumbled on Cutler and Gross. At the time they seemed like the height of luxury and way out of budget. After begging my folks for months I worked out paying half and them matching me. I had a pair of blue 1044s that I always wore, so much so I think everyone I knew associated me with them. So at one point I had 4 pairs I'd find cheap on ebay because I had a "this is my uniform I'll always wear these" mentality. Now I buy things knowing my taste will change and who knows what I'll wear in 5 years, it's not worth planning ahead for.
View attachment 1781873

The 0425’s are still one of favorites ever. Still have the Quantum of Solace ones

 

[doofalb]

For me just as a stand-alone object the Kobos really are something special. I wanted them to work, they're just so different than anything anyone's doing. When they're on a table it's like looking at a sculpture, very fun. However on the face the softness of the edges just made for a dorky look on me. The standifords are a bit more angular and just frame my face better. That said if you've got the face for Kobos they really are one of Jmms cooler frames.
View attachment 1781877


In highschool I stumbled on Cutler and Gross. At the time they seemed like the height of luxury and way out of budget. After begging my folks for months I worked out paying half and them matching me. I had a pair of blue 1044s that I always wore, so much so I think everyone I knew associated me with them. So at one point I had 4 pairs I'd find cheap on ebay because I had a "this is my uniform I'll always wear these" mentality. Now I buy things knowing my taste will change and who knows what I'll wear in 5 years, it's not worth planning ahead for.
View attachment 1781873

Thank you for the detailed response and the picture!
I agree that the Standiford look better on you. I have the Kobo and my wife says I look like a minion...so much about dorkyness...just got to own it
So anyway, after looking the black Standiford for weeks, I decided to get them through JMM online (no JMM in Honolulu anymore, killed by Covid) as they have a good return policy. And guess what? They are sold out as off this afternoon Now it is either no returns or a 10% restocking fee

 

[BigRed]

Does anyone in here own the chocolate Taos? If so what's your thoughts of them and can you post a on face pic of them?

 

[verver]

One of the screws on my last frontier Farson came stripped, so that I can’t tighten the hinge w the included screwdriver. I contacted jmm via email, with no response. I also contacted the shop I got them from, but they told me to go somewhere local. Anyone with suggestions as how to best proceed?

 

[lsterling]

One of the screws on my last frontier Farson came stripped, so that I can’t tighten the hinge w the included screwdriver. I contacted jmm via email, with no response. I also contacted the shop I got them from, but they told me to go somewhere local. Anyone with suggestions as how to best proceed?

Where is the shop located and where are you located? I wouldn't take no for an answer, personally. Especially considering the price of the Last Frontier collection.