T
For more of Dr . Diana Monea ' s style , check out our
Instagram
I dress up because life is precious , especially now , I want to add some fun , some colour .
- DR . DIANA MONEA
EYE FOCUS | COVER STORY
Dr . Diana Monea doesn ’ t just break the mould when it comes to her fashion choices - she paints it neon green , wraps it in feathers and slaps flowers on it for good measure .
The Alberta optometrist is well-known for her flamboyant attire , which she sports every day at her clinics .
“ I dress up because life is precious , especially now ,” she says . “ I want to add some fun , some colour . That is why I try to give some hope every day on my Instagram to encourage people that every day matters because your life can change by virtue of a heartbeat , accident or diagnosis .
“ Every day is a party : dress for the occasion .” Monea is definitely the life of any party .
She even wrote a book about it , called This Party Called Life : Show Up , Speak Up , Dress Up , which was released in 2020 .
An optometrist since 1978 , Monea is a University of Waterloo graduate who started her own practice in Regina , Sask . She still owns that clinic , along with two others in Calgary .
Monea is easy to spot at national and international optical events .
Her outfits always include hats , adorned with flowers , lace and bows . Her dresses match , often with even more embellishments . Add in funky glasses and jewelry and the result is a head-turning ensemble .
“ My style is what I feel like that day . Many of my friends are artists and I believe that their vision as an optometrist must be shown to the world . I am a body of canvas for their marvelous art ,” she says .
Monea is also an Internet maven , becoming , back in 1999 , the first optometrist in Canada to create a website dedicated to eye health information .
Now , she shows off her unique style and spreads messages about eyecare and eyewear on Instagram and Facebook as well . EF
EYE FOCUS | June Digital 2021 15