Dr. Diana Monea’s style is one in a billion
By Denis Langlois
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 everyday 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 everyday on my Instagram to encourage people that everyday matters because your life can change by virtue of a heartbeat, accident or diagnosis.
“Everyday 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 spectacle.
“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.
