Face Shape Guide for Glasses
What is my face shape?
Did you know that most people change their eyeglasses approximately every 3 years? When it’s time to get new glasses, you want to make sure you get the shape right! With so many glasses to choose from, knowing what suits you best can really help in bringing out your unique facial contours.
Many people change their eyeglasses so seldom because of the expected cost in many retail locations. And lens manufacturers feature products can sometimes break the thousand dollar barrier- no wonder most people try to get the most wear out of each pair of glasses they purchase!
In order to choose properly, you first need to identify your facial features. There are 5 main categories of face shapes:
Square || Round || Heart || Triangular || Oval
To assess your own facial structure keep reading but remember that this is a guide, not a rulebook- if you like the look of a frame on yourself, own it! Making your own style rules can be a fun and expressive way to show your individual personality and spirit.
If you’re looking for assistance to achieve a classically good looking pair for your face shape, however, read on for our tips on assessing your own face and choosing a frame that will accentuate the advantages you were born with!
Glasses for All Kinds of Shapes
Here’s the truth about face shapes: almost nobody is a perfect heart, circle, square, or any other narrowly defined category. Most faces are a combination of a few different shapes: rounded chins and tall foreheads, angular features and tapered jaws, and so on.
Trying to pick just one stock image out of a lineup can feel impossible. What you want is the shape that looks the most like yours — even if your chin is a little more pointed than the “typical” oval, or your forehead a little wider than the “usual” inverted triangle. These are all just guidelines to help you determine how to balance and complement your features, not unbreakable rules.
Once you’ve recognized your face shape, you can find which frame shape will bring a natural balance to your face. This guide will help identify the type of glasses shape you should look at when browsing online or in store.
For a bare bone, just-the-facts assessment, look at your jawline in the mirror. Is your jawline more curved or is it leaning towards the more angular side of things? For the simplest assessment of your face, decide if your jawline is more “round” or “square”. For a more detailed examination of your facial structure, see below.
Square-shaped faces will want to choose the opposite shape for glasses such as:
- round glasses
- oval shaped frames
You will want frames that are proportional to the length and width of your face. Round and oval-shaped frames will soften the hard angles in a square shaped face and add balance. They also suit diamond-shaped faces.
Draw attention away from the angles: The best way to flatter the facial features of a square face is to bring the attention away from the square shape with coloured frames.
Sunglasses for Square face shape
If you’re shopping for sunglasses for a square face, choose curved sunglasses designs that are wider – these will help soften sharp angles and balance your cheekbones. And for a bold statement, give cat-eye shades a try.
Fitting Tips
The most important thing to remember when choosing glasses for round face shapes is to select frames that work to add angles. They look great in bold, angular glasses with clean lines.
Below are a few tips to keep in mind when you search.
- Rectangular frames: break up the face structure, which can make your face appear longer and thinner.
- Angular and geometric frames: add some sharper, more distinct lines to your face in order to create a balance.
- Upswept frames such as cat-eye or D-frame: if you have full-bodied curvy cheeks, try to draw attention to them while simultaneously placing the focus on your eyes.
And if you’re looking for sunglasses for round faces, have a look at our suggestions of rectangular, D-frame, or squared-off cat-eye sunnies.
This is typically thought of as the most versatile of all the face shapes. They look great in winged-out frames that jut out slightly wider than their forehead and rounded bases to balance and complement their features such as:
- Bottom-heavy frames: If your chin is especially narrow, you may wish to create a bit more width.
- Frame with low-set temples: If you’re conscious of your forehead’s width, choosing this style will draw attention downward, emphasizing the lower part of your face.
- Oval-shaped frames: if you have a pointy chin by selecting an oval frame shape works wonders for drawing attention upward toward your eyes.
- Light-coloured or rimless frames: minimize the look of glasses on your heart-shaped face by selecting a style with an unobtrusive frame.
Shopping for sunglasses that’ll suit your heart face?
Find frames that are proportionate to your face by looking for styles that have a deep base and subtle wingtips that are slightly wider than your forehead. Aviators and D-frame sunglasses are great options.
- D-frames
- Aviator
- Cat-eyes glasses
And if you want to make a bolder statement, a round style offers an interesting juxtaposition to angular features.
Are you in search of sunglasses for a triangle face shape?
Balance your features with a pair of sunnies that are the complete opposite in structure; look for designs that are widest at the top and narrowest at the bottom, like cat-eye sunglasses or D-frame shapes. Sunglasses with a wider or bolder browline will draw attention away from your jawline and elongate your forehead.
This, however, doesn’t mean that you can pick up any frame off the shelf. A frame should emphasize the strong points and deemphasize the weak points of your face so that your face looks perfectly balanced. For an oval face, it means emphasizing the natural balance of the face and adding angles to its soft curves.
Look for a frame that is as wide as the widest part of your face, which is the area around the eyes. In this respect, the most suitable eyeglasses frames for oval faces are:
- square,
- rectangular or
- geometric shapes.