Eyeglasses have risen above their original medical purpose and have attained the rank of fashion accessory. Wearing a complementary, stylish eyeglass frame is a great way to make a bold statement or change your entire look. Using your face shape as a guideline when selecting eyeglass frames will help narrow down the frame selection to those styles that will complement and enhance your features.
Determine the Shape of Your Face
When choosing eyeglass frames, most faces can be categorized into one of five basic shapes: round, oval, square, heart and triangle. To determine your shape, study your face in a picture or in the mirror and assess the overall ratio of length to width. Observe any angles or features that stand out.
A square face is about as wide as it is long and most likely features a broad forehead and/or wide jaw line.
An oval face is one that is generally twice as long as it is wide with soft angles on the whole.
A broad forehead, narrow chin and pointed jaw line indicate a heart face shape (also called an inverted triangle).
Individuals with a narrow forehead and strong jaw most likely have a triangle face shape.
Round faces have a length about equal to the width and no sharp or angular features.
Select Contrasting Frames
The most complimentary frames are those that contrast the shape of a your face. This contrast helps soften sharp angles or sharpen round lines according to the desired effect. In general, those with oval (or diamond shape) faces have balanced features and can therefore wear most frame shapes. Individuals with a round face shape should avoid round lenses as this will make the face look even more curved. Frames with sharp angles or geometric shapes are a good complement for a round face. A triangular face might benefit from frames that are heavy in size or shape on the top of the frame and light on the bottom, such as a semi-rimless frame design. A heart-shaped face looks best in frames that are cat-eye style or light in color and size at the top of the frame. Square faces, those with a heavy jaw line and wide forehead, will benefit most from oval eyeglass frames, frames with soft curves and thin materials.
After locating frames to compliment a given face shape, eliminate any frames that seem out of scale with the size of the face. The eyes should be centered in the frame, the top of the frame aligned with the eyebrows, and the arms of the frame should lightly touch the temples.
Downplay Undesirable Features
Use the selected eyeglass frames to downplay undesirable features such as a sharply angled jaw, wide nose or close-set eyes. For example, a high bridge on an eyeglass frame will flatter a narrow or short nose, but a low-set bridge can be used to downplay a long or wide nose. Additionally, wide-set eyes look closer when framed with a heavy or dark-colored bridge, and close-set eyes benefit from a light or clear bridge.