When we pick out new glasses, we want frames that will help us look our best.

Glasses are a huge part of a person’s look — why do you think nobody recognizes Superman behind the Clark Kent glasses? Because of the difference glasses make to our appearance, there’s a lot to consider when choosing the right frames.

Complementary Face and Frame Shape

Depending on the shape of your face, you might be more suited to some frame shapes than others. Here’s a quick guide on face shapes if you don’t already know yours:

• Square. Strong jawline and forehead, about as wide as they are long.
• Round. Full cheeks, rounded hair and jawline, and similar width and length.
• Oval. Similar to round faces, but a little thinner and longer.
• Heart-shaped. Wide cheeks and forehead, narrow chin. Sometimes emphasized with a widow’s peak hairline.

A great way to figure out your face shape is to look in the mirror, close one eye, and use a washable marker to draw the outline of your face. Whatever shape you draw should be similar to one of the four main face shapes. You can also ask us about your face shape at our practice!

The reason it’s a good idea to take the shape of your face into account when choosing frames is that it can determine which frame shapes are flattering on you. Rectangular glasses on a square face will only emphasize the squareness, while round glasses help soften out the angles.

Other Frame Factors to Consider

Shape is important, but it isn’t the only thing to think about in a new pair of frames. Size matters too. You want glasses that are neither too small nor too large for your face. This is particularly important for kids. Glasses for younger kids don’t look good on teenagers and vice versa.

Color is also important. If your skin has a warmer tone, you’ll probably look best in frame colors like camel, khaki, gold, copper, peach, orange, coral, off-white, fire-engine red, warm blue, or blond tortoise. People with cooler skin tones would do better in frame colors like black, silver, rose-brown, blue-gray, plum, magenta, pink, jade, blue, or darker tortoise.

Find the Frames that Suit Your Style

Picking new glasses isn’t just about matching them to your face shape, size, and color; it’s also about your sense of style! That’s especially true if you’re looking for a bold new look. That’s why we offer a wide selection of styles and materials for our patients to choose from. We’re also happy to make recommendations if you’re not sure where to start!

We love helping patients find the perfect frames to complete their look!

Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.