How to Choose the Right Glasses for Your Face Shape

With upwards of 70% of American adults wearing glasses or contact lenses, it's no surprise that there's now a huge array of choices when it comes to frame shapes. But choosing which frames to buy can be overwhelming and expensive if you get it wrong. 

When it comes to looking at those racks of glasses or on web pages, what they look like on the stand or in the photograph is only half the story. The most important factor is how they look on your face.

Finding the right glasses for your face shape doesn't have to be difficult. In fact, when you know which kind of glasses suit you, your choice is much more straightforward. The right glasses accentuate your features, sit properly, and give you the confidence to wear your glasses with pride. 

Read on to discover the best glasses for your face.

Why Choosing the Right Glasses Can Transform Your Face

You've probably tried on glasses before that looked great in the photographs but look all wrong when you put them on. When you wear glasses that don't suit your face shape, they can make you look older, hide your best features, and make your face appear bigger or smaller than it is. 

In contrast, when you choose frames that suit you perfectly, they'll emphasize your features and give balance and youth to your face. Feeling comfortable and confident in your glasses has a huge impact on how you go about your day and you'll actually look forward to wearing them. 

The Best Glasses Frames for Different Face Shapes

Let's take a look at which face shapes there are and what glasses frames suit them. 

Square

A square face shape is typically defined as having a broad forehead with a strong jawline creating a square overall shape. The proportions of the width and height tend to be the same as well. 

As square faces can be quite angular, the right-shaped glasses can soften those angles and even give extra length to your face. Finer frames, as opposed to thick frames, can also soften your features.

Rounded cat-eyes can work well but anything with curves over flat lines can be considered. 

Choose: Glasses with rounded corners. Oval glasses and cat-eye styles will also look great on square faces by adding curves to break up the angles. 

Avoid: Glasses with harsh angles.

Oval

An oval face shape has balanced proportions with the widest section being in the middle and curved edges. This face shape is the easiest when it comes to choosing glasses as the majority of shapes will suit you. 

Choose: Anything that catches your eye. 

Avoid: Frames that are too large or too small for your face size. 

Heart

A heart-shaped face is much narrower at the jawline and chin than at the forehead and cheekbones, creating an upside-down triangle shape. To find glasses that suit heart-shaped faces, it's all a question of balancing out the proportions. 

Balancing a heart-shaped face with glasses isn't too difficult as long as you avoid glasses that are very wide at the top or enhance the top of the frame. Rounded or rectangle glasses with light frames can work very well. 

Choose: Light frames in rounded, oval, or rectangular styles. 

Avoid: Heavy topped and wide top glasses. 

Round

A round face shape tends to have the same proportions lengthwise and widthwise with curved edges and no obvious angles. When looking for glasses to suit a round face shape, you'll want to add in some angles and styles that offer extra length to the face. 

Examples of good styles would be rectangular glasses with a good width to add structure to your face shape. Square glasses also look fantastic on round faces with styles like the wayfarer bringing balance and length. 

Semi-rimless glasses can also be flattering on round faces with a dark top rim and rimless bottom section. 

Choose: Glasses with angles.

Avoid: Small, round glasses.

Diamond

This face shape is an angular version of an oval and fairly uncommon. With a narrower forehead and chin than cheekbones, diamond face shapes will have angular structures. 

You can choose glasses that accentuate your wonderful cheekbones and you have a wide range of styles to choose from. Cat-eye styles complement your cheekbones with their upward sweeping angles while top-heavy frames like half-rims can balance out your forehead. 

Width is important for the top rim with diamond faces, so experiment with styles that have a heavy top and have a good width. 

Choose: Top-heavy wide styles.

Avoid: Narrow frames.

Oblong/Rectangular

Much like the square shape, those with oblong faces have equally wide foreheads and jawlines. Oblong faces are longer than they are wider though so you might want to look at frames that reduce the length of your face while adding in softer lines. 

Luckily, oblong faces are one of the easiest shapes along with oval when it comes to choosing glasses. You can get away with almost anything thanks to the natural balance within this face shape. 

Pick and choose from the styles that speak most to your personality and play around with more experimental frames. 

Choose: Almost anything, especially frames with depth.

Avoid: Oversized frames that will take away from your natural balance.

Get the Right Glasses for Your Face Shape

The key to getting the right glasses for your face shape is to accentuate your features, create balance, and complement your natural facial structure. While some face shapes are easier than others to choose for, with these tips you'll have a great starting point when browsing for frames. 

If you're looking for a beautiful pair of glasses that will give you confidence and comfort, have a look at our range of offers on designer glasses. You can filter by shape too, making it much easier to find the perfect glasses for you.