What Does the Shape of My Face Have to Do with Buying New Glasses?
November 7, 2023
When buying new glasses, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by your choices. You may find it challenging to find a pair of glasses that you like the look of when you're wearing them rather than liking them when they are on display.
How often have you found what you think is the perfect pair of glasses, tried them on, and realized they don't work on you? If you're ready to find eyeglasses and frames you'll love, you'll need to know your face shape.
Keep reading to learn what the shape of your face has to do with buying new glasses and what kinds of frames will look best on you!
Face Shape and Frame Shape
When you look in the mirror, do you know what shape your face is? Most people would say the shape of their face is round, but there's more to it than that.
The shape of your face is probably not the same as your friend, neighbor, or even one of your family members. Not everyone has the same face shape.
Some people have longer faces; others have wider jaws, higher cheekbones, or more prominent chins. Because of the immense diversity in face shapes, the same pair of glasses can look very different on different people.
The frames on your glasses, after all, also come in different shapes, and those shapes can affect the way your whole face looks. Doing this is a basic tenet of fashion design.
The lines from your clothing and accessories direct the eye, so certain parts of your body and face are highlighted, while other parts of your body are diminished that you may not want to focus on. When picking out new glasses, you can start by looking for frames that compliment your face shape.
To do that, you first need to know what kind of face shape you have. These guidelines will review some of the more common face shapes and the best frames that suit them.
But, as these are only guidelines, you may find a pair of glasses you love that aren't the "right" shape for your face. There's no reason why you can't get the glasses you love!
These are meant to be a place to start if you're struggling to find the right pair and need guidance.
Determining the Shape of Your Face
There are many face shapes, as everyone's face is unique. But most people's faces fall into certain broader categories of face shapes. Some of the most common are oval, square, round, triangle, and heart.
You can easily determine the shape of your face by looking in the mirror. Pull your hair away from your face and then find the widest part of your face. You can do this using a tape measure or looking at your face.
The best way to determine your face shape is to measure the width of your forehead, cheeks, and jaw, along with the overall length of the face. Knowing these measurements, you can usually find which shapes best represent your face.
The widest part of your face will determine its shape. If you have a wide forehead, you'll have an oval face. If your cheekbones are the widest part, you likely have a heart-shaped or round face. If you have a face equal in proportion, you have a square face.
Oval
People with oval-shaped faces have a high forehead and pointed chin. They tend to have longer faces, and their cheeks are the widest part of the face.
Square
People with square-shaped faces have an angular jawline, with cheeks roughly the same width as the forehead and jaw. Their face also is about as long as the cheeks are wide.
Round
People with round faces have rounded chins and full cheeks. The face also is about as long as the cheeks are wide, with a smaller forehead and jawline.
Triangle
People with triangle-shaped faces have a wide, square jawline, similar to people with square-shaped faces. The main difference between the square-shaped face is that the forehead is narrower than the cheeks and jawline.
Heart
People with heart-shaped faces have wide foreheads, narrow chins, and high cheekbones. They also tend to have a widow's peak hairline, adding to the overall heart-like structure of the face.
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Choosing Frames For Your Face Shape
Once you know your face shape, you can look for glasses that best compliment your face. These are the general recommendations for each face shape:
Oval
Bold, wide, and oversized frames are best with an oval face shape. Bright and bold colors also look very good on an oval-shaped face. If you don't want to emphasize the length of your face, try to avoid narrow frames.
Square
Round glasses that sit high on the nose look great on square-shaped faces, particularly if they're rimless. These types of frames contrast the angular features of the face while complimenting and highlighting them.
Round
Bold, angular frames work best for a round face, as do rectangular glasses. Any geometric-shaped frames look good on round faces, like hexagonal or octagonal.
The angles work well to compliment the face's softer shape. Cat eye frames also work quite well if you want to compliment your full cheeks in particular.
Triangle
Try wide frames with accent colors if your face is triangular. Semi-rimless glasses, specifically those with rims on the top and none on the bottom, also work well for this face shape.
Bold semi-rimless glasses, in particular, can balance the shape of the narrower forehead. Browline, aviator, and cat eye frames also work well for triangular faces.
Heart
Most shapes look good on heart-shaped faces, but bottom-heavy frames and wing tips look especially good. You can also go with oval, cat eye, browline, or aviator frames. Light colors and rimless frames also compliment the heart-shaped face quite well.
Are you ready to buy your next pair of glasses? Request your appointment at Washington Eye Specialists in Washington, DC, now!