You should consider three main points when choosing an eyeglass frame for your face shape, according to The Vision Council:
- Eyewear should repeat your personal best feature (such as a blue frame to match blue eyes).
- The frame shape should contrast with your face shape.
- The frame size should be in scale with your face size.
Also, while most faces are a combination of shapes and angles, there are four basic face shapes: square, round, oval, and heart-shaped. Here is a further description of these face shapes and which types of frames work best for each, according to The Vision Council. A good optician can help you use these guidelines to choose your new eyeglasses.
Square
Round
Oval
Heart
Square Faces
Facial Features
A square face has a strong jaw line and a broad forehead, plus the width and length are in the same proportions. To make a square face look longer and soften the angles, try narrow frame styles, frames that have more width than depth, and narrow ovals.
| Recommended Oval and round frames, glasses with temples that are center set or that connect at the top of the frame, Butterfly shaped glasses. | Not Recommended Geometric and square shaped frames that accentuate angles of the face, low-set temples or color accents on the bottom of the frames that draw emphasis to the chin. |
Round Faces
Facial Features
A round face has curved lines with the width and length in the same proportions and no angles. To make a round face appear thinner and longer, try angular narrow eyeglass frames to lengthen the face, a clear bridge that widens the eyes, and frames that are wider than they are deep, such as a rectangular shape.
| Recommended Angular and geometric frames that sharpen facial features. Rectangular and horizontal styles make faces appear longer and thinner. Upswept frames that draw attention to top of face. Glasses with temples that connect at the top of the frame add length. | Not Recommended Small frames that are out of proportion. Short frames that accentuate face length. |
Oval Faces
Facial Features
An oval face is considered to be the ideal shape because of its balanced proportions. To keep the oval’s natural balance, look for eyeglass frames that are as wide as (or wider than) the broadest part of the face, or walnut-shaped frames that are not too deep or too narrow.
| Recommended Most frame shapes work with oval faces. Square, rectangular and geometric shapes which add angles to soft curves. | Not Recommended Frames that are too large for your features. |
Heart-shaped Faces
Facial Features
This face has a very wide top third and small bottom third. To minimize the width of the top of the face, try frames that are wider at the bottom, very light colors and materials and rimless frame styles (which have a light, airy effect because the lenses are simply held in place by a few screws, with no surrounding frame material).
| Recommended Semi-rimless frames that accentuate the upper face. Top-heavy styles that balance the width of the jaw. Frame bottoms that angle inward. | Not Recommended Low-set temples that widen the jaw. Narrow frames that are out of proportion. |