Just like different styles of clothing compliment different body shapes, different eye glasses flatter different face shapes. What is your face shape? Learn which style of glasses will look best on your face before making your next purchase.
The Round Face Shape: People with round faces have wide foreheads and round chins. The width and length of the face are approximately equal. Rounded faces tend to be short in height and they lack any dramatic angles. The round face has soft curves. Christina Ricci, Drew Barrymore, and Kate Winslet have a round face shape.
TIPS — Choose glasses that are wider than they are deep. Keep the width of the glasses equal to or wider than the broadest part of your face. If you wear glasses that are deeper, your face will appear even shorter. When you choose a wider style, your face will appear longer. You can also achieve this longer look by going with an angular, narrow frame. Stay away from those big round glasses. An angular frame with rectangular or geometric shapes adds definition, creates balance, and helps to sharpen those extremely soft curves. Rectangular frames make this face shape look slimmer and longer as well. Going with a deep color like black or tortoise will also minimize the roundness of your face.
The Heart Face Shape: People with heart shaped faces have a large forehead and a narrow jaw. This face shape also has a narrower jaw line and high cheekbones. Celebrities with a heart shaped face include Ashley Judd, Tyra Banks and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
TIPS — Choose glasses that are wider at the bottom as this helps to offset the narrow chin. Avoid frames that are wider at the top or that have a great deal of decoration at the top as this can make the face appear “top heavy,” and don’t sit the frames too high on your face. Large frames, heavy nose bridges, and bold colors should also be avoided. This face shape works well with both angular and round glasses because the shape of your face has both round and angular shapes. Lighter colored round frames can balance and soften the wide forehead. Rimless glasses work well. Cat-eye glasses are great for balancing this face shape as well by countering the narrow jaw line.
The Square Face Shape: People with a square face shape will have a strong, prominent jaw line, a deep forehead and a broad, square chin. As with a round face shape, the width and length of the face are approximately equal. This face shape is extremely angular. Sandra Bullock, Jessica Simpson, and Demi Moore have a square face shape.
TIPS — Choose glasses that are wider than they are deep once again. Glasses that are round or oval will counteract the strong angles already present with this face shape. These frames will also soften and add some contrast and curves to your face. Narrow oval frames lengthen a square face while also minimizing your angular features. Rimless frames also look nice with this face shape. Be sure that the top of the frames sit high enough on the bridge of the nose. This will downplay the strong jaw line.
The Oval Face Shape: People with an oval face shape are considered to be the best face shape as it is well balanced. The forehead and jaw line are narrow, with a chin slightly narrower than the forehead. Oval faces will normally have high cheekbones as well. Many times oval faces come with smaller facial features. In general this face can be described as softly rounded. Sarah Michelle Geller, Cameron Diaz, and Brittany Spears all have an oval face shape.
TIPS — Oval face shapes are the easiest shape for choosing eye glasses. Oval faces can wear practically any frame, round or angular. To keep those great proportions in check you might want to choose frames that are as wide as or wider than the broadest part of your face. A walnut shaped frame or softened square frame work nicely for an oval face. Be careful not to overpower any small facial features when choosing your eye glasses as well.
The Oblong Face Shape: This face is much longer than it is wide. Sometimes an oblong face shape will have a long nose and a straight vertical line associated with the cheekbones. This face shape is similar to the square face shape in that the chin and cheekbones are of nearly the same width. Paris Hilton, Liv Tyler, and Sarah Jessica Parker all have an oblong face shape.
TIPS — Choose frames that are wider as these will break up the face’s length. Avoid small, narrow, square-shaped frames as this will emphasize your angular features. Glasses that sit lower on the bridge will help to make the nose appear shorter. For the oblong face shape you want to cover as much of the center of the face as possible to minimize its length. Go with wider frames that are also “tall” top to bottom or have a good bit of depth.
The Triangular Face Shape: This face is narrower at the forehead and gets wider at the cheeks. It is also wider at the jaw. Bette Midler and Geena Davis have a triangular face shape.
TIPS — Choose frames that are going to take the attention to the top half of your face. Good choices include semi-rimless glasses and frames that are heavily decorated on the top half of the frame. Cat eye frames with heavy embellishments are ideal for this face shape since they draw the eye upward and make the face seem more balanced. Stay away from bold colors.
The Diamond Face Shape: This is the rarest of face shapes. A person with a diamond shaped face will have a narrow jaw line and a narrow eye line. They will often times have prominent cheekbones that are both high and dramatic. Celebrities with a diamond shaped face include Katherine Hepburn, Felicity Huffman, and Kim Raver.
TIPS — The key to the right style eyeglasses for a diamond shaped face is to emphasize those stunning cheekbones and to highlight the eyes. To do this go with rimless, oval or cat eye shaped glasses. Frames that have detailing along the top or heavy brow lines look great with oval shaped faces.
Hopefully these tips helped you in some way. Remember that this is only a guideline and sometimes a pair of glasses that isn’t supposed to look good on you will. Use your own discretion.
