When it comes to selecting the perfect pair of sunglasses (while the primary purpose is shielding our eyes from the sun’s rays), the ultimate style goal is to enhance your overall look. After all, who wants sunglasses that do the opposite?
In this post, you’ll learn how to choose sunglasses frames that fit your face shape and amplify your distinctive features, boosting your confidence and unique style.
Two key points come into play in the sunglasses selection: a frame colour and a frame style.
While my recent article, “Sunglasses Decoded: Great Coloured Sunglasses For Your Complexion,” explored the world of coloured frames and how to align them with your colour palette, this post focuses on an equally crucial aspect: the frame style that best suits your face shape.
Choosing the right sunglasses frames involves a strategic approach guided by your choice. Depending on what you want to hide/correct and what you would like to highlight/make your feature, you can choose:
- Complementary Frames: Frames that naturally follow and accentuate the contours of your face, emphasising your inherent beauty.
- Contrasting Frames: Alternatively, frames that counterbalance and soften your face’s natural shape create a distinct visual appeal.
Understanding your face shape is key before you start a sunglasses-shopping journey. Face shapes evolve over time; age can reshape a once-rounded visage into an elegant oval with prominent cheekbones and a refined jawline. Today, we’ll explore common face shapes: round, square, oval, heart, diamond, and oblong. Each face shape corresponds harmoniously with certain frame styles, creating a polished look.
Although it is fashionable nowadays to not follow the rules, it is always easier to break them when you know them.
So let’s go over them.
Understand Your Face Shape and
Sunglasses Frames
How to Determine Your Face Shape
Don’t fret if decoding your face shape feels like attempting to learn to play the violin. Take time to rediscover your face again, in case you haven’t looked at it closely lately. Here’s the guide on how to determine your face shape accurately:
- Sweep your hair back to unveil your forehead.
- Measure the width of your forehead, and look at your cheekbones and jawline.
- Analyse your jawline’s shape—angular, rounded, or in-between.
- Match your observations to the classic face shapes.
Oval Face Shape: 
Lucky you! An oval face is quite versatile and suits most sunglass frames. You can confidently choose the most extravagant glasses. Look for sunglasses frames as wide as (or slightly wider than) the broadest part of your face, from architectural frames made of transparent plastic or “bare” to neon-bright lenses and dark glasses with double bridges.
Most suitable sunglasses frames for your face shape:
- Frames with smooth shapes: rectangular, oval, round, and other soft geometric shapes. They emphasise the harmony of your face shape.
- Butterfly-shaped glasses add interest and draw attention to the upper part of the face.
- “Aviator” style. The classic “aviator” style looks good on an oval face shape, adding style and accentuating features.
- “Cat-eye” frames. With upturned corners, these frames can add a playful touch to your look.
Oblong Face Shape:
From the oval shape, the elongated face differs in greater vertical elongation. For such faces, all “horizontal” models are recommended – those that emphasise the width of the face rather than its length (for example, shield sunglasses). Unconventional shapes will also look interesting: they traditionally shorten faces, but it will have a great effect in this case.
You can try sunglasses in the shape of hearts or flowers, which are beloved by fans of music festivals. But if you dare to go for something even more original, that’s a matter of personal preference and creativity.
To visually broaden the face, opt for larger, substantial glasses:
- Round frames will soften your face’s straight and defined lines
- Bold square sunglasses frames add width and balance
- Transparent sunglasses with a thin frame that matches your skin tone are a good choice
- Large frames
- Oversized shades with curves like “aviator” style glasses with large frames, colourful aviators or aviators with tortoiseshell frames
Round Face Shape:
This face type has a broad forehead, a “not prominent” chin, and chubby cheeks. The length and width of the oval are proportional as if a circle were drawn with a compass. Typically, individuals with this face type desire to slightly reduce the roundness and introduce more geometry to their features.
An “angular” effect can be achieved with glasses lacking rounded elements.
Most suitable sunglasses frames for your face shape:
- Rectangular and trapezoidal frames
- “cat-eye” shapes
- aviators
- wayfarers
These shapes contrast with the curves of your face and give the illusion of more prominent cheekbones.
Square Shape Face:
People with a strong jawline and a forehead of similar width characterise a square face shape. To soften the angles, you should pay attention to models that will visually soften sharp cheekbones, a prominent jawline, and a broad forehead. Round, oval and “cat-eye” frame styles fall into these options as they will round out the lines. In this case, oversized models are also recommended. Don’t hesitate to choose the most unusual ones, like pentagon shapes or those with appliques extending beyond the frame’s contour – all geometrical aspects will work in your favour.
Most suitable sunglasses frames for your face shape:
- Round
- Oval frames
- “Cat-eye”
- Oversized
- Pentagon shapes
Diamond Face Shape:
A diamond face shape is unique. Its distinctive features include the widest part of the face being the cheekbones, a reasonably prominent forehead, and a pointed and narrow chin. In this case, the main goal with glasses is to achieve proportionality between the upper and lower parts of the face. Choose sunglasses frames that soften the cheekbone line and add “weight” to the lower part of the face – for example, aviators or wayfarers. Oversized glasses can also work well if chosen wisely: for the oval shape, these models should extend no more than a couple of centimetres beyond the outline of the face. They should have a more elongated shape rather than being completely round.
Most suitable sunglasses frames for your face shape:
- Rimless
- Square
- Aviators
- Wayfarers
- Oversized glasses
Heart Face Shape:
The task is to balance the upper part of the face, making the lower part appear slightly heavier. A heart-shaped face has a broader forehead and a narrower chin.
Most suitable sunglasses frames for your face shape:
- Match your face’s width, preferably with a slight teardrop shape to balance out your features
- “Aviator” style glasses
- Rounded, circular sunglasses frames
- Frames emphasising the lower part, such as two-tone designs
- Light and neutral-coloured frames
- Petite frames with a narrow bridge
- Frameless glasses
- “Wayfarer” style glasses
- Cat-eye shapes would be a great choice to highlight your facial structure.
Conclusion
Remember, sunglasses aren’t mere accessories; they’re a signature of your style. They are the first thing people see when they look at you. Whether you opt for frames that embrace your natural contours or those that contrast for added drama, each choice is a step toward defining your sunglass persona. So, before you pick your next pair, consider your face’s canvas and choose sunglasses frames that empower you to confidently present your best self to the world.
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