You’ve tried multiple pairs of sunglasses on, and none look right. You blame the frames – those last ones were too pointy, these ones are too round. But maybe you’re approaching this whole thing from the wrong perspective. In the nicest possible way, this might be less of a ‘those glasses’ problem and more of a ‘your face’ problem.
Unfortunately, you can’t help the face you were born with. But you can do something about the shades you decide to slap on it. Certain face shapes don’t gel with certain frames. The key to finding a pair of shades that work with you rather than against you is all down to knowing what your face shape is and what types of frames complement it.
This guide is here to help demystify the process. Don’t know what your face shape is? You will after reading it. Don’t know what style of frame to pick? We’re going to make it black and white.
So, before you waste any more time blindly trying on every pair in the shop and destroying your self-esteem in the process, scroll through this article and allow us to offer you some much-needed clarity on the matter.
How To Determine Your Face Shape
The very first step in finding the perfect set of sunnies is to figure out what shape your face is. To do this, you’ll first need to know what the various face shapes are. Broadly, every individual’s face can be grouped into one of five categories: round, square, heart-shaped, oval or diamond.
So, how do you know which yours belongs to? There are a couple of ways to go about this. The simplest of them is to eyeball it – stand in front of the bathroom mirror, have a good old look at yourself and decide which of the aforementioned shapes most closely resembles the outline of your face.
If you want to get a bit more technical, or if you think it’s too close to call, you could measure your face to eliminate any doubt. Rather than using a physical tape, there are all sorts of handy free measuring apps on iPhone or Android.
Measuring Up
Here are the measurements you’ll need:
- Face length: Top of the forehead to bottom of chin
- Jawline width: Jawbone, just beneath your earlobe, to middle of chin, then multiply by two
- Forehead width: Hairline to hairline across the centre of your forehead
- Cheekbone width: Highest point of your cheekbone to the same point on the other side
Once you’ve noted these measurements, you can scroll down this page and see which one of the face shapes listed below matches them. Oh, and if you’re using a physical tape, remember to keep it flat rather than curving it around your face.
Is This Really The Solution?
Johann Wolff
That depends on your goal. The purpose of choosing a frame that complements your face shape is to balance your features out. If you want instead to emphasise your features, or if you simply want to pick a frame because you like the way it looks, irrespective of face shape, then that’s fine too.
As with any styling advice, it should be taken with a pinch of salt. It is, after all, advice rather than a set of hard-and-fast rules. So, if you find a pair of shades that work for you or that you feel comfortable in, our recommendation is to roll with it.
Other factors arguably matter more than face shape alone. For example, it’s important to make sure your glasses sit in the eyewear’s ‘sweet spot’.
Imagine a box that stretches from the middle of your browline to roughly two-thirds of the way down your nose and out to the far ends of your eyebrows on each side. In theory, as long as your glasses fall within this space, they should look good.
That said, here’s what you need to know about picking a pair of sunglasses that suit your face shape.
Round Face
Frame suggestion: Square
If you have a round face, your face length and cheekbone width measurements will be similar. You might also have soft features and a rounded jawline.
The general advice is to avoid anything too circular and instead opt for more angular frames.
Square Face
Frame suggestion: Round
Those with square faces will notice that their measurements are relatively similar. Your jawline and forehead are probably broad and quite pronounced, and you have quite angular features.
In this case, the advice would be to soften those features with a rounder frame. You don’t necessarily need to go full John Lennon, but rather choose something without pointy corners and harsh lines
Heart-Shaped Face
Frame suggestion: Aviator
If your forehead measurement is longer than your jawline but narrower than your cheekbones, then you probably have what is referred to as a heart-shaped face. This face shape often accompanies a widow’s peak hairline and/or a narrow, pointed chin.
The good news is that many different frames will look great on you, but you might find that round and square frames with soft angles (think aviator) work best.
Oval Face
Frame suggestion: Anything and everything
Congratulations on winning the genetics lottery. If you’re blessed with an oval-shaped face where your cheekbone width is greater than your jaw and forehead width, and your face length is greater still, pretty much any frame should theoretically look good on you.
We’re talking about round, square, rectangle, oval, and even cat-eye styles. Go wild, but remember to keep whatever frame you pick within that sweet spot area mentioned above.
Diamond Face
Frame suggestion: Round
The widest part of your face is your cheekbones and they sit fairly high up. Your jawline and forehead are roughly the same width, and you have an angular, pointed chin. Sound like you? Chances are you fall into the diamond-face camp.
This means that on paper, you should get along well with rounder frames, which will balance out your face’s bold, angular lines. Try something round, oval-shaped or an aviator style.
