For most people, the most important part of choosing a pair of glasses is how they appear on their face. While you could try on every pair of glasses at the store in order to find out which one looks best, narrowing down your choices in advance can save you aggravation and time. All you have to do is figure out your face shape and colouring, and understand what frame styles and colours will look best on you.
Matching Frame to Face Shapes
The first step to figuring out what pair of prescription glasses is going to look best on your face is to determine your face shape. There are three main points you need to consider when you look for a frame for your face shape.
The first step is to figure out the best feature of your face. Your frames need to match that feature, such as green frames to match your beautiful green eyes or striped frames to match your exotic hazel eyes. The second step is to figure out what frame shape will contrast with your face shape. The third step to consider is the frame size being in scale with your face size.
While most faces are a combination of angles and shapes, there are seven basic face shapes. These are oblong, round, oval, base-down triangle, base-up triangle, diamond and square.
The oval face is considered the ideal face shape because it has balanced proportions. In order to keep its natural balance, someone with an oval face shape will want to look for glasses frames that are as wide as or wider than the broadest part of their face. Walnut-shaped frames are a great selection for someone with an oval face, as long they are not too narrow or too deep-set.
The base-up triangle face shape has a very wide top third of the face and a small bottom third of the face. To lessen the width of the face, try frames that are wide at the bottom, light in colour, and light in materials. Rimless frame types that have a light and airy effect are best, because the lenses are held in place by just a few screws without any surrounding framing material.
The oblong face shape is longer than it is wide; someone with this face shape has a long, straight cheek line. Sometimes oblong face shapes also have a longer nose. To make the oblong face shape appear shorter and balanced, try a frame with more depth than it has width. Contrasting or decorative temples add some width to the face, while a low bridge shortens the nose.
Square face shapes have a strong jaw line and a broad forehead, and the width and length are in the same proportions. In order to make a square face shape look longer and soften those angles, try some narrow frame styles or frames that have more width than they do depth. In addition, some narrow ovals would do.
The diamond face shape is narrow at the eye line and jawline, and someone with a diamond face has broad cheekbones that are high and dramatic. The diamond face shape is one of the rarest face shapes. In order to highlight the eyes and soften your cheekbones, try a frame that has some detailing or distinctive brown lines. Some cat-eye shapes and rimless frame are also excellent options.
Someone with a round face shape has curved lines, with the width of their face and the length of their face being in the same proportion without any angles. To make a round face appear a little thinner and longer, try some angular narrow glasses frames to lengthen your face. A clear bridge will help widen the eyes, and frames that are wider than they are deep, like a rectangular shape, are also flattering.
The base-down triangle face shape has a slim forehead with broader cheeks and a wider chin area. To add some width and emphasise the narrow upper third of the face, try on some frames that are heavily accented with colour and decoration at the top half, or try some cat-eye shapes.
Matching Colours
There are three main components to colour analysis or matching colours for frames. Every person either has cool- or warm-based colouring. Everyone looks best in their unique colour base. Eyewear colour should complement your personal colouring tones.
The main factors that determine the proper colour palette for your frames are your skin colour, eye colour and hair colour.
Your skin tone is the main factor in determining the colours of your frames. All complexions fall into either cool or warm tones. Cool complexions have blue or pink undertones and a warm complexion has a yellow cast. Olive skin is considered cool because it’s a mix of blue and yellow.
Your eye colour is the secondary factor in figuring out the colour for your frames because there are numerous different variations of eye colour. For example, blue eyes can range from being almost a violet colour to being a pale blue or grey, which is a warm colour. Brown eyes will vary from a light cider shade, which is warm, to a medium brown to almost black, which is cool.
The third colour factor is hair colour. Hair colours are also considered to be warm or cool. Platinum blond, strawberry blond, white, blue to black, salt and pepper, auburn and ash brown are all considered cool tones for hair colour. Warm hair colours are brownish black, golden blond, ginger or carrot, grey, or brown to gold.
Once you have figured out if you are a warm- or a cool-toned person, you can find the proper frames that will suit your colouration best. Some examples of the frame colours that are best for warmer colorations are khaki, camel, copper, gold, orange, peach, off-white, coral, warm blue, bright red and blond tortoise.
For those with a cooler coloration, the best hues for their frames are silver, black, bluish grey, rose brown, magenta, plum, jade, pink, amber, blue and tortoise.
Fashion Considerations
If you are someone who prefers to keep up with fashion trends, then you most likely pay attention to the colours that dominate the runways, clothing stores and fashion magazines in certain seasons. Retailers and manufacturers will adjust their accessories to what designers believe consumers will find most appealing during any given time. Eyewear designers will create frames with the latest colourations, too.
Keep in mind that just because certain colours are in fashion in the moment, it doesn’t mean you have to choose one of them. Consider some contrasting colours, such a blue frame to go with a green jacket. You can also tone it down by pairing some classic tortoise-coloured frames with a grey shirt, or black frames with a coffee-coloured jacket.
Some people are tempted to pick out a colour that goes with everything, but consider a colour that really flatters you and helps you make a personal style statement. As long you’re open to new colours, you’ll never have boring frames.
Materials
When it comes to glasses frames, there are two different types of materials that are commonly used: plastic and metal. Plastic frames come in numerous different colours, shapes and sizes. They are the most versatile frames when it comes to style, but they are not always the strongest.
Metal frames come in different colours and designs, but not nearly as many as plastic. However, they are much stronger than plastic frames and are suited for those who have an occupation where their frames might be in danger of being scratched or even stepped on.
There are three different types of metal frames: Monel, titanium and beryllium. Monel frames are a mixture of metals and they are usually hypoallergenic. These frames are corrosion resistant and highly malleable. Titanium frames are popular and are lightweight, strong, durable and corrosion resistant. Titanium can be produced in numerous different colours and is also hypoallergenic. The final metal material used for frames is beryllium, which is a steel-grey material that is a low-cost alternative to titanium. Beryllium resists corrosion and tarnish, which is excellent for those who spend a lot of time near the ocean. It’s also strong, flexible, lightweight and available in many different colours.
Sometimes it’s possible to find frames made of wood or animal bone, but these are much more rare and they have limitations when it comes to flexibility and the ability to stand up to daily wear and tear.
Choosing the proper frames for your face style, colour tones, fashion sense and basic needs will save you a lot of hassle in the future. You’ll have a pair of frames you enjoy and that are able to handle your everyday needs. Always be sure to shop for a pair of frames for your unique face and personality equipped with the knowledge that will point you in the right direction.
