Unless you have a perfect, oval-shaped face, choosing the right size, shape, and style of glasses for your face shape can feel completely and utterly daunting. What looks good on your BFF might look ridiculous on you, and since glasses tend to be a pricey investment many of us can’t live without, it’s important to know how to choose frames that compliment your round, square, diamond, rectangle, or heart-shaped face.
I’ve been wearing glasses since the tenth grade, but it wasn’t until I hit my university years – when I spent many nights hunched over my computer cranking out essays until the wee hours of the morning – that my eyes really started to become a problem. Wearing glasses suddenly became a necessity rather than a nicety, and while I always loved the funky frames my friends wore, I was never brave enough to make a statement with my eyewear and ended up opting for contact lenses instead.
But last year, when my daughter and I came down with a horrible case of conjunctivitis in both of our eyes and I made the mistake of not completing my full course of antibiotics, I ended up with a pretty bad secondary infection that left me unable to wear contacts for 2 weeks.
It was torture.
Fortunately, my vanity eventually got the best of me and I spent an entire afternoon researching everything I needed to know about choosing the right glasses for my face shape, and I’m now the proud owner of a fabulous set of frames that make me feel sexy and stylish and trendy.
Even on days when I’m definitely NOT sexy, stylish, or trendy.
I’ve since become a bit obsessed with glasses as I feel the perfect frame can really pull an outfit together, and today I’m teaming up with Pearle Vision to share 4 simple tips to help you choose the right glasses for your face shape.
Why?
Because bad glasses shouldn’t happen to good people!
1. IDENTIFY YOUR FACE SHAPE
The first step in finding the perfect set of frames for your face is to figure out what shape you face is. Is it round? Square? Diamond? Oval? Rectangle? Heart-shaped? Find a recent photo of yourself and trace your face with a black marker to see. It’s a pretty fun and fascinating thing to do, and will make a world of difference when it comes to choosing a new set of glasses.
2. CHOOSE YOUR STYLE
Once you’ve identified the shape of your face, the hard work is done. Certain frames are best suited to particular face shapes, which I’ve broken down in simple terms below.
Round Face: If you were blessed with a circular face shape like me, you want to add a little definition by choosing large rectangular or square frames. Thick, bold frames are also your friend, and will help you make a statement.
Square Face: Square-faced gals tend to have stronger features, and should choose frames that are softer to add a bit of contrast. Round and oval frames work best.
Diamond Face: Cat eye, oval, and rimless frames work well on diamond face shapes as they help emphasize the cheek bones!
Rectangle Face: Similar to our square-faced friends, round and oval frames help soften rectangular face shapes.
Heart Face: If you have full cheekbones, your best bet is to avoid heavy frames and stick with something a little less dramatic. Thin, wire frames work well, but if you prefer something bold, consider bottom-heavy frames as an alternative.
Oval Face: If you sport an oval face shape, you are in luck as you can pull off pretty much any size and style when it comes to glasses. With that said, take it easy on the really oversized frames. A little bit of definition is great, but try not to go overboard.
3. ACCENTUATE YOUR BEST FEATURE
Once you know what size and shape of frames are best for your face shape, it’s time to get down to business and find your perfect match. Some like to choose frames in their favorite color while others prefer something neutral that won’t cause a fashion faux pas, but I suggest taking it a step further and choosing a set of frames that help accentuate your best feature. Whether you have fabulous cheek bones, gorgeous green eyes, or killer eyebrows, you want to find a way to make those features POP.
For me, it was pretty easy. I wanted a set of bold, rectangular frames in black to compliment my round face, and I managed to find a pair with a light blue inner rim to bring out the blue in my eyes. I get so many compliments on my specs and love how much such a small detail has made in my overall look!
4. ADD SOME CONTRAST
I’ve already mentioned this a million times, but it bears repeating: when choosing glasses, you want to find a set of frames that add a bit of contrast to your facial features. Square jaw? Choose soft, round frames. Full cheeks? Stick with plain, wire frames. Round, pudgy face like me? Make a statement with thick, bold glasses.
See? Choosing the right glasses for your face shape isn’t as difficult as it sounds. Once you know your face shape and understand how to highlight and add contrast to your features, you’re golden.
Of course, before you can do any of this, you need to have your eyes examined, and while it can be tempting to walk into the closest optical store on a whim when you decide it’s time for new specs, experience has proven to me time and again that it’s worth the extra time and research to find an eye doctor you can trust.
And that’s what I love about Pearle Vision.
With so many locations to choose from and an online eye exam* scheduler, they offer convenience to busy moms like myself while also providing personalized care.
Quick example for you…
I have struggled with dry eyes for YEARS, and every time I have brought this up with the various eye doctors I’ve consulted with over my lifetime, the answer has always been the same: stop wearing your contacts so much. In theory, this is great advice, but it wasn’t until I spoke with the folks at Pearle Vision that someone took the time to actually listen to me.
My issues have nothing to do with how long I wear my contacts. I simply have dry eyes, and while I try to plan accordingly, there are times it’s just not practical to carry my glasses, a contact case, and contact solution just in case my eyes start to bother me.
And rather than giving me a lecture I’ve already heard time and again, my friends at Pearle Vision were kind enough to give me a pair of disposable contacts that are said to help people with dry eyes to try. I’m still testing these new babies out – so far, so good! – and while it’s possible I will never be able to wear my contacts for more than 6 hours at a time like I could when I was a carefree 20-something, I appreciate the fact that the folks at Pearle Vision didn’t dismiss me and tried to find a solution to help. They asked me a ton of questions – ‘What kind of contacts do you wear?’, ‘How long do you wear your contacts?’, ‘What happens when you wear them for too long?’, ‘What kind of contact solution do you use?’ – gave me a new brand to try, and then examined my eyes to make sure they fit me correctly before wishing me luck and reminding me to call or drop by if I have any issues.
Brad Goreski once said, ‘Putting on a new pair of glasses or sunglasses is a simple way to completely transform your look – just like a new hairstyle’, and he was 100% correct.
Check out Pearle Vision’s eye exam scheduler HERE and take the first step towards choosing the best glasses for your face shape.
And don’t forget the rest of your family. Pearle Vision has great frames for men, and some pretty adorable choices for kids! They even created characters Iris & Lash that help kids understand the importance of eye care and have fun while doing it. How adorable is that?!
Experience a child’s first eye exam:
*Eye exams arranged.
This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
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