How to choose the right sunglasses for your face shape

What do your sunglasses really do for you?

We wear them for fashion, and sometimes to cover up what’s going on with our eyes, but our sunglasses serve a bigger purpose. 

Sunglasses help to protect the eyes from the sun’s glare, which limits eyesight with prolonged exposure. Bright sunlight causes you to squint to protect your eyes, which can lead to skin wrinkles around the eyes over time. These wrinkles make you look older than you are. Not a good side effect.

That’s why choosing the right sunglasses is so important. Not only do the right frames look cool, but they better help to protect your eyes better as they accentuate your face. Your face shape should determine the shape of the frames you buy. Even if you have people you trust around to give you their opinion, you don’t want to leave your eye health in the hands of their opinion. And what if there isn’t anyone around to tell you if the sunglasses you want to buy fit your face. How do you know if it’s fashion and not fantasy?

Four basic face shapes

Your opinion is the only one that matters, but there’s also a little-known formula to choosing the right sunglasses for your face shape that works every time. It starts with knowing your face shape. There are many descriptions for all the possible face shape types, but they boil down to four basic categories: round, square, oval, and triangle.

Picking frames that fit your face shape

The formula for picking the best frames for your face has two components: balance and contrast. Your frames should add balance to your face shape by adding contrast. For example, if you have a round face, you should avoid round-shaped frames and smooth corners. Frames with sharp angles will contrast with your face shape, balancing it with more structure. If you have a square head shape with, say a masculine jawline, round frames with soft edges will work for you.

People with triangle-shaped faces have all the options open to them as generally all frames will work well. The rules for round faces apply to oval-shaped faces as well.

Frames generally come in these shape categories as well, which makes it easier to choose the right frame for your face when you are basically comparing apples and oranges. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. Facemask frames (you’ve seen them, I’m sure) don’t really fit in any category. If you’re interested in this trend, it’s best to try these on in person.

Picking the right size

Size also matters when it comes to sunglasses. Those that are too big or small can distort your face shape, which is the opposite of the balance and contrast that the formula requires. Frames that are too big make your head look small, and frames that are too small enlarge the head. 

Rule of thumb: Always look for frames that span the width of your cheekbones. If the frames are wider than the space between your cheekbones they will look too big. If they are smaller than that space, the frames will look too small. 

In summary, picking the right sunglasses for your face shape can be broken down into three easy steps:

1. Know your face shape.
2. Look for frames with a design that balances and contrasts with your face shape. 
3. Narrow your choices down to only those that span the width of your cheekbones.

Consider these steps when ordering frames online or if you’re looking to revamp your collection. Remember, the right frames for your face shape won’t just look good. They’ll also protect your eyes from too much sunlight and prevent you from squinting often. 

Choose wisely!