Just like wine and cheese, and the sun and sand, the best combinations occur when two elements complement each other. Two factors to take into consideration when shopping for readers are face shape and frame shape. We believe you should wear whatever makes you feel comfortable, but for those of you who can’t figure out why some pairs of readers look better than others, we want to provide some insight on this face shape and frame shape dynamic.
To find the frame that will look the best on you, we recommend starting with your face shape. Once you know which shape your face most closely resembles, you can start narrowing down glasses styles that will complement the shape. Read on to find your face shape and learn about which frame styles work best with each.
The first step towards finding the perfect pair of glasses is to find your face shape. Because every face is unique in the angles and lines that make up the face, try to pick the shape that most strongly resembles your face. The four most common face shapes are square, oval, heart, and round face shapes.
To find your face shape you can use a couple of different methods:
- Ask a friend or family member for their opinion.
- Trace your face shape with a bar of soap, dry erase marker, or some lipstick in the mirror. The shape you see on the mirror should resemble one of the four most common face shapes.
- Look in the mirror and note the widest part(s) of your face (forehead, cheeks, or jawline).
- If your forehead is the widest part of your face and the width tapers towards your chin, you likely have an oval face shape. This is especially true if your face is long and you have a rounder chin.
- If your cheekbones are the widest point of your face and the length and width of your face is about equal, you have a round face.
- If your jaw is the widest part of your face, check the shape of your jaw – if it’s rounded, that usually indicates a round face. If your chin is more pointed, that indicates a heart face or triangle-shaped face. (If you have a widow’s peak and a pointy chin, it’s likely you have a heart-shaped face.)
- If all three points are nearly equal in width and your face is shorter, you have a square face.
While we only focus on four face shapes, other shapes include diamond, triangle, and pear face shapes. Find your face shape below to see which frame styles will look best on you:
Square faces are distinguished by a wide forehead and cheekbones, and a strong, rectangular jawline. To soften these boxy features, choose oval or round-shaped glasses. Even aviator and cat-eye style frames have the right amount of softness to complement your face, but we recommend staying away from square or rectangular styles.
Also note that although rimless glasses are not technically a shape, they are a characteristic that will also help to soften your features!
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Shop Aviator Reading Glasses
Shop Cat Eye Reading Glasses
Shop Round Reading Glasses
The heart-shaped or triangle-shaped face is very distinguishable: it’s characterized by a sharp jawline and a wide forehead. Those with a heart-shaped face may also have a widow’s peak. To balance a pointed chin, choose wide, upswept styles like cat eyes, rectangular glasses, and retro square glasses.
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Shop Cat Eye Reading Glasses
Shop Rectangle Reading Glasses
Shop Retro Square Reading Glasses
Oval and oblong face shapes are lucky; they can basically pull off any type of glasses style. Round, rectangle, aviator, or retro square — take your pick! Although you have a lot of options, keep proportion in mind: rimless or half frame readers work well with petite faces while full frame glasses are best for longer faces.
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Shop Round Reading Glasses
Shop Rectangle Reading Glasses
Shop Retro Square Reading Glasses
Since round faces are free of harsh angles, it’s best to add dimension with a pair of rectangular glasses. Uniquely-angled frames like cat eyes and retro square glasses also add dimension to soft features. Make sure to avoid round styles, which will only add extra width and curviness to a circular shape.
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Shop Rectangle Reading Glasses
Shop Retro Square Reading Glasses
Diamond faces are a rare face shape, so if you fall into this category, you’re a rare gem! To balance out your features, we recommend wearing frames with soft angles like round, aviator, oval, and browline frame shapes. Oversized frames can also work well with diamond-shaped faces.
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Shop Round Reading Glasses
