Instant Specs Appeal – Choosing designer glasses for you
Your glasses can be a glamorous accessory, giving you instant specs appeal. Choosing designer glasses, however, can be a little daunting.
In an ideal world, you’d have loads of pairs in different colours, shapes, and styles to suit your ever-changing mood and look. In reality though, you’re probably limited to just one or two pairs of glasses, so we’re here to make sure the designer glasses you choose are as flattering as possible.
To ensure the world sees you at your best, we suggest keeping these tips in mind when you come to our Newmarket or Henderson optometrists to buy your next pair of designer glasses. You will be able to choose designer eyeglasses that not only give you a better view of your surroundings, but also highlight your unique sense of you.
- Contrast – The shape of your frame should contrast the shape of your face: rounder features suit more angular glasses while angular features can be softened with more curved frames.
- Proportion – When getting prescription glasses you want your frames to be in proportion with the rest of your face. Designer sunglasses tend to be larger in order to have greater coverage and more eye protection, but what looks good in designer sunglasses will not necessarily look good as everyday prescription glasses.
- Colour – Just as the shape of your face helps determine which frames look best, so does your skin tone. More important than hair colour and more decisive than eye colour, you should select the shade of your designer glasses that is closest to your skin tone. People with darker hair/skin can wear brighter colours than those with a fairer complexion. If you have a yellow, bronze or golden cast to your skin, you have a warm complexion. Stay away from contrasting colours such as pastels. White and black frames are not flattering either. Instead, the best frame colours for you are light tortoise, browns shades, gold or honey, beige, and olive green. If your skin has pink or blue undertones, you have a cool complexion. Avoid colours that wash you out and instead reach for frames that are silver, black, dark tortoise, pink, purple, blue, mauve and grey. If you’re an “early grey” then avoid grey and silver as these accentuate grey. Older grey-haired folk could try black, gun, silver or gold frames.
- Face Shape – Knowing how to choose designer frames for your face shape is the first step to looking glamorous when wearing prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses. If you are having trouble picking out the right pair of glass frames to best suit your face shape, our opticians will of course be able to help.
Below are tips for choosing designer glasses to suit six basic face shapes: heart-shaped, square, round, oval and triangle-shaped and diamond-shaped.
Heart-Shaped Faces
Those with a heat-shaped face have a broad forehead, high cheekbones and a narrower jaw line and a more pointed chin. Gasses where the frames angle or flare outward at the bottom suit you best as they balance out a broader forehead and chin. People with heart shaped faces should choose frames that are bottom heavy as this adds width to the lower part of the face. Glasses with arms that attach to the lower part of frame draw attention to the lower part of the face. Classic aviators are a great fit for you. Rimless styles are also good, because they keep the face from looking too top heavy.
Recommended frames for heart-shaped faces: Aviator, round, oval, wayfarer and cat-eye frames are the flattering styles for women with heart-shaped faces.
Not recommended frames for heart-shaped faces: Avoid rectangle and square frames as well as frames that are wider at the bottom.
Square-Shaped Faces
Square faces have an angular bone structure, a wide forehead and a prominent jawline. Generally, the length and width of the face are in proportion with each other. The glasses that suit a square face best are those that don’t highlight the angles but soften them. Narrower oval and rectangular styled glasses with rounded edges are great for softening a strong, square jaw and lengthening the face. Ovals and more cat-eye frames are your best option. You could also try fabulously oversized round styles that that double up as sunglasses as well. People with a square face should avoid geometric frames. These accentuate the angles of the face. Also, arms set low on the frames should be avoided because they make the chin appear more square.
Recommended frames for square faces: Consider retro cat-eye, oval or round glass frames to soften the sharp angles of your square face.
Not recommended frames for square faces: In order to avoid emphasising the sharpness of your square face and the strong jawline, you should stay away from glass frames with sharp angles, such as square or rectangle frames.
Designer Glasses for Round Faces
Round faces have a circular form, equal in length and width, full cheeks, and a rounded chin, while the forehead is wide. Well-chosen designer glasses can reduce the round look and create length. We recommend glasses that are rectangular in shape, because this can help the face appear longer and thinner. Lines and angles help elongate the face, creating a more balanced look. Glasses with wider frames will also make your round face look visually slimmer. Go for bolder, thicker glass frames or try a contrasting bridge which can make your eyes look farther apart.
Recommended frames for round faces: Go for square, rectangle, wayfarer, classic cat-eye, aviator or edgy wrap/shield frames to visually slim down and elongate your round face shape.
Not recommended frames for round faces: You definitely want to avoid round and oversized frames, which will make your face look seem even rounder.
Glass Frames for Oval Faces
Oval faces suit most frames, but people with oval faces should avoid frames that look too large. The features of an oval face are balanced with high cheekbones, a narrow chin and a narrow forehead. Look for styles that are thicker or darker on the top than the bottom, or try a butterfly style which flares up and out slightly at the top. Just make sure the frames are the width of your face, not any wider. Squares and rectangles frames do the best job in complementing an oval face.
Recommended frames for oval faces: Cat-eye, round, square, rectangle, aviator and wayfarer frame styles all complement an oval face.
Not recommended frames for oval faces: You still should be careful when picking oversized frames, preferably avoiding them.
Glass Frames for Triangle Faces
Also known as a pear-shaped face, a triangle face features a wide jawline and a narrow forehead. The best look for you is the cat-eyed look. These can bring attention up and balance out your jaw line. Frames that are top heavy can help balance the wide jaw. Triangle faced people should avoid narrow frames and designer glasses with arms on the lower part of the frame. You could also try a half-rim style.
Recommended frames for triangle faces: Oversized cat-eye, aviator and generally wider frames will visually add width to the top part of the face, making it look perfectly balanced.
Not recommended frames for triangle faces: Steer clear of frames that will highlight the strong jawline.
Designer Glasses for a Diamond Face
Diamond faces have highly defined cheekbones and a small forehead and chin. People with diamond faces should choose glasses that emphasise the cheekbones and avoid narrow frames which draw attention to the narrow eye line. Rimless glasses are a good choice. Oval frames can help maintain the balance of the face.
Recommended frames for diamond faces: Eyeglass frames what sweep up or are wider than the cheekbones, such as cat eye glasses and oval frames.
Not recommended frames for diamond faces: Steer clear of boxy and narrow frames that will accentuate the width of your cheeks, drawing attention to your narrow features rather than enhancing them.
Consider Your Eyeglass Prescription First
Some eyeglass prescriptions come with specific instructions and may require a maximum or minimum frame depth, lens thickness or other special features. Before choosing designer glasses, make sure you take note of what your optometrist says about your prescription eyeglasses.
Visit our shops in Newmarket and Henderson to check out the wide options of designer glasses. Our friendly opticians will be there to help you look great. Choosing designer glasses couldn’t be easier. Call our Newmarket Optometrists on 09 522 1283 or Henderson Optometrists on 09 836 1731 or send us an email enquiry via our contact page. We’d be happy to organise an appointment for you to come in try our designer glasses at a time that suits you best.