How to choose frames that suit you

What it really comes down to is this: shape, colour, lifestyle, personality and fit. By shape, we mean the shape of your face, while colour relates to both the actual colour of the frame, as well as your skin tone. Your lifestyle will determine how delicate or robust your frame needs to be, personality is about picking a frame that speaks to who you are as a person, then the fit is an important box to tick as the frame needs to sit comfortably.

Face Shape
If you have an oval face, the good news is that you will look amazing in most frames – just avoid very narrow frames if you can, as they lengthen the face visually and will make it look longer.

A heart-shaped face usually means a broad forehead, pronounced cheekbones and a narrow, tapering chin. Just about every frame looks good on this face shape too. Oval and round glasses will flatter it the most. Round faces can also opt for round frames, which will complement their soft and curved features – however, a rectangular shape can offer both length and contour if you don’t want to your face to look overly round.

Square faces usually come with an equally broad forehead, cheeks and chin, plus a more defined jawline, making them perfect for angular frames (although round ones can often soften more angular features). If you have a deeper forehead, longer nose and strong jawline, then you have a rectangular face. Again, more angular frames are for you, unless you’re after a softer look. If you have a triangular face – which is more tapered than square or round – shop for frames that have more angles as opposed to curves.

An easy way to find your face shape is to trace your face on a mirror using an erasable marker.

Colour and Tone
What colours do you wear the most? You should start there with the frames you choose. In terms of skin tone, if you have a cool-coloured complexion, then opt for blues, black and greys. Warmer skins will look great in shades of pink, red and browns. And don’t be afraid to play with decorative details and textures too.

Lifestyle and Personality
One of the biggest factors when choosing a frame is your day-to-day life. If you’re outdoors a lot, have a physically demanding job or are a bit heavy-handed and haphazard with things, then you would need a frame that’s quite robust and durable. Also go for something – colour, shape and character – that best showcases your personality. A frame can say a lot about a person, so opt for one that best sums up who you are.

Size and Fit
Of course, comfort and a good fit are key. Too large and the frames will slip off, interrupting their core function which is for you to be able to see better. Too small and they’ll create uncomfortable pressure points, which can lead to headaches. The bridge of the glasses must fit the width of your nose and the actually eyeglass, where your field of vision is, should not be wider than your face or higher than your brows.

Often the best place to start is with your current pair of glasses, especially if you really like them. You can simply opt for a similar frame shape. However, if you’re in the market for something new or it’s your first pair, the advice here will hopefully make it easier for you.

 At linksfield, we’re all about finding the best vision solutions for our patients. Give us a call or book an appointment.