Whether you’re picking out a pair of sunglasses, sports glasses, or your next daily glasses, finding frames that fit your face and complement your natural features can be the factor that separates the glasses you wear because you have to and the glasses you wear because you love the way they look.
Measuring your face in a mirror can help you determine your face shape so you can find glasses that suit and complement your features.
The shape and fit of your glasses can have an impact on your face. Different styles may be suited for specific face shapes. We’re here to help you find new glasses you’re happy to put on.
Understanding Face Shapes
The most important thing to remember is that even though there may be common facial features and face shapes, each face is unique. Just as no 2 sets of eyes are identical, your face is your own.
Fortunately, there are a variety of glasses styles that can suit all kinds of facial features.
Common Face Shapes
Face shapes are typically characterized by their broad and narrow features, as well as the softness of those facial features.
Some common face shapes include:
- Oval face shapes with a narrower chin and forehead, wide, high cheekbones, and soft facial features, like a curved jawline.
- Heart-shaped faces with a broad forehead, narrow chin, and higher cheekbones.
- Triangle face shapes with a narrow forehead, broad chin, and more angular facial features, like a wide, flat jawline.
- Diamond face shapes with a narrower chin and forehead, wide cheekbones, and angular facial features.
- Round face shapes with a chin, cheekbones, and forehead that are similar in width and soft features that create a natural curve for the face.
- Square-shaped faces with a wide forehead, wide cheekbones, and a wide, flat chin.
How to Find Your Face Shape
You can determine your face shape by measuring the widest parts of your face.
If the widest part of your face is your cheekbones, you might have an oval or diamond face shape. If it’s your forehead or chin, you might have a heart-shaped or triangle face shape. If your facial features are relatively even, you might have a round or square face shape.
To find and measure the widest part of your face, you’ll need:
- a mirror
- a dry-erase marker
- a ruler
- a hair band or hair tie (to tie your hair back if needed)
A Step-by-Step Guide to Measuring Your Face
After you’ve gathered everything you need, follow these steps:
- Tie back your hair or use a hair band to keep it away from your face so you have a clear view of the edges of your face in your mirror.
- Use your dry-erase marker to trace a line around the edges of your face on your mirror. If possible, ask someone else to draw the line for you, so you can remain still and get a more precise tracing of your face.
- Use your ruler to draw straight lines across the top, middle, and bottom of your face’s outline on the mirror, where your forehead, nose, and chin would naturally appear. The differences between each might become clear at this point, but you can also use your ruler to measure them if you want to measure exactly how long each part of your face is.
How to Determine Your Soft & Angular Facial Features
While you measure your face and trace your features, you can think about how soft or angular your features may be. Answering the following questions about specific features can help you determine your face shape:
- Is your jawline curved, flat, or angular?
- Is your forehead wide or narrow?
- Are your cheekbones wide and prominent?
- Do your facial features point toward the top or bottom of your face?
How to Choose Glasses for Different Face Shapes
A common goal for picking glasses that suit different faces is to create contrast between the shape of the frame and the shape of your facial features. Sharp, angular, bold frames can add definition to soft facial features, while round, subtle frames can soften angular facial features.
Of course, the most important factor to consider is how much you like the frames and how well they fit. You can put your own personal style on your glasses by choosing frames that emphasize certain features while helping other parts of your face remain subtle.
Oval Face Shapes
Because of their balanced features, there are many glasses options for oval face shapes. Square, geometric frames can be particularly effective for adding balance to the soft features of oval faces.
Wide browline frames that extend just beyond the edges of the face can also complement the silhouette of an oval face shape.
Heart-Shaped Faces
For heart-shaped faces, you can create balance and unity by choosing frames that are wider than your forehead to bring attention to your less-prominent features.
Triangular Face Shapes
Frames that draw attention toward the top of the face can look great on those with triangular face shapes. Try looking for frames with a shape that’s wider at the top than it is at the bottom, like cat-eye glasses.
Diamond Face Shapes
Oval and round glasses are 2 styles that often bring balance to the facial features of those with diamond face shapes because they draw attention straight toward the eyes while creating contrast
Round Face Shapes
Those with round face shapes often enjoy the way that big, bold, angular frames can add definition to their look. Rectangular and square geometric frames with sharp lines and large, bold frames can balance out the naturally soft features of those with round face shapes.
Square Face Shapes
Finding frames with subtle designs that draw attention toward the eyes can help create balance for square face shapes. Round, colourful designs and thin frames are often well-suited to square faces because they can help create contrast with features defined by straight lines.
Ask a Professional to Help You Choose New Frames
Your face shape isn’t the only factor to consider when you’re picking new glasses, but the way your glasses fit can certainly have an effect on their overall look—and how much you enjoy wearing them.
At Calgary Optometry Centre, we offer a wide range of glasses for different lifestyles, vision needs, and face shapes. We enjoy taking the time to help you find glasses that suit your style, natural features, and personality. Schedule an appointment today to get a new pair of glasses suited to your unique needs.
