How to Choose The Right Sunglasses That Suit Your Face
When it comes to sunglasses, asides from the fact that a perfect fit is more flattering in appearance, it’s also more comfortable and will best protect your eyes from the sun.
As a general rule, when picking which shape or style of sunglasses to buy, you should choose frames that contrast the geometry of your face. Simply put, the shape of your sunglasses should be opposite to the shape of your face. This helps to create balance by either softening hard features or creating definition.
Sunglasses not only finish off an outfit, they also create a style all on their own. Finding a pair that is just right is extremely satisfying, and rewarding. And, that perfect pair isn’t only about style; it’s also about the fit on your face.
In this article, you will see the different guidelines to knowing your face shapes and also discover the best sunglasses that will fit you. Determining your face size and shape is important because it will help you find a better fitting, more functional pair of sunglasses. To find the best sunglasses for your face, you’ll need to try these 5 steps below:
1. Observe Your Face Shape:
This is the biggest factor in determining which sunglasses will look good on you and which won’t. If you aren’t sure what face shape you have, try standing in front of a mirror and tracing the outline of your face with a lipstick or some other easily removable material. Once you’ve recognized your face shape, it’ll be much easier to find which frame shapes will bring a natural balance to your face.
What Is My Face Shape?
Generally, your face shape is known by the lines and angles of your key features, like your forehead and chin.
- Observing your face shape: You can determine your face shape by observing the outline or key features of your face. Let’s look at some examples:
- You have a square face if you have a strong jaw that’s pretty much the same width as your forehead, and your chin is not too defined.
- You have a round face if the widest part of your face is at your cheeks, and your face is not very angular.
- You have an oval face if your face is slightly longer than its width, and your chin is rounded. Also, your cheekbones form the widest section of your face.
- You have a rectangular face if your face is slightly longer than it is wide.
- Outlining your face shape: To do this, take a washable marker or lipstick or pencil or crayon and stand at arm’s length in front of a mirror. Keep your hands steady and trace the outline of your face on the mirror’s surface, starting from your chin and ending with your hairline. Take a step back, look at the resulting shape and match it with the type of face shapes we have.
2. Measure Your Face Size?
There is no need to panic if you don’t know your sunglasses size or you can’t seem to be able to find the right size for you. There are many simple ways you can figure out your face size. Some of them are:
- Use a pair of old sunglasses: You can use a pair of sunglasses you currently own to determine your best size. Alternatively, you can also try on a pair from a friend to see if it fits you. When you see a pair that fits, look closely at the inscriptions on its frames to see digits that will help you find the right size for your new glasses. Most often, you’ll find the size information on the inside of the left temple. However, you should keep in mind that each pair of sunglasses is different depending on the brand.
- Measure your face size with a ruler: This is another effective way of knowing your sunglasses size. Looking into the mirror, hold a ruler so it is lined up with your temple. Measure (in inches) the distance across your face, from one temple to the other. That distance is the best frame size for your fave. Most temples run from 5 to 7 inches long. The average for men is 5 inches (145 millimeters ) and for women it is 5 inches (133 millimeters) or 5 inches (139 millimeters).
- Use a credit card for Lens Measurements: While Lens may vary by brand, most credit cards are the approximate width of a medium or standard size lens. To do the measurement, take any credit or debit card and hold it vertically while standing in front of a mirror. Place the card on the bridge of your nose. If the end of the card extends to the edge of your eye, you should get Standard sized Sunglasses. If the card extends well beyond the edge of your eye, you should get a small size. If the end of the card does not reach the end of your eye, then go for a Large size.
3. Match Your Face Shape to a Style of Sunglasses:
In this section, we’ll be looking at 5 main categories of face shapes and matching them to their perfect shape of sunglasses. In this article, we will be only touching on the four main categories of faces: square, round, long, heart-shaped and oval faces.
The Right Frames for your Face Shapes
- Square faces: A square face shape has a strong, horizontal jaw line with a broad forehead and balanced cheekbones, which are in line with the other facial features. Sunglasses for square faces are some of the boldest and expressive. Round sunglasses, Colored oval sunglasses and Brow line sunglasses are the most highly suggested sunglasses for people with square shaped face. It’s best to avoid sunglasses that are rectangular or square if you have this face shape. This is because adding more angles to your strong and proportioned face might make your face look too wide and rigid.
- Round faces: Those with a round face have soft, contoured and feminine features with a width and height that are roughly equivalent. Sticking to square or rectangular frames which will balance your features and bring structure to your soft-featured visage is best. Square sunglasses, Cat-eye sunglasses, Brow line sunglasses, Aviator sunglasses and oversized sunglasses are highly recommended for people with this face shape. Avoid round or small sunglasses, as these will draw attention towards your round facial features and exaggerate them.
- Heart-shaped faces: A heart-shaped face is usually similar in appearance to round faces but has a wider forehead and cheekbones. It also has a pointy chin, widow’s peak and narrow jaw line. To balance out your facial structure and make your jaw appear a little wider, you want to look for sunglasses that accentuate your high cheekbones and defined jaws. Floral prints, Oval and Round sunglasses, Rectangular sunglasses, Aviator, Cat-Eye and Wayfarers are suggested to people with this face shape.
- Oval faces: Oval-shaped faces: People with oval-shaped faces fit with most frame shapes. For an oval face, what you want to look out for is emphasizing the natural balance of your face and adding angles to its soft curves. With a narrower forehead and slightly narrow chin, oval is considered the most universal face shape, so you can have fun with the latest trends because most shapes work for you. You can make your choice of frames depending on the effect you’re looking for. That being said, the most suitable sunglasses frames for oval faces are square, rectangular or geometric shapes. Make sure to not get huge frames that block out your pretty symmetrical features; only choose sunglasses that cover your face from your eyebrows to your cheekbones. Also note that square sunglasses ensure more striking contours while round sunglasses create a more gentler impression.
- Rectangular faces: These are also called Oblong Faces. This face shape is long and narrow with few angles. To give this face shape a sense of balance, seek out glasses that add width to the long shape. Round or square frames works well with this face shape. Frames with sharp and bold lines will also give Oblong faces an edge. However, make sure to go for larger even slightly oversized sunglasses styles. Avoid getting sunglasses with small frames. Wayfarers, D-frames and Clubmasters are examples of frames that will look good on people with rectangular face shape.
4. Pick The Right Size Glasses
When it comes to sunglasses, getting the perfect fit is essential. No matter how stylish or protective the sunglasses are, it won’t serve it’s purpose if it’s not the right size.
How Are Sunglasses Measured?
The key measurements that describe sunglasses sizes are the:
- Eye size
- Bridge size
- Temple length.
Frame measurements are specified in millimeters (mm). Usually, frame sizes are indicated by three numbers stamped on the inside of your sunglasses.
- Eye Size or Lens Width is the horizontal width of the lenses in sunglasses. It is the first number on the frame.
- Bridge Size is the distance between the lenses. Simply put, it is the size of the bridge of the frame that rests on your nose. It usually varies between 14 and 24 millimeters.
- Temple Length is the length of the ‘arms’ or ‘stems’ of the frame. It is basically the ‘arm’ that keeps the sunglasses on your face. It is measured from the hinge of the frame to the end tip of the temple. It is usually 135,140 or 145 millimeters in average.
Another measurement is Vertical Eye Size or Lens Height. It is only necessary when ordering for multi focal lenses. Lens Height refers to the vertical height of an eyeglasses lens, and is measured from the tip to the bottom of the lens. Sizes may differ depending on the brand, but the standard size of Vertical Eye Size is somewhere between 32 and 38 millimeters.
5. Buy A Pair of Shari Dionne
Your sunglasses should not dig into the cheeks when you smile or leave indentations where it rests on the nose. It should fit snugly and comfortably on the face without too much pressure. The arms of the glasses should wrap gently over the top of your eyes without the temple digging into the back or side of your head. When you wear sunglasses and look down towards the ground while shaking your head side to side, it shouldn’t slide off. If it does, then it is too loose and not snug enough.Asides from finding a flattering style and frame size, keep in mind that UV protection also matters when picking out the right pair of sunglasses for you!