What Eyeglasses Are Right for Your Face Shape?
As the Central Valley’s leading source for the care of your vision, we offer all the latest eyeglass styles in our optical shop in our Stockton and Manteca locations. When patients come in and see all the styles — everything from Fendi and Prada to more traditional choices like Ray Ban and Oakley — they can feel overwhelmed.
“How do I know which style is best for my face?”
That’s a great question, and if you wear your eyeglasses full time, it’s an important question because your glasses are a part of your daily appearance. Our talented staff in our optical shops, of course, will help you find the pair that is just right for you, but until then here are some guidelines based around the shape of your face.
Shape matters
The shape of your face is why some eyeglasses that look great in the display case look wrong on your face. Blame it on simple geometry in some cases. Blame on the need for balance in others. Here are some general concepts about the right frame styles for the shape of your face.
- Oval Face Shape— This is a longer vertical face with even proportions. To maintain this balance, look for eyeglass frames that are as wide as (or even somewhat wider) than the broadest part of your face.
- Heart-Shaped Face— This shape has a wide top third and a narrow bottom third. To reduce the visual width at the top of your face, choose frames that are wider at the bottom. Also, thin, light-colored frames or rimless frames are good options.
- Oblong Face Shape— This shape is like a vertical rectangle with straight cheek lines. To make the shape shorter and to appear more balanced, look for frames that have more depth than width.
- Square Face Shape— The width and length are roughly the same, with a broad forehead and jawline. If you want to lengthen the shape, try narrow frame styles that have more width than depth, or narrow oval shaped frames.
- Diamond Face Shape— This shape is narrow at the forehead and jawline with board cheekbones. This shape is the most rare. To soften the cheekbones, try frames with detailing or distinctive brow lines. Rimless eyeglasses and cat-eye shapes can also be good.
- Round Face Shape— Round faces have curved lines with the width and length in roughly equal proportions. If you want to thin the shape and lengthen it, try angular narrow eyeglass frames to lengthen the face. Rectangular frames that are wider than deep are also good.
- Base-Down Triangle— This shape has a narrow forehead and widens at the cheeks and chin. To add width and emphasize the narrow upper third of the face, try frames that are heavily accented with color and detailing on the top half of the frame. Cat-eyes are also good.
That should give you an idea of where to start when you’re looking for your next eyeglasses. If you have any questions, or you need to schedule your next eye exam, please call the team at Central Valley Eye Medical, (800) 244-9907.
Posted in: Optical Services
