When it comes to choosing a pair of eyeglasses, finding the perfect pair is difficult. The process is crucial and involves more than just finding a frame that looks good.
When it comes to selecting the right glasses, one must consider a range of factors including face shapes, lens types, frame materials, and lifestyle considerations. Let’s dive into expert opinion and tips for choosing just the perfect glasses for you, ensuring that both your aesthetic and vision needs are met.
Your Face Shape
Your face shape is one of the most important factors in choosing the right glasses. It determines what frame may look best on you. Remember the key factor: opposites attract. One must choose frames that contrast with facial contours; it helps as they bring symmetry and bring a balance to most prominent and highlighted facial features. A helpful guide regarding face shapes and contrasting glasses frames are enlisted below:
⦁ Round Face: Angular frames, such as square or rectangular glasses add contrast to the soft features and make your face appear slimmer and longer, thus being the best fit for round faces.
Frames to Avoid: Avoid round frames and small frames as they accentuate the roundness and do not add contrast to the soft features, making your round face appear even rounder.
⦁ Oval Face: An oval face is generally considered versatile and there is a variety of frames that could suit well on oval face. But it is recommended to choose frames that have a strong bridge and are geometric in shape.
Frames to Avoid: Avoid frames that are too large, as they can overwhelm the feature and cover up more than half of the face. This obviously throws off the natural balance of the face.
⦁ Square Face: Opposite to the rounded faces, one must consider oval or round eyeglasses for square faces. A square face has a strong jawline, wide forehead, and broad cheekbones. Eyeglasses that soften such angular features and rest high on the bridge of the nose are the most suitable choice for square faces.
Frames to Avoid: Angular and square frames will sharpen and further enhance the angular features, hence making a square face appear ever more angular and bulky.
⦁ Diamond Face: Diamond shaped faces feature narrow foreheads and chins with wider cheekbones, though they are rare. For such face shapes, cat eye-framed glasses and oval frames are deemed most appropriate. These frames accentuate cheekbones and delicate features of diamond shaped faces.
Frames to Avoid: Narrow frames will further enhance the width of cheeks, and as a result will highlight the narrow features rather than bringing any balance to the facial features.
⦁ Heart-Shaped Face: Heart-shaped faces feature a broad forehead and a narrow chin. To balance these features, one must consider eyeglass frames that are wider at the bottom or have rounded edges, with low-set temples such as cat-eyes or aviator frames. These frame styles can bring about a balanced detail to the face by adding width to that narrower part of the face.
Frames to Avoid: Avoid frames that draw attention to the forehead, such as round eyeglasses or square eyeglasses as they have curved edges and such a style will draw attention away from a broad, high forehead.
Frame Material
Eyeglass frames are offered in a variety of materials, each with its own advantages and considerations. The frame material plays a significant role in the selection of the perfect fit. Frame material affects factors such as the comfort, weight, and durability of the glasses. Different materials come with their distinguished advantages and one must consider all these factors before picking the most suitable frame. Most common frame materials include:
⦁ Plastic Frames: Often made from acetate, plastic frames are lightweight and very affordable, making them the most go-to choice. These frames come in a wide variety of colors and styles. Despite their popularity, plastic frames do not offer much durability, especially when compared with metal frames. There are very high chances of them breaking if handled roughly.
⦁ Metal Frames: Metal frames are sleek, durable, and even hypoallergenic. The most common metal materials comprise of Titanium, Aluminum and stainless steel. Titanium frames are often preferred due to their lightweightness and high resistance to corrosion; these qualities make them long-lasting, everyday pair of glasses. Moreover, metal frames appear as professional and versatile due to their minimalist look and thin profile.
⦁ Wooden Frames: Famous as an eco-friendly choice, wooden frames are unique eyewear and have become increasingly popular. Due to their natural and environmental friendly look, the frames offer a distinct, handcrafted appeal. But it also makes them comparatively expensive. Another limitation is the adjustability, thus making them a less comfortable choice.
⦁ Combination Frames: As the name defines, combination frames are a combination of various materials such as metal and plastic or metal and wood, thus providing flexibility and offering a choice to enjoy the benefits of multiple materials within a single frame: a frame with metal temples and plastic fronts could offer the strength of the metal and the lightweightness of the plastic. These frames can offer higher durability and style versatility.
Your Skin Tone
It is of significant importance that a frame of color that harmonizes with your skin tone is chosen. Finding the right color for your eyewear can brighten your face, resulting in a more enhanced look of your features. It also adds value to the style and makes your glasses a valuable accessory that compliments your overall look.
Skin tones are generally divided into two categories: warm and cool. For people who do not fit into either of the categories, they have a neutral skin tone, which means they have a wider range of options to choose from and can wear a wide range of colors. Below is a short guide to help you pick the perfect frame color based on your skin tone.
Warm Skin Tones
Warm skin tones usually comprise of yellow, golden, or olive undertones. One must choose frame colors that enhance their natural warmth. There are a wide range of color categories to pick frame colors from:
⦁ Earthy tones: Includes colors such as brown, gold, tortoiseshell, honey or beige.
⦁ Warm metallics: Includes gold, copper or bronze.
⦁ Bright colors: Colors such as red, coral, peach or orange. These colors are often suggested more as they can complement your natural glow.
⦁ Colors to Avoid: It is better to avoid cool colors such as silver, blue, or pastels as these colors can rather wash out the warmth of your complexion.
Cool Skin Tones
Cool skin tones typically have pink, red, or blue undertones. The best advised frame colors for cool skin tones are ones that contrast your natural complexion without clashing.
⦁ Cool shades: Includes colors such as black, gray, silver or blue.
⦁ Jewel tones: Colors like emerald green, deep purple or sapphire.
⦁ Transparent: Clear or translucent frames can also beautifully complement with cool skin tones. They also add value to the styling as they offer a modern, minimalist look.
⦁ Colors to Avoid: It is advised to avoid warm shades like yellow, orange or brown as they can clash with the coolness of your skin.
Neutral Skin Tones
People who have neutral skin tones have the choice to choose from both warm and cool colors. They have this wide range of variety to choose from and have the advantage of being able to pull off almost any color, thus having the flexibility to experiment with different styles and shades.