When the sun is out, whether it’s July or December, stepping outside without a pair of sunglasses is not simply a fashion choice, it’s a necessity. A good pair of sunglasses can save your eyes and make simple acts like driving or walking easier on a bright day. However, that is not to say that sunglasses serve a purely functional role in one’s wardrobe. Quite the contrary, finding the best sunglasses for your face shape and coordinating them with the other items you have, such as your outfit and other accessories, can make the difference between a sophisticated, put together look and utter fashion disaster. Truly, sunglasses have a dual purpose in our lives: function and fashion.
This guide is designed to help buyers find the best sunglasses for their face shape by first describing how to determine face shape. Next, it will go through which types of glasses and details are best suited for each of the six shapes found among human faces: oval, round, heart, oblong, square, and diamond. Finally, the end of this guide will offer tips for buying sunglasses.
Determining Your Face Shape
Before this guide can get into the details of the best sunglasses for each face shape, it is first important to discuss how to determine face shape in the first place. Though each person is clearly different, there are six major shapes found in human faces. These shapes are oval, round, heart, oblong, square, and diamond. Determining your face shape is an easy process that can be broken down into three steps.
Step One: Preparation
To make sure to get the best evaluation possible, begin the process of determining your face shape in a well-lit bathroom in front of the mirror. Alternately, ask a friend of family member to do the measurements for you. Good lighting is still essential, however. Once that is done, gather a tape measure, a piece of paper, and pen and move to step two.
Step Two: Measuring
Once the proper tools have been gathered, the next step is to measure your face along four planes: the tops of the cheekbones, the jawline, the forehead, and the length of the entire face. Each plane requires a different method of measurement.
Cheekbones
To measure the cheekbones, start by placing one end of the tape measure in the area just past the outside corner of the eye. Next, be careful and line up the tape measure straight across the bridge of the nose to the point just past the outside corner of the other eye. The goal is to have the tape measure resting along the "apples" of the cheeks, or the tops of the cheekbones. Write down this number.
Jawline
The next area to measure is the jawline. To do this, begin by choosing one side of the jaw. Put the end of the tape measure at the base of that side, right near the ear. Then place the measuring tape along the jawline to the middle of the chin. Multiply this number by two and write down the new number.
Forehead
Next, measure the forehead. This time, the measuring should begin on one side of the forehead. Choose the widest point, which should be halfway between the hairline and eyebrows. Then place the tape across the length of the forehead until it reaches the same spot on the other side of the face. Write down this number.
Length of Face
Finally, measure the overall length of the face. To do this, begin in the middle of the hairline. Place the measuring tape over the face until it reaches the tip of the chin. Write down this number and move on to step three.
Step Three: Evaluating
The four numbers which were recorded in step two can then be used to determine the shape of the face. Each of the six basic shapes are defined by the following characteristics:
Remember when looking at the numbers as compared to the proportions described above, close counts. This is especially true with round and square shapes where the numbers will likely not be exactly the same. Once the shape has been determined, the next step to finding the best sunglasses for your face shape is as simple as knowing a few key tricks for each of the six shapes. They will be discussed in the next section.
The Best Sunglasses for Your Face Shape
Each of the six major face shapes have distinct characteristics that will be complemented by the proper sunglass shape. The table below provides key tips for each of these shapes that should help buyers determine which sunglasses to look for when shopping. This includes a definite "do" for each shape that should be the first criteria sought out when looking for sunglasses. There is also a definite "don’t" which identifies characteristics to stay away from when shopping. The additional tips offered are optional.
Face Shape |
Definite Do’s |
Definite Don’ts |
Additional Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Oval |
Anything |
None |
This is the most versatile of face shapes, any frame or look will work well. |
|
Round |
Wide, Rectangular Frames |
Anything too round will emphasize fullness. |
Sporty 80 s throwbacks with a continuous flat top can de-emphasize a face’s fullness. |
|
Heart |
Cat ’ s eye or Round Frames |
Glasses with too much embellishment. |
Wide arms will create the look of a narrower forehead. |
|
Oblong |
Oversize or Wrap Styles |
Any frame too narrow for the face. |
Great face shape for "Jackie O" glasses. |
|
Square |
Oval, Round, or Cat’s Eye Frames |
Anything sharp and geometric, it will emphasize the angles of a square face. |
Owl Eye frames can offset the flat planes of a square face. |
|
Diamond |
Nothing wider than the top of the cheekbones. |
The rarest of face shapes, look for curved frames or anything with distinct top lines and details. |
The above tips can help anyone find the best sunglasses for their face shape with ease. However, another really important tip to remember when shopping for sunglasses is that the very nature of trying them on will distort their real look. This is because the tinted lenses of sunglasses will make it hard to truly evaluate how each pair matches not only with face shape, but also skin tone and coloring. To avoid such pitfalls, always consider bringing a friend along for sunglass shopping and considering more than just shape before purchase.
Buying Sunglasses
After determining your face shape, the process of buying sunglasses can actually be quite fun. Sunglasses are one of those great accessories that come in every color of the rainbow and spans the market in terms of price. In fact, the price of sunglasses travels from cheap plastic glasses purchased at a gas station to designer frames worn by the hottest stars in Hollywood to anywhere in between.
Where to find the best sunglasses for your face shape will depend entirely upon two elements: time and money. How long a buyer wants to search for sunglasses and how much he or she wants to spend can make or break the sunglass buying experience.
Finding Sunglasses Quickly and Cheaply
On those days when a pair of sunglasses is essential but not readily at hand most people want to buy sunglasses quickly and cheaply. For these circumstances, finding glasses in a convenience store or department store is sufficient. As long as the buyer is aware of his or her face shape, finding a basic pair is simple. However, sometimes the prices at these stores can be a bit higher than finding the same glasses online through websites like eBay.
Finding Sunglasses by Your Taking Time
The flip side to this coin are those who are willing to search high and low for the "right" pair of sunglasses and put out hundreds or even thousands of dollars in the process of doing so. For these occasions, boutique designer stores that feature only items like Gucci or Coach may be the best bet. There are also specialty sunglasses stores which allow buyers a diverse range of glasses from multiple designers.
Finding Sunglasses on eBay
One final option is the purchase of sunglasses on eBay. As a website which features options for just about anything, eBay is the perfect place to find the best sunglasses for your face shape. Whether you are looking for designer frames in the eBay Fashion Shop or a pair that works for everyday purposes in the Outlet section, there are many options.
Buyers can either look through categories dedicated to sunglasses for both men and women or else conduct a simple search for a specific brand or pair. Many times, the prices offered by eBay sellers are far below those offered at retail stores. This gives those willing to wait to purchase the best sunglasses a decided advantage; consider going to a store and trying the glasses on before buying them for a lower price on eBay.
Conclusion
When buying sunglasses for any purpose, function or fashion, getting the best type for your face shape is essential. However, in order to do that it is important to first figure out the shape of your face. The three step process of preparing, measuring, and evaluating can help accomplish that and determine if you have an oval, round, heart, oblong, square, or diamond face. Once your face shape has been determined, there are definitive dos and don’ts for finding sunglasses that should be followed.
Adhering to these rules is simple, however, as there are many ways to buy sunglasses for low prices as well as higher priced, designer-brand choices. Shopping on eBay is a great way to get the best of both worlds, affordable and designer, when trying to find the best sunglasses for your face shape.
