Choosing Eyewear to
Compliment Your Face
The right eyewear coloring creates a subtle magic.
Your knowledge of color and how it can enhance and complement your appearance can make
your selection of frames fun and interesting. Here are some tips: All people are either
warm or cool. Two shades are sure-fire indicators of warm or cool--Blue-based is cool, and
Yellow-based is Warm. Everyone looks best in his or her own color base. Eyewear color
should compliment personal coloring, and metal colors reflect ones own personal coloring.
The shape of a face is generally described as either angular (square/oblong) or
curvilinear (round/oval). Although most faces are a blend of the two types, one quality
will always dominate, giving the face the total appearance of being angular or
curvilinear. Face shapes can be divided into several general shapes; your face shape will
help to determine goals for you in selecting the appropriate eyeglass frame shape to
complement your features.
Face Shape, Frame Selection
Goals
| Face Type |
|
What Frames We Recommend You Look For |
| The Base Down Triangle face has a narrow forehead that
widens at the cheek and chin areas. |
|
Your goal
should be to add width and emphasis to the narrow upper third of the face. Look for frames
that are heavily accented with color and detailing on the top half; flattering, cat-eye
shapes would be a good choice. |
![]() |
| The Base-Up
Triangle face has a very wide top third and small bottom third. |
|
Your goal
should be to minimize the width of the top half of the face. Look for frames that are
wider at the bottom half of the frame. Very light colored and materials are effective, and
rimless styles are an excellent choice. |
![]() |
| Diamond
shaped faces are narrow at the eyeline and the jawline. Cheekbones are frequently
high and dramatic. The diamond is the rarest face shape. |
|
Your goal
should be to highlight the eyes and bring out the cheekbones. Look for frames that have
detailing or distinctive browlines. Rimless frames, ovals or cat-eyes are all excellent
choices. |
![]() |
| The Oblong
face is longer than it is wide and is characterized by a long, straight cheekline
and sometimes a longer nose Your goal should be to make the face appear shorter and more
balanced. |
|
Look for frames
that have top-to-bottom depth such as rounder P-3 shapes; decorative or contrasting
temples that can add width to the face; a low bridge to shorten the nose. |
![]() |
| The Oval
face is considered to be the ideal shape because of its balance proportions. The
oval face is neither curvilinear nor angular. |
|
Your goal
should be to keep the oval's natural balance. Look for frames that are as wide as, or
wider than, the broadest part of the face; almond or walnut-shaped frames that are neither
too deep nor too narrow so that they do not upset facial balance. |
![]() |
| A Round
face has curvilinear lines with the width and length in the same proportions and
no angles. |
|
Your goal
should be to make the face appear longer and thinner. Look for angular, narrow frames that
will lengthen the face; high or mid-height temples, which help create a longer profile; a
clear bridge that widens the eyes; colored temples to add width; and frames that are wider
than they are deep, such as an octagonal shape. |
![]() |
| A Square
face is characterized by a strong jaw line and a broad forehead. Width and length
are in the same proportions. |
|
Your goal
should be to make the face look longer and soften the angles. Look for curvilinear, narrow
styles that soften facial angles; frames that are wider than the widest part of the face;
frames that have more width than depth; narrow ovals are an excellent choice. |
|
Eyewear Safety
Vision Safety In Selecting Your Sunglasses
Vision safety is everyone's responsibility, so when you select eyewear, keep these safety
factors in mind and be sure to discuss your safety needs with your optometrist or
ophthalmologist prior to selecting eyewear.
While federal law requires all lenses to meet a standard of impact resistance, lenses used
in dress eyewear are not required to meet as rigorous a standard for impact resistance as
lenses used in safety or sports spectacles. Polycarbonate is the most impact resistant
material available, and is a good choice for everyday wear, despite their higher cost.
However, be aware that impact to eyeglasses can dislodge a lens and cause injury even
though the lens did not break.
Lenses are not unbreakable or shatterproof. They can, and do, break into sharp pieces that
can cause serious injury to the eye, or blindness. Even if the lenses do not break, the
frame can break or distort and cause serious eye injury.
The continued impact resistance of your lenses depends on how well you protect them from
physical shocks and abuse. For your own protection, scratched or pitted glass lenses
should be replaced immediately.
If your occupational or recreational activities expose you to severe risk of flying
objects or physical impacts, your eye safety may require special safety spectacles with
safety lenses, side shields, goggles and/or a full face shield.
|
