Knowing whether you’re closer to a oval, square, circle or heart shape can help you eliminate what definitely won’t work before even starting. To see which category (or categories! Remember: it’s not a cookie-cutter kind of thing) you fit into, along with a set of styles tailored to you, check the slideshow above for Bryar’s tips. (Just be sure to keep her number one guideline in mind: “There are no rules.” After all, most of looking good is about feeling good—so if none of your suggested frames seem right, go with what you love.)
1. Circle Face Shapes
Roundish faces tend to be nearly as wide as they are long, with equal amounts of chin and forehead space. To balance out all those curved edges, square or rectangular sunglasses are suggested. As for deciding which options to go with, the prominence of your cheekbones is key: since frames that sit low, like square styles, often rest on high cheekbones, naturally chiseled girls need something with less depth.
2. Square Face Shapes
1. Circle Face Shapes
2. Square Face Shapes
Described by Sarah Bryar, CEO of women’s eyewear e-boutique Rivet & Sway as having “very consistent and parallel lines between the edge of the forehead and chin,” ladies with strong jaw lines need to balance out those angles with some soft curves. Circle shapes are a good option, of course, but so are cat-eye styles.Even a rectangular frame works if it has rounded edges! So long as you avoid making a perpendicular line through your face, it’s all good.
3. Heart Face Shapes
3. Heart Face Shapes
There are three very important things to avoid if you’ve got a wide forehead and narrow chin:
1.) Giant frames that will awkwardly perch on the model-esque high cheekbones you probably have.
2.) Square-bottomed sunnies, which tend to accentuate the smaller half of your face in an unflattering way.
3.) Anything top-heavy—it makes your brow seem bigger than it really is. Start your search with cat-eye and rounded rectangular styles.
4. Oval Face Shapes
If you have fairly even proportions all over, I’ve got some good news: you can get away with pretty much anything (and you have the same face shape as BeyoncĂ©—woo!). Even so, chances are you aren’t a perfect textbook oval, so pay attention to whether you have rounded or more angular features. Adjust accordingly.
2.) Square-bottomed sunnies, which tend to accentuate the smaller half of your face in an unflattering way.
3.) Anything top-heavy—it makes your brow seem bigger than it really is. Start your search with cat-eye and rounded rectangular styles.