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Selecting Eyewear for your Face

Everybody has a different shaped face, and you want to select eyeglass frames to suit you best. Most of our clients consider three main points when selecting an eyeglass frame optimal for your face shape:

• The eyeglass shape should contrast with your face shape
• The eyeglass size should be in scale with the size of your face
• The eyeglasses should repeat your personal best feature (such as a brown frame to match brown eyes)

Here are eight face shapes, with some tips for which types of frames work for each. Our professional opticians, in any of our three locations in Calgary, can help you select your new eyeglasses.

Take a quick look in the mirror (or ask a friend or family-member) to help find the face shape that is closest to yours. Of course, you should try on the eye glasses that you like, and ask for input from one of our opticians, to find the frames that are perfect for you!

	Oval Rounded forehead and chin of equal size, often considered to have ideal proportions	Most frame styles, particularly geometric or rounded frames. To keep the oval's natural balance, look for eyeglass frames that are as wide as (or wider than) the broadest part of the face.
	Rounded Larger curved forehead, full cheeks with a round chin.	Geometric frames to sharpen the features and create definition. To make a round face appear thinner and longer, try angular narrow eyeglass frames, with a clear bridge that widens the eyes, and frames that are wider than they are deep, such as a rectangular shape.
	Square Wider forehead, cheek and chin area with a slightly angular jaw, and the width and length are in the same proportions,	To make a square face look longer and soften the angles, try narrow frame styles, frames that have more width than depth, and narrow ovals. Rounded, cat-eyed or oval styles can soften angular facial lines.
	Rectangular Long or narrow with a squarish chin.	Curved and rounded styles to emphasize width.
	Oblong An oblong face is longer than it is wide, with a long straight cheek line and sometimes a longish nose	To make an oblong face appear shorter and more balanced, try frames that have more depth than width, decorative or contrasting temples that add width to the face, or a low bridge to shorten the nose.
	Base-up Triangular (or Heart-shaped) Wider forehead narrowing gradually to a slightly rounded chin.	Aviator or geometric styles to add width to the chin and cheek area. To minimize the width of the top of the face, try frames that are wider at the bottom, with frames in light colors or rimless.
	Base-Down Triangular A base-down triangular face has a narrow forehead and widens at the cheek and chin areas.	To minimize the width of the top of the face, try frames that are wider at the bottom. To add width & emphasis to the narrow upper third of the face, try frames accented with color and detailing on the top half, or cat-eye shapes.
	Diamond Diamond-shaped faces are narrow at the eye line and jawline, and have broad cheekbones that may be high and dramatic.	To highlight the eyes and soften the cheekbones, try frames that have detailing or distinctive brow lines, or try rimless frames or oval and cat-eye shapes.