The right frames can sharpen a soft face, soften an angular one and balance proportions in a way few other accessories can. The basic principle is contrast: choose frames that are a different shape from your face. Here's a face-shape-by-face-shape guide, plus how to get size and color right.
Step 1: Know your face shape
Look at your widest point, your length versus width, and whether your jaw is angular or soft. The free face shape detector can measure it from a photo, or see the face shapes guide.
Best glasses for each face shape
Round face
- Best: rectangular, square, geometric and angular cat-eye frames; frames slightly wider than your cheekbones; a clear bridge to lengthen the nose.
- Avoid: small round frames, very narrow frames, frames that sit low on the cheeks.
Oval face
- Best: most frames work. Square, rectangle, wayfarer and geometric shapes add structure; keep the frame about as wide as the widest part of your face.
- Avoid: oversized frames that hide your balanced proportions, very narrow frames.
- Oval glasses on an oval face? They can work, especially with a strong browline or bold color, but contrasting angles usually look sharper.
Square face
- Best: round, oval, cat-eye and rimless or thin metal frames that soften the jaw.
- Avoid: boxy, heavy, angular frames that echo a strong jaw.
Oblong (long) face
- Best: tall, deep frames (oversized square, round, aviator) that cover more of the face vertically; decorative or contrasting temples add width.
- Avoid: small, shallow, narrow frames that emphasize length.
Heart / inverted triangle face
- Best: bottom-heavy frames, round and oval shapes, light rimless or thin metal frames, aviators.
- Avoid: heavy, top-heavy browline frames and lots of decoration at the top.
Diamond face
- Best: oval, cat-eye, rimless and browline frames that add width at the forehead and soften the cheekbones.
- Avoid: narrow frames and frames wider than the cheekbones at the bottom.
Triangle (pear) face
- Best: frames with strong top lines: browline, cat-eye, semi-rimless with a heavier top, or frames with color at the top.
- Avoid: bottom-heavy frames and frames narrower than the jaw.
Quick table
| Face shape | Choose | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Round | rectangle, square, geometric | small round |
| Oval | most shapes | oversized, very narrow |
| Square | round, oval, cat-eye | boxy, angular |
| Oblong | tall/oversized, aviator | small, shallow |
| Heart | bottom-heavy, round, rimless | top-heavy |
| Diamond | oval, cat-eye, browline | narrow |
| Triangle | browline, cat-eye | bottom-heavy |
Getting the size right
- Width: frames should be about as wide as your face at the temples, without overhanging much.
- Eyes: your pupils should sit roughly in the center of the lenses.
- Brows: the top of the frame should follow or sit just below your brow line.
- Cheeks: frames shouldn't rest on your cheeks when you smile.
Choosing frame color
- Warm undertones: tortoiseshell, honey, gold, olive, warm brown.
- Cool undertones: black, grey, silver, navy, clear, cool tortoise.
- Neutral: most colors.
Not sure of your undertone? See how to find your undertone, or get your full palette with the AI color analysis.
Sunglasses for your face shape
The same rules apply, and you can go a little bolder: oversized square or aviator for round and long faces, round or cat-eye for square faces, and bottom-heavy aviators for heart faces.
Hair and glasses together
Glasses add a horizontal line to the face, so consider them when choosing a haircut. Side-swept bangs and face-framing layers usually work well with frames. See your own combination with the hairstyle try-on.
FAQ
What glasses suit a round face?
Rectangular, square, geometric and angular cat-eye frames that are slightly wider than your cheekbones.
What glasses are best for an oval face?
Most frames suit oval faces. Square, rectangle and wayfarer frames about as wide as the face add structure.
What glasses suit a square face?
Round, oval, cat-eye and thin metal or rimless frames that soften angular features.
How do I choose glasses for my face shape?
Identify your face shape, then pick frames with the opposite shape: angular frames for soft faces, curved frames for angular faces, deep frames for long faces.
What color glasses frames suit me?
Match frame color to your undertone: warm tones suit tortoiseshell, gold and brown; cool tones suit black, silver, grey and navy.
