Choosing Eyeglasses

When looking for the perfect pair of eyeglasses, there is one main factor you should look for; how well they will look on your face. When you are looking for the right pair of eyeglasses, most people will normally try on every pair possible in order to judge which is best for them, but what if you could narrow down your search before you even step foot in the eyeglass store? 

Well, now you can!

Simply determine your face shape and coloring and you will be able to establish which shape and eyeglass color will fit you best. Choosing the correct eyeglass frame for your face shape can be as simple as following the three keys that the Vision Council of America (VCA) has set forth in their Envision Yourself Program.

These three keys are as follows:

• The frame shape should contrast well with the face shape
• The frame size should be in scale with the face size
• Eyewear should repeat your personal best feature (such as a light color frame to match blonde hair). 

The seven basic face shapes

There are seven basic face shapes according to the VCA and when you can fully understand which shape your face falls under, you will be one step closer to determining your perfect pair of eyeglasses. The seven face shapes are: base-down triangle, base-up triangle, diamond, round, square, oval and oblong. Also, a good optician can help you when choosing the perfect pair of eyeglasses by following these guidelines.

Overview of Face Shapes and Eyeglass Frames

As stated above, there are seven basic face shapes and you should always be aware of which face shape you have in order to determine which eyeglasses will suit you best. Making sure that you determine which face shape you have and that you choose an eyeglass frame to fit your shape, you will want to follow the subsequent guidelines.

Round face

A round face has curved lines and the width and length are in the same proportions with no angles. For choosing the correct eyeglasses for a round face, you should try angular narrow eyeglass frames to lengthen the shape of your face and look for a set of eyeglasses that has a wider structure than long, such as a rectangular shape.

Oval face

An oval face is believed to be the perfect face shape due to its equal proportions. To keep your faces physical balance, look for a set of eyeglasses that are as wide as the broadest part of the face.

Base-down Triangle face

Base-down Triangle face shapes are narrow at the forehead and widen around the cheek and chin. To best proportion the top half of the face, choose an eyeglass that is wider in shape.

Base-up Triangle face

A Base-up Triangle face has a wider top third and a narrow bottom third. To best adjust the scope of your face, chose a lighter color frame or possibly a rimless frame as these will draw less attention to the top third of your face.

Square face

A square face shape has a strong jaw line and a broad forehead while the width and length are generally in the same proportions. To make your face look longer, try narrow frames that have more width than depth.

Diamond-shaped face

Diamond shape face structures are narrow at the jaw line and eye line while the cheekbones are generally wider. Even though this is the rarest face shape, you can still find eyeglasses to compliment it by choosing a frame that have detailed brow-lines or are rimless and possibly cat-eye shaped.

Oblong face

The oblong face shape is commonly longer than it is wide and has a long straight cheek line. To make the face seem shorter and more balanced, try a frame that has top-to-bottom depth so it will add depth to the face structure.

Colors of your skin, hair and eyes will effect your decision

Skin tone is a primary factor in determining the right eyeglass color. All tones fall into two different color bases – blue (cool) or yellow (warm). A cool complexion has blue or pink traces while a warm complexion has a "peaches and cream" or yellow shine. Eye color is usually a second rate reason in choosing your eyeglasses due to the wide range of eye colors.

For example, blue eyes can range from a cool almost violet color all the way to a pale-blue, which is a warm color. Brown eyes can range from a light shade which is cool, all the way to a dark almost black warm color. Hair colors are also considered either cool or warm. Strawberry Blond, white, salt-and-pepper gray, and light brown are all cool colors. Golden blond, flat black, brown-gold, red and "dirty" gray are all considered warm colors.

Once you have determined if you are a cool or warm color, you will then be able to find the eyeglasses that will best suit your needs. Some examples of frame colors for cool coloring are black, dark brown, blue-gray, plum, magenta, blue and a dark turquoise. Warm coloring will be best fit to wear frames with the following colors: gold, copper, peach, light tan, orange, coral, bright red, off-white, warm blue and light turquoise.

Final decision when choosing your eyeglasses

At the end of the day, you must be completely happy with your choice in eyeglasses because you will be the only one wearing them every day and you will need to be content with your choice so that you will want to wear your eyeglasses daily and in turn will keep your eyesight the same or better in the long run. This is a guideline to help you choose the best frame to suit your shape and coloring, but you ultimately will be the one making the deciding vote.

We do recommend that you follow this format when choosing your eyeglasses as well as do the Vision Council of America (VCA). Remembering to choose the right eyeglass frames based upon your face shape and your warm or cool coloring will ensure that you are selecting the correct eyeglasses.