Choosing glasses that suit the shape of your face is important for both comfort and aesthetics. There are seven basic face shapes to consider when it comes to eyeglasses, and taking the time to determine which shape your face is will help you pick the right pair of glasses for you.
The seven different face shapes are oval, diamond, square, round, triangle, inverted triangle and oblong. To start your calculation, have a basic, passport-style photo of yourself taken by a friend or family member and draw six dots on the picture. Draw two dots on each side of your forehead, two dots on your cheekbones near your eyes and two dots on your jaw line at the level of your mouth.
Next, check the dots to figure out your face shape and help figure out which eyeglasses to choose. For an oval shape, the dots will be farthest apart on your cheekbones and equally spaced on your jaw and forehead, making it longer that it is wide. The diamond shape resembles an oval, but the jaw and forehead dots will be closer together. The dots are farthest apart on the cheekbones of a round face, with the forehead and jaw closer together so the width and height of the face are about the same. For a square face, all three pairs of dots are about the same distance apart, with an angular appearance to the jaw line. On a triangular face, the jaw dots will be farthest apart and the forehead dots closest together. The opposite is true for an inverted triangle, as the forehead dots are farthest apart and jaw dots closest together. Finally, an oblong face has all three pairs roughly equal distance apart like a square, but the face is longer than it is wide.
When it comes time to select your eyeglasses, the best frames for you will usually counterbalance the features of your face. As an example, glasses that have a more angular shape to the frame will look best on a round face. Placing round frames on a round face will only make your face look rounder than it already is.
People with an oval-shaped face have the most freedom when it comes to the shape of the eyeglasses, as virtually any style of frame will work. The goal in choosing glasses to match the shape of your face is balance. Try not to accentuate the parts that are already accentuated, and try not to hide the parts that may not be as noticeable naturally. Someone with a square face shouldn’t look for boxy-looking frames that will make his face look even more square, and someone with a diamond shape should try to draw attention away from her wider cheekbones. Ask for advice from the salesperson you are working with, and make your own calculations, so you end up with a pair of glasses that balance out all elements of your face, are comfortable to wear and look great.
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