How to choose frames for your face shape (and when to ignore the rules)
The face-shape rules are a starting point, not a law. Here is how David and Sandra actually pick frames for people.
Every eyewear guide starts the same way: figure out your face shape, then pick the opposite frame shape. Round face, angular frames. Square face, rounder frames. It's a useful starting point, and it's also where most guides stop. Here is the rest of what our opticians consider when they pull frames for you.
The basics, quickly
- Round faces (soft jaw, cheeks as the widest point) usually look sharper in rectangular, square or cat-eye shapes that add angles.
- Square faces (strong jaw, broad forehead) soften nicely in round, oval or gently curved frames.
- Oval faces can wear almost anything; the trick is keeping the frame no wider than the widest part of the face.
- Heart-shaped faces (wide forehead, narrow chin) balance well with frames that carry visual weight low, like aviators or bottom-heavy rounds, or with thin rims.
- Long faces look more balanced in taller frames with some depth, rather than narrow rectangles that make the face read even longer.
Size matters more than shape
The mistake we see most often isn't the wrong shape, it's the wrong size. A frame that's too wide slides down and makes the face look smaller; one that's too narrow pinches at the temples and looks borrowed. Your eyes should sit near the center of each lens, the top of the frame should follow your brow line without hiding it, and the frame shouldn't touch your cheeks when you smile. This is why we fit every pair in person and adjust it before you leave.
Color and coloring
Skin, hair and eye color matter as much as face shape. Warm coloring (golden or olive skin, brown or auburn hair) tends to glow in tortoise, honey, gold and warm browns. Cool coloring (pink or blue undertones, ash or black hair) is flattered by black, silver, navy, burgundy and crystal. If you're not sure which you are, hold a gold and a silver frame up to your face; one of them will make your skin look brighter.
When to ignore all of this
Sandra has been fitting frames since before the shop opened in 1980, and her rule is simple: if you put a pair on and stand up straighter, that's the pair. A great frame is one you'll actually want to wear every day. Bring a friend with opinions, try on things you'd never pick, and let David or Sandra hand you the one you'd have walked past. It's usually the winner.
The boutique carries Tom Ford, Prada, Gucci, Chanel, Versace, Rag & Bone, Ray-Ban and Rudy Project, plus Tomato Glasses for kids. No appointment is needed to try on frames. Come see us at 3110 Walton Blvd in Rochester Hills, or call (248) 375-0040.
20/20 Vision is an independent optometry practice and designer eyewear boutique at 3110 Walton Blvd, Rochester Hills, MI 48309, serving Rochester Hills, Rochester, Oakland Township, Auburn Hills and Troy since 1980. Eye exams with Dr. David Dolan, OD. In-network with VSP.