How to pick sunglasses to suit your face shape
Some shapes just look better than others, and here's why...
Choosing the right kind of sunglasses to suit your face can be tricky. Pick the wrong pair and you run the risk of looking like a dad on holiday who’s just discovered Top Gun. Get it right and you’ll look like you like a million bucks. Luckily for you we’ve put together a list of the most common shaped faces, what styles suit them and of course a selection of the best sunglasses to buy. Thank us later...
ROUND FACE
Leo Di Caprio in The Wolf of Wall Street.
What it looks like:
Well, round: kind of like a football, or a perfectly-made pancake.
Famous examples:
Elijah Wood, Leonardo Di Caprio, Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor.
The shape you need:
A good rule of thumb, whether you have a rounded face or a more angular one, is to look for frames that are the opposite of your face shape. So in the instance of having a rounder face is to look for angular sunglasses as they can make the face appear slimmer and longer. While the classics such as Wayfarers or Clubmasters are good bets, you can also consider horn-rimmed glasses which will give a slightly more modern look.
The ones to buy:
Oliver Peoples Fairmont 49 Sun in Cocobolo + Champagne Photochromic Glass
Oliver Peoples really are the eye-wear brand of Hollywood. They’ve supplied glasses for everything from Smallville to American Psycho, and this is a typical design from the US brand. Featuring a number of distinct colourways, handcrafted acetate and a keyhole bridge, these sunglasses are one of the most stylish pair of sunnies you’ll see this summer.
Sunbuddies Greta in chipsy blue
Sunbuddies are the eyewear offshoot of trendy Scandi store Tres Bien, and sticking true to the store’s ethos, Sunbuddies use a number of brightly coloured acetates paired with Carl Zeiss lenses to give the perfect balance of practicality and head-turning style.
Saint Laurent Square Sunglasses in Tortoise Shell
Hedi Slimane may have left YSL, but their designs are still top notch. And these square sunglasses have a real ‘I used to be in a band’ vibe to them, without making you look like the guy in the pub’s smoking area in a tatty leather jacket chainsmoking Marlboro Reds.
SQUARE FACE
David Beckham, obv. (Flickr/democraticalliance)
What it looks like: You will definitely have been called Crimson Chin at some point, and will have been compared to SpongeBob Squarepants. But really people are just jealous of your uber-defined jawline.
Famous examples: David Beckham, Zac Efron, Robert Huth, and that Geordie YouTuber with the cube shaped head – Will NE.
The shape you need: Following the rule of opposites, you need to pick something quite rounded to help offset the squareness of your jaw and face. Luckily for you ‘John Lennon’ style sunglasses and Kurt Cobain’s iconic Christian Roth sunglasses are bang on-trend this summer. However, if you do decide to go down the perfectly rounded route, just be careful you don’t end up looking like Harry Potter in Ibiza.
The ones to buy:
Our Legacy are more well known for their clothes than their sunglasses, but since introducing their eyewear range in SS16 their selection of sunnies have gone from strength to strength. And much like the majority of their designs, the Embrace sunglasses feature the perfect combination of quirky design and brilliant construction. Made from an Italian acetate and featuring a pair of Carl Zeiss lenses, these are perfect for those wanting something more eye-catching than your standard pair of glasses.
Saint Laurent 98 California Ivory Smoke
While it may have been Christian Roth’s 6558 glasses that were made famous by Kurt Cobain, Christian Dior have been the ones who’ve taken the shape and ran with it in the past year: as everyone and their #influencer cousin has tried to dabble in the iconic bug-eyed shades.
A Kind of Guide Jakarta in Hazel
Much like Our Legacy, A Kind of Guise are newcomers in the eyewear market, but their debut collection of sunnies show just how great the brand is when it comes to marrying modern materials with traditional designs. All of their sunglasses are made in Germany and come with Carl Zeiss lenses as standard (seems everyone’s jumping on the Zeiss hype, eh?).
TRIANGULAR FACE
What it looks like: If you have a triangular shaped face you will have razor sharp cheekbones, look like a model and people will assume you’re part of the Illuminati.
Famous examples: Ryan Gosling, Jake Gyllenhaal, the Pyramids of Giza.
The shape you need: Because you have quite fine features you need sunglasses with light frames, otherwise you run the risk of swamping your face. Look out for glasses with broader top halves as these can help balance out your features.
The ones to buy:
These are some of the most ‘out there’ frames on the market. Not only do they feature BAPE’s iconic camo on the inside, but they also have dual-patterned lenses. If you’re up for getting a pair of sunnies you’ll never see anyone else wearing, then these are the ones for you.
Persol Cellor in striped brown
For those with a triangular and slim face these Persol Cellor glasses are a godsend. As not only do they feature a delicately designed frame, but their minimalist design lends themselves to going with most outfits and being suitable for most situations.
Much like Clubmasters, these Thom Browne sunglasses feature a half-frame, but unlike Ray Bans these feature 100% UVA protection lenses and are made in Japan by a traditional sunglasses manufacturer.
OVAL FACE
Chris Hemsworth. (Flickr/gageskidmore)
What it looks like: This is the “perfect” face. This is the face you always dreamed of having, the one with the perfectly proportioned features. This face makes you cry at night.
Famous examples: Chris Hemsworth, Brad Pitt, that bloke who stole your girlfriend when you were at Uni.
The shape you need: If you’re one of the few to have a perfectly oval face then you’re in luck because nearly every shape of sunglasses will suit your face. This means you can pick almost any style of glasses you want and still look great. Some of the best styles to go for would be Wayfarers, hornrimmed, or even aviators. The only style off limits are Oakleys, but that’s pretty obvious.
The ones to buy:
Common Projects + Moscot Type One
In yet another cool and unusual collaboration, New York eyewear giants Moscot have paired up with trendy dad trainer brand Common Projects, and the result is pretty damn cool. While these are very unassuming, the shape and finer detailing is what really makes them great. Not only are they made from a high end acetate but they feature Common Projects’ iconic gold lettering on the inside of the arms.
Garrett Leight Van Buren Sunglasses in Bourbon Tortoise
Named after eighth President of the United States and not the Dutch DJ Armin Van Buuren, these Garrett Leight sunglasses take influence from classic Persols by allowing you to fold the frames at the bridge for ease of storage. They also come in a number of cool colourways, but the bourbon tortoise and brushed gold is the standout pair.
Ray Ban Original Wayfarer in Tortoise with Green Classic G-15 Lenses
Because you have an oval face, and are probably really handsome, you need to get a pair of glasses that will match your good looks. And let’s be honest, you can’t really beat a solid pair of classic Wayfarers. Especially when it’s the 65th anniversary this year.
