Finding the right pair of glasses for your face can be easier said than done. In a perfect world, you could buy a different pair of glasses to suit your ever-changing mood. Unfortunately, the reality is that glasses can be expensive and your insurance plan may limit you to just one or two pairs a year. To help you get the most out of this allowance, here are some tips to help you find the most flattering glasses for your face:

 

The Right Shape

The first step towards finding the right pair of glasses is to take a long look at the shape of your face. Although faces come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, the four most common face shapes are:

 

Oval-shaped Face

Oval faces tend to have longer features. These facial features can look great in nearly any style of glasses as long as you keep proportion in mind. This means all the classic styles like round, aviator and rectangle glasses. Each of these options can be a great pick for an oval face shape.

 

Heart-shaped Face

Heart-shaped faces are distinguished by a broad forehead and a pointed jawline. These features are best balanced by retro square glasses or cat eyes.

 

Square-shaped Face

Square faces often feature a wide forehead, large cheekbones and a rectangular jawline. Round- or oval-shaped glasses are best for softening these boxy features. To get the most flattering look for your face shape, try to steer clear of rectangular or square styles.

 

Round-shaped Face

Unlike the other face types, round faces do not have any harsh angles to offset. You can add dimension to these soft features with uniquely-angled glasses. Rectangular, retro and cat-eyed glasses can all be flattering choices for a round face type. When choosing a pair, try and avoid round styles. These will only add extra curviness to an already round face.

 

The Right Color

Most people will opt for classic black glasses, but there are certainly other options out there. A touch of color on your glasses can add a little bit of flair and personality. While you might not opt for the leopard print in most professional settings, a deep purple or blue can be professional and stylish while being unique and personal. Also note that different metals and finishes will match uniquely with jewelry and other accessories.

 

The Right Strength

Glasses are designed to be worn daily, but not for every task. If you’re very active or even just hard on glasses and other accessories, you may need to avoid thin or wire frame glasses. If you’re especially athletic, you might even consider getting a special pair of glasses/goggles that are designed for sports.

 

Either way, make sure your glasses will last you until you can afford to get new ones, at the very least. If you can keep them in good condition, you can keep the same frames for years and only replace the lenses when you need to instead of replacing both.

 

Whether you’re getting glasses for the first time, second time, or beyond, it’s always important to make the right choice. Your glasses can say a lot about you. When you go, make sure you go to a vision center like All About Eyes that has a good selection of frames. The more choices a store has, the better chance you have of finding the perfect fit!