Determining Which Sunglasses Best Fit Your Face

We’re hoping that you’re going somewhere warm this week, and with that in mind, Valley has considered a big spring question: what shape of sunglasses should we really be wearing? Not everyone can rock a Ray Ban wayfarer, after all. The easiest way to determine what sunglass shape and size would look best on your face is to go by your face shape.

The Oval Face

If your face is longer and doesn’t have a drastic angle leading into the point of your chin, you have an oval face. This face shape goes well with pretty much any sunglasses, but square sunglasses will look especially good with your facial lines. If you have high, prominent cheek bones, try a cat eye sunglass or the currently trending butterfly sunglass to compliment your bone structure.

The Round Face

Round faces, as the name suggests, are circular and have very few angles. You have almost no angle leading into your chin. Those with round faces should look for glasses that are more angular—you are the Wayfarer people!—to add contrast to your soft features. Avoid round sunglasses and aviators, and instead reach for shades with square lenses.

The Heart Face

This face shape varies the most from top to bottom. Your face is narrowest at the chin, with severe angles from your jaw down to the chin. Your face is widest at your temples. When buying for sunglasses, look for a pair that plays well with your angles. Butterfly or cat eye shades add an extra oomph of angles that compliment your chin. However, if you’re looking for a more classic vibe, round sunglasses and aviators will accentuate the angular change from your temple to your cheeks. Avoid Wayfarers, their angles are too aggressive and may look awkward.

The Square Face

Hello defined jaw! Square-shaped faces are widest at the brow and jaw bones, creating parallel lines at the top and bottom of the face. People with square faces already have an angular, strong bone structure, so stay away from especially angular frames like Wayfarers or square sunglasses. Instead, try sunglasses with a more gentile curvature, such as round, cat eye, or butterfly, which will soften your facial angles and play well with your prominent jawline.

Now that you understand how your face shape works with the style of lens you pick, there is one other thing to keep in mind when buying sunglasses: size matters. While we would all love to, not everyone should buy the biggest pair of sunglasses they can find. If you have a small face, look for glasses with smaller lenses. We know it might seem less glamorous than the Prada 50%-of-my-face-is-sunglasses look, but sunglasses are an accessory and accessories are meant to highlight your features, not hide them.

Happy shopping!

Photo by Amanda Hunt