Have you ever wondered why some people look fantastic in their eyewear, whilst others look awkward and unsuited?

Selecting frames can be a challenging exercise, not to mention laborious. With such a wide range to choose from, where do you start? Get it right, and you will find your eyeglasses or sunglasses will complement the shape and size of your face, adding balance to your features and making you look attractive. Choose the wrong style however, and you could end up with a clumsy look that is far from flattering.

Here are some guidelines to help you in your quest for choosing the perfect eyeglass frames to suit your face:

The Eyes
Always ensure that your eyes are centred within the lenses, no matter what the frame shape may be.

The Brow Line
The top of the frame should not be prominent above or below the brow line. Choose a chunkier, more solid frame to balance thicker eyebrows.

The Lenses
Careful lens selection is as important as choosing the right frames and some lenses can change the overall appearance of the eyewear. Light and thin lenses with an anti-reflective coating are considered to offer the most appealing look, and bi-focal wearers would do well to avoid the outdated midway lines and opt for progressive lenses instead.

Body Weight and Build
Choose frames that match your body size. Subtle styles lend themselves to smaller, petite figures, whilst larger built individuals can benefit from the balance provided by thicker, perhaps more overstated frames.

The Face Shape
Ideally, your eyeglass frames should subtly balance your face shape and your selection ultimately depends on whether you have a round, oval, triangle, diamond, square or oblong shaped face. Tempted as you may be, never choose a frame that matches the shape of your face because all that will do is exaggerate the feature.

Always remember that balance is the name of the game and you should use your eyewear to enhance your look, rather than spoil it. Here are some brief guidelines for choosing the right frames to suit your face shape, and don’t forget to take the rest of the points above into consideration too when making your final selection:

Round faces
Try to lengthen your face by selecting wide, rectangular shaped frames that fall low on the cheekbones.

Oval faces
Choose frames that stretch slightly further than the broadest part of your face.

Oblong faces
Embellished and colourful frames can help broaden an oblong shaped face, and a round shape shortens the length of the face, balancing the features perfectly.

Square faces
Angular or oval styles can make a square face look more rounded and above eye-level hinges can help to lengthen the face.

Diamond-shaped faces
Choose frames designed with understated curves that don’t reach past your cheekbones. Square shaped frames are a good option, as well as those combining a flat top and curved bottom.

Triangle faces
A cat’s eye shape can really flatter a female triangular face and men could benefit from selecting square frames. Rimless bottoms and high temples, and anything that sweeps upwards and out towards the top corners, will generally balance this shape.

Taking all these points into consideration could make a real difference to your overall look. Whether you are choosing frames for everyday wear or special occasions, as work wear or sunglasses, stick by these guidelines and you’ll find your features will appear more balanced and your eyewear will enhance your look just as well as any outfit or fashion accessory.