"While it may seem like sunglasses are one-size-fits-all (because technically, they are), they shouldn’t necessarily be looked at that way. Sure, you can throw on any old pair of sunnies and make them work, but have you ever put on a pair that you feel just look really good on you? That’s probably because they fit your face shape.
While your tailor can’t alter or hem your sunglasses, finding the right size and style of frame for your unique face shape can enhance your features in a pretty significant way. Sunglasses that fit your face shape work with you to help balance out your proportions and create an effect that makes it feel like the sunglasses were tailor-made just for you. They’ll look more like they’re a part of your look, rather than an accessory you threw on as an afterthought.
While it sounds complicated, finding sunglasses that fit your face shape is far from rocket science. First, you just need to identify what your face shape is—and we’ll take it from there. We’re breaking down the most flattering frames for every face shape, and found the very chicest options for each.
How to find your face shape
To figure out your face shape, pull your hair back so you can see the full outline. Identify the widest part of your face: is it the jawline, cheeks, or forehead? The answer will usually give the main indication of your face shape, but you can also look at factors like the shape of your jaw—is it round, angular, or pointy?—as well as the length of your face (long vs. short). If you’re still unsure what your shape is, you can trace the outline of your face on the mirror with lipstick or a dry erase marker.
Round Face Shape
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Your face is at its widest point from cheek to cheek and narrows slightly at the forehead and jawline. Your chin is typically in line with your jaw.
Square Face Shape
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Your jawline, cheeks, and forehead are all even in width, and you likely have a sharp jawline.
Oval Face Shape
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Your face is longer than it is wide. In other words, the length from the top of your forehead to your chin is longer than the length from ear to ear.
Heart Face Shape
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The widest point of your face is the forehead, and your face gets narrower at the jawline. Your chin might protrude below your jawline (think of the point at the bottom of a heart).
Sunglasses for round faces
Try: Square sunglasses
The rule of thumb for finding flattering sunglasses is generally that they’ll have a silhouette that’s the opposite of your face shape. Case in point, the most flattering pair for a round face are square sunnies. Angular lines and edges balance the roundness of your face, so avoid anything with soft lines and rounded edges. When shopping for sunglasses, look for rectangular frames with sharp edges or four corners, preferably with a thinner frame.
Sunglasses for square faces
Try: Round and oval sunglasses
Sounds like a no-brainer, right? If a square frame balances out a round face, then a round frame balances out a square face. Rounded corners and soft angles balance out sharp jawlines and square foreheads, which will soften your face shape. Look for circular frames with soft lines for the most flattering pair for you.
Sunglasses for heart-shaped faces
Try: Aviators or cat-eye sunglasses
Contradictory to other face shapes, the most flattering frame on heart faces mimics the face shape. Aviators and cat-eye frames are wider at the top and more narrow at the bottom (just like heart faces), so they’ll highlight your best features. However, balance is important in the proportions. If you have soft features, choose a smaller and thinner frame; if you have strong features, you can go for the thicker or larger frames.
Sunglasses for oval faces
Try: Round, oversized frames
Round sunglasses are typically wider, which helps to balance out the length of an oval face shape. Smaller frames can accentuate a narrow face, so oversized styles are the most flattering option to give the illusion of more width from cheekbone to cheekbone.
