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Although there are no strict rules, there are some guiding principles where particular frame shapes and colours are aesthetically better suited to certain face shapes, feature sizes and colours. You can select the right frame by using any one or more of the following techniques: What is your face shape? What is the size of your face/head? Do you have a particularly small or large feature such as your nose? What is the colour of your best feature; your eyes or your hair? By Face Shape When selecting frames based on the shape of your face, the idea is to complement and balance the overall outline. Try not to choose frames that mimic the shape of your face, instead go for frames that contrast your face shape. Oval - gently rounded at the jaw line and at the hairline, the length being roughly one and half times longer than the width. Generally balanced in proportion.
Avoid: Frames that are disproportional in size to the face, i.e. where the frames is too large or too small. Also avoid frames that draw attention to particularly large or small features. Round - full-looking face with a round chin and hairline. Widest point is at the cheeks and ears.
Avoid: Round, oval or large frame shapes as they will accentuate the round shape of the face. Oblong or Square (full) - jaw line, cheek bones and forehead are almost equal in width. The jaw line and/or the hairline may be very gently rounded or square.
Avoid: Thin and square frames. Oblong or Square (thin) - generally rectangular in shape with a strong chin and defined cheek bones
Avoid: Frames that are particularly weighted at either the top or bottom of the frame, creating an exaggerated sense of length. Heart (base-up triangle) - wider at the temples and hairline, narrowing to a small delicate chin.
Avoid: Large or square shaped frames. Base-down Triangle - dominant jaw line that tapers toward the cheek bone and temples.
Avoid: Small rounded frames or semi-rimmed which have the frame attached at the bottom of the lenses. By Face/Head Size If your face or head is particularly wide or narrow, it is important to select a frame that fits you comfortably. If too large or too small a frame is chosen, not only will the frame appear ill-suited but also there will be unnecessary tension caused to the lens joints and temple hinges on the frame or will tend to slip off the nose. As this is an important consideration for our customers, the correctly sized frame can be searched for based on small, medium or large faces. By Feature Size If you have a relatively small or delicate nose in comparison to the overall size of your face: Try: Frames that emphasize this feature. For example a high bridge in a light colour lengthens a small or short nose. If you have a feature which is quite dominant or large in relation to the overall size of your face: Try: Large oversized frames for achieving balance. Small frames will accentuate a longer nose. Frames with high sidebars that draw attention upward toward the temples and away from the nose are a good choice as well. A double bridge helps a nose appear shorter. By Feature Colour Typically your eye or hair colour will be one of the stronger features on your face. It is therefore advisable to select frames in colours that reflect these, for example a deep green frame will enhance green eyes. Similarly, frames which are in warm colours such as reds, browns, oranges and yellows will compliment flame red hair. By Frame Style We group frames into three common styles - rimless, semi-rimmed or full rimmed. Rimless Rimless frames have no frame around the lenses. They come in three main pieces; two temples (arms) and a nose bridge. Rimless frames are usually minimalist, using very little material. This gives them a sense of floating around the face and the light lines and contours add a delicacy and grace. Rimless frames of this kind therefore are light and comfortable to wear, particularly when made from ultra light materials such as titanium. Semi-rimmed (sometimes referred to as Supra) A semi-rimmed frame has a rim on part of the frame's eye holding a lens, and on the other part a nylon cord secures the lens in place. The rim on a semi-rimmed frame is most commonly on the top of the lens, although occasionally it is located on the bottom of the lens. Full Rimmed These are frames where the lens is completely encased. The temples may or may not be in the same material and/or colour as the lens rim. If you are still unsure, remember that you can always order up to 2 trial frames. Please find details under the Try Before You Buy area. |
