Eyewear

Glasses for your face shape

Frames sit right in the middle of your face, so a wrong shape is impossible to hide. The good news is the rule is simple: pick a frame that does the opposite of what your face already does. Round face, angular frame. Angular face, softer frame.

The one principle behind every recommendation

Frames work by contrast. A round face is softened further by round frames and sharpened by square ones. A square face is hardened by square frames and softened by round ones. Once you know your shape, the rest follows. If you need to find it, the two-minute method is in haircuts for your face shape — same face, same measurements.

Frames for each face shape

Face shapeBest framesWhySkip
OvalAlmost anything — square, rectangular, cat-eye, roundBalanced proportions accept most shapesFrames much wider than the face
RoundSquare, rectangular, angular, browlineStraight lines add definition and lengthRound or small oval frames — they add more curve
SquareRound, oval, soft cat-eye, thin rimsCurves soften a strong jaw and browBoxy rectangular frames that repeat the angles
HeartBottom-heavy, round, oval, rimless, light colorsWeight at the bottom balances a wide foreheadTop-heavy, heavy-browed or oversized frames
OblongTall, oversized, square with depth, decorative templesHeight and width shorten a long faceNarrow, short frames that make it look longer
DiamondCat-eye, oval, browline, rimlessDetail at the brow line widens a narrow foreheadNarrow frames that emphasize the cheekbones

Skip the guesswork. Selflogue reads your face shape and feature scale from a selfie and recommends frame geometry, fit and tint — for glasses and sunglasses.

Three things that matter beyond shape

Scale

Frames should match the size of your features, not just your face outline. Small features are swamped by oversized frames; strong features look pinched by petite ones. The frame's width should roughly match the width of your face at the temples — not narrower, not wider.

Brow line

The top of the frame should sit at or just below your brows, following their line. Frames that cut across the middle of the brow look off in a way that is hard to name but easy to see. This is the reason browline and cat-eye frames flatter so many people — they trace the brow instead of crossing it.

Color

Frame color follows the same rules as clothing: it should agree with your undertone. Warm undertones suit tortoiseshell, gold, brown and honey. Cool undertones suit black, silver, grey, navy and clear. Black frames are not neutral — on a warm-toned face they can look harsh. If you have not checked, the tests are in how to find your skin undertone.

Sunglasses: same rules, one exception

Everything above applies to sunglasses. The exception is scale — sunglasses can run larger than prescription frames because they are meant to shield, and the eye expects them bigger. Even so, the widest point should not pass the sides of your face.

Get frames matched to your face

Selflogue reads your face shape and recommends frame geometry, fit and color that balance it. Free on iPhone and Android.

Cosmetic and styling guidance only. Selflogue is not a medical or diagnostic tool.