Sunglasses: What type works best with what face shape

TOMORROW, we celebrate National Sunglasses Day. This campaign is aimed to raise consumer awareness on the importance of wearing sunglasses for UV protection. While sunglasses serve as a safety precaution when out and about, there’s no denying that they offer an instant edge to one’s everyday look.

When deciding on what sunglasses to get, never disregard their functional elements, and pick out the right frame that accentuates one’s face shape.

Here are the best sunglasses for every face shape.

Round Face. Sunglasses that fit people with a round face are ones with a square frame to balance the roundness of the face and to add definition. Round faces have softer angles with slightly wider cheekbones and equally wide forehead and jaw. Angular frames go well with this face shape. It’s also recommended to stay away from circle frames because they will only accentuate the roundness of the face even more.

Oval Face. Lucky are those with an oval face because most styles work well with this face shape. With slightly wider cheekbones and a gentle narrowing at the forehead and jaw, most sunglasses look great on an oval face. The only caution that people with an oval face shape should consider is the proper size and proportion of the sunglasses to their features—the glasses must be the same width as the face and not wider.

Square Face. Frames with curved or rounded corners complement a square face since this shape has more angular lines with equally wide cheekbones, forehead and jaw. Those with square faces must look for frames with the right proportion. Meaning, the larger the face, the larger the frame should be. It will help balance the face shape if the sunglasses extend past the widest part of the face. Also, avoid frames with boxy and angular corners.

Heart-Shaped Face. Aviators are the sunglasses of choice for people with a heart-shaped face. The glasses mimic the face shape where it’s typically wider at the top and tapered at the bottom. A heart face is widest at the forehead and gradually narrows through to the jaw which makes aviator glasses the perfect fit for this type of face shape. Anything oversized is a no-no, as proportion still plays an important part here.

Triangular Face. Triangular faces are typically narrower on the forehead and become wider at the jawline. The goal is to emphasize dimensional balance when choosing for the ideal sunglasses. A triangular face will look its greatest with teardrop or cat-eye shaped sunnies to highlight dimensional symmetry. Aviators and clubmasters make for good alternatives, too. A pro- tip for people with this type of face shape: remember to avoid small frames.