Glasses for an oval face

How glasses work on an oval face

Frames sit across the widest part of an oval face, at or just below the cheekbones. Because the face outline is all soft curves, a frame with some angles gives the eye something to hold on to. And because the face is longer than wide, the frame should read as wide rather than tall, so it does not add to the length.

Two rules follow. First, choose frames that are as wide as, or a fraction wider than, the widest part of your face. Second, avoid frames whose lenses are much taller than they are wide.

Frame shapes that suit an oval face

• Rectangular and square frames add definition to a soft outline. They are the default recommendation for oval faces for good reason.
• Wayfarer shapes combine a straight top line with a slightly rounded bottom and sit well on almost every oval.
• Cat-eye frames lift the outer corners and echo the cheekbones. A moderate upsweep is more flattering than an extreme one.
• Aviators in sunglasses suit an oval because the teardrop lens is wide at the top and does not stack height.
• Geometric shapes such as hexagonal or browline frames work when you want something with more character.

Round frames are not wrong on an oval face, but they repeat the softness of the outline rather than balancing it. If you like round frames, choose a thin metal rim and a slightly wider-than-tall lens.

Frame width and bridge

Measure across the widest part of your face at cheekbone level, or read the cheekbone width from the face shape test. A frame's total width, from temple to temple across the front, should be within a few millimetres of that. Frames narrower than the face make the face look wider; frames much wider make it look smaller and more oblong.

The bridge should let the frame sit level on the nose without pinching or sliding. On a face with a low nose bridge, look for frames labelled as having nose pads or a low bridge fit so the lenses do not touch the cheeks.

Frame materials and colour

Acetate frames in a medium thickness add the structure an oval face benefits from. Thin metal frames are more subtle and suit a smaller face or a minimal look. For colour, tortoiseshell, deep brown, black and dark green all work; pick according to hair and skin tone rather than face shape. Our test reports your skin undertone: warm undertones pair with tortoiseshell, gold and warm browns, cool undertones with black, silver and cool greys, and neutral undertones can wear both.

Sunglasses for an oval face

The same rules apply, with more room for size. Oversized sunglasses look good on an oval face provided they are wide rather than tall. Aviators, wayfarers, square frames and wide cat-eye shapes all suit the shape. Very tall, narrow lenses and very small round lenses are the two styles that fight the proportions.

The one thing to avoid

Frames whose lenses are noticeably taller than they are wide. On an already-long face they extend the vertical line and push the shape toward oblong. If you love a tall frame, balance it with a wider overall width or a strong top bar.

Trying frames on

Photograph yourself straight on wearing the frames, then compare it with a photo without them. If the face looks longer with the frames on, the lens is too tall. If the frames look wider than the face, size down. The face shape test can also confirm your cheekbone width so you can compare it with the frame width printed on the inside of the arm.