Glasses for a round face

Why angular frames work on a round face

Glasses sit at the widest part of a round face and are the first thing the eye lands on. A frame with straight lines and corners gives the face structure it does not have naturally, and a frame slightly wider than the face makes the face look narrower by contrast. Together those two effects make a round face read longer and more defined.

The opposite is also true: a round frame on a round face repeats the same curve twice, and a frame narrower than the face makes the cheeks look wider.

Frame shapes that suit a round face

• Rectangular frames are the classic recommendation. The horizontal line adds width across the eyes and the corners add definition.
• Square frames with a slightly softened corner do the same with a bit more presence.
• Browline frames, with a heavy top bar and a thin or rimless bottom, draw a strong horizontal across the brow and lift the face.
• Cat-eye and upswept frames pull the outer corners up, which counters the downward curve of a round cheek.
• Geometric frames such as hexagons add several angles at once.
• Wayfarers work as long as the version you choose has a defined top corner rather than a fully rounded one.

Frames to avoid on a round face

Small round frames, oversized round frames and thick circular frames all emphasise roundness. So do frames that are narrower than the face, because the cheeks then spread beyond the frame. If you love a round frame, choose a large, thin metal one with a flat top bar so there is at least one straight line.

Width, height and bridge

Choose a frame whose total width is a few millimetres wider than your face at the cheekbones. Read the cheekbone width from the face shape test or measure it, and compare it with the frame width printed on the inside of the arm.

Lens height should be moderate to tall rather than shallow. A shallow, narrow lens draws a horizontal band across the middle of the face and shortens it; a taller lens adds vertical space. On a round face this is the reverse of the advice for an oval or oblong face.

A bridge that sits high and keeps the frame level helps; a frame that slides down the nose reads as heavy and pulls the face downward.

Colour and material

Darker and bolder frames add more definition than light or clear ones, which is useful on a round face. Acetate in black, dark tortoiseshell, navy or deep green gives the strongest lines. Thin metal frames work when they have angular lenses. Match colour to skin undertone: the test reports it, and warm undertones lean toward tortoiseshell and gold, cool undertones toward black, silver and cool colours.

Sunglasses for a round face

The same logic applies with more license for size. Square or rectangular sunglasses, wayfarers with a strong top corner, flat-top styles and oversized angular frames all suit a round face. Aviators can work if the lens is more angular than teardrop. Round sunglasses, however fashionable, make a round face rounder.

A quick check

Photograph yourself straight on with and without the frames. With the right frames a round face looks a little longer and the jaw looks more defined. If the face looks wider with them on, the frame is either too narrow or too round.