Choosing eyeglasses to suit your face shape can be quite a challenge. I've been wearing prescription glasses since age eight, and I've always had a tough time finding that "perfect" frame!

Maybe it's because I've got such a small, narrow face that most adult size frames make me look like I have a shrunken head! But mostly I think it's due to the huge number of styles that are available without any guidelines for how to choose. Not knowing where to start, you may just go for what's trendy, and those aren't necessarily the best eyeglasses for your face shape.

Oversized frames are all the rage right now. The trend applies mostly to sunglasses, but it's still a great example of how trendy isn't always flattering. They look great on this model, but will they look great on you?

Big sunglasses in winter white -- the "now" color

Personally, I think that the Olsen twins aren't doing themselves any favors with the oversized sunglasses they wear. Given that Mary Kate and Ashley are very small and frail, do they really need huge framess that make them look even tinier? (Nothing personal against the twins!) Ditto for Nicole Richie. But on Halle Berry and Jennifer Lopez, big and bold looks fabulous.

Balancing Your Features

As a rule, you want to wear a frame that offsets the size and shape of your face. That is, whatever your face shape, wear the opposite frame shape.

Choosing a frame shape that's opposite your face shape tends to "average out" your features and create balance. Round faces should wear square frames, and square faces are offset by rounded frames.

To balance the size of your face, the "opposites" rule does NOT apply -- go for sameness instead. A small, delicate face needs small, delicate frames while a large face with dramatic features will be in harmony with big, dramatic eyeglasses.

Exaggerating Your Features

If you want to play up how small and delicate you are, do as the famous twins have done and go for "opposite" frames that are big and bold. Maybe you love your square face and angular jaw line, and you want everyone to notice it. In that case, go for squared off frames with hard angles. You get the idea...

Here are the basic face shapes and how to dress them up:

Round

All curves, with length and width about equal characterize this face shape. People with round faces usually want them to look thinner, so you want the illusion of longer and narrower. This calls for a frame that's wider than it is long, and angular to offset the softness of the round face. A rectangular frame that's not too "tall" is ideal.

Squarish frames offset round faces "short" lenses give the face the illusion of width

Square

Square faces are equal in length and width, but they're angular. Strong jaw lines and broad foreheads are typical. Gwyneth Paltrow is a great example of a square face shape. You'll want to find rounded frames and ovals that have more width than height.

Rounded Frames compliment Square and anglular faces, "tall" lenses break up oblongs

Heart Shaped

The heart shaped face has a broad forehead and strong cheekbones, then quickly tapers down to a narrow chin. Marilyn Monroe is the most famous example of a heart-shaped face, and Halle Berry leans toward heart-shaped as well. The frames you choose should be an upside-down version of your face shape -- wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. This may be hard to find. You can get a similar effect by looking for rounded tops and square bottoms. And experts seem to agree that rimless styles work well.

Rimless and semi-rimless frames compliment heart-shaped faces, reduce clutter on small faces

Oval

The easiest person to accessorize is the person with the perfect oval, considered to be the "ideal" face shape. The oval face looks great in any hairstyle and in just about any eyeglass frame, and in my next life I want to be one of those oval women!

Oblong

Think Paris Hilton here, she has the perfect oblong face. I see the oblong face as a narrower version of the square, longer than it is wide but still with fairly strong angles. Like Ms. Hilton, the woman with an oblong face often has a longish nose. The oblong needs to be shortened and brought into balance. Wide frames that are fairly "tall" top-to-bottom work well. If you have the long nose, a low bridge that sits part-way down your nose can break up length.

Long

My favorite, because it's my own face shape. Jennifer Love-Hewitt is a good example.

The long face doesn't have the benefit of squared-off forehead and jaw line, it just tends to be long and narrow. While frames that are wider than they are long will offset your proportions, frames shouldn't be wider than your face. This makes your face look even more narrow! And, the optical center of the lenses may not line up over your eyes. You may even have to ask your optician to order you a smaller frame.

I've also found that semi-rimless frames (rimless at the top or at the bottom) can break up length without cluttering up that narrow face too much.

For Delicate Faces

Women with small, delicate faces often have trouble finding eyeglasses that don't overwhelm their features.

Before you even begin looking at style options, ask the optometrist if they carry smaller versions of the styles on display (or if they can be ordered) and have them steer you toward their smaller frames. Some manufacturers have even come up with petite collections for smaller faces, such as the Jones New York Petite collection.

Rimless and semi-rimless frames are also a good choice for an uncluttered look.

Eyeglass Frames Color

Most opticians won't be much help when it comes to choosing a frame color, so here's what I recommend:

If you can only afford one pair of eyeglasses, get the most neutral color you can find.

I suggest either metallic frames or neutral browns. Both of these come in warm and cool tones. (Read my article Beauty and Color; are you a Warm or a Cool? if you're not sure which to get). For metal frames, choose gold or copper if you're a warm, and silver or titanium if you're a cool. For plastic frames, a golden or camel brown suits to a warm, while taupes and grey-browns are best for cools.

If you can afford to have fun with multiple pairs, then go for it! Check out my color swatch page and choose frames from the Winter and Summer swatches if you're a cool and from the Autumn and Spring if you're a warm. Avoid colors that seem so intense that they overwhelm your face, or so pale that they make you look mousy. Play up your eye color rather than competing with it.

Online Resources

Fossil has a nice selection of non-prescription sunglasses -- an inexpensive way to experiment with a variety of styles and colors.

Related Articles

Beauty and Color; are you a Warm or a Cool? will help you decide when it comes time to pick the color for your eyeglass lenses and frames.

Choosing Hairstyles that Flatter Your Face helps you get the complete look. With the right eyeglasses to compliment your face shape, and a flattering hairstyle, your confidence will soar!