Sunglasses Fashion Tips: Finding Your Perfect Pair!

Here’s a scenario: You love your best friend’s new shades, you ask to try them on, but you hate how they look on you. It happens to the best of us. It’s probably because your friend has a different face shape or coloring than you. But the good news is, the perfect pair of sunglasses for your face is out there. You just need to find them and we can help. Here are some of our favorite tips for choosing the perfect frames that will accentuate your features and compliment your face.

The Shape of Your Awesome Face

 Square

 If you have a square shaped face, you probably have features like a structured jawline and strong forehead. These distinct lines and angles create a unique look that make you the perfect candidate for curvy frames. You’ll have many options to choose from like a classic round or oval shape. Even fierce cat eye and butterfly shades can work really well with a square shaped face.

Oval

If you have an oval shaped face, you can rock just about any shaped sunglasses. Your best bet though is to find a pair that are structured and angular like a rectangular, square, or geometric shape. Why? Because these shapes will emphasize the horizontal orientation or your face with a strong vertical to create a defining look for you. But do take sizing into consideration and shoot for moderation by not going too big or too small.

Heart

With a heart shape, your face is typically distinguished by a broad forehead, wide cheekbones and a narrower jawline. With your features try out a sexy cat eye look or pick up a pair of circular lenses that will accentuate these elements. Additionally, frames with thicker bottoms will emphasize those exceptional cheekbones.

Round

If your face is circular with soft features, the width and height of your facial structure is relatively equivalent. So with this particular shape, wide geometric frames will usually be a solid bet. Angular styles will contrast your natural curves and create a longer and thinner look for your beautiful face.

Color and Style

 Sunglasses lenses and frames can come in a variety of colors. In lenses blacks, grays and browns are among the most common but blue, green, yellow, amber or rose lenses can also help you make a fashion statement. Colored frames like white, red or blue can be another great way to stand out from the crowd.

Colored lenses and frames can also contrast your complexion, adding color to pale faces and popping against darker tones.  Cooler skin tones might want to consider lenses tinted blue, rose or green. If you have a warmer complexion red, yellow, or orange lens colors could be exactly the accent you need.

Some colors have the benefits of giving a retro feel while still being modern and trendy. Just remember if you’re going bold with your shades, it may be a good idea to minimize your other statement pieces by pairing them with few other accessories and letting your sunglasses shine.

Safety and Fashion

Remember that sunglasses are for protection. Stylish protection, but protection nonetheless. Make sure you’re getting 100% UV protection when purchasing your new shades, this will allow them to do their job and prevent damage to your eyes while also adding to your look.

Look for polarized sunglasses whenever possible. Polarization helps to reduce reflected glare from shiny surfaces like water and can be useful when you’re driving because they cut down on the glare that may come from the road or even your car’s hood. Glare is more than just an annoyance, it can be dangerous. The glare from UV light can impair your depth perception, and even distort your view. So no matter the shape or color, your sunglasses should ideally be polarized.

When it comes to sunglasses bigger is usually better. Yes, massive frames are delightfully dramatic but there’s another reason that bigger frames are a good choice. Bigger frames provide more coverage and are more effective at keeping the sun from entering your eyes.

Colored lenses can be an awesome look, but they may also distort the colors of objects you’re looking at. Additionally, some colored lenses work better in certain weather conditions, for example, rose colored glasses may be great in snowy weather while yellow can be helpful in foggy or smoggy conditions. Just remember with colored lenses, as edgy as they may be, if you can’t see well through them, they probably aren’t for you or at least not for that day.

Darker lenses do not necessarily protect you better. Surprised? It’s true! The darkness of the shade does not necessarily reflect their UV protection level. Actually, dark lenses without the proper level of UV protection can hurt your eyes. The dark tint can cause your pupils to dilate which actually lets more harmful light in. Go dark, if that’s the look you want, but check the UV coverage. Don’t just assume that darker is safer and instead make sure your shades have at least 95% UV protection. But 100% is better.

Also, good news if you love your shades, you don’t only need them at the beach or on bright sunny days. Even on cloudy days UV light is strong. That means you have a great excuse for wearing your favorite sunglasses anytime you go out.

Finally, don’t forget if you love the shape of your regular glasses frames, you can turn them into sunglasses by swapping out your lenses for a photochromatic lens that will change based on the lighting conditions around you.

If you look for sunglasses that complement your skin tone and features, before you know it, you’ll be the friend inspiring sunglasses envy.