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| Margaret's Pages - The Fashion Series ... Selecting Your Spectacles |
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| Wear your specs proudly. A little thought can turn them into a real beauty asset. Frames change like fashion, so choose carefully. If you want only one pair then choose a good neutral colour that will complement you and the type of clothes you wear. Consider your budget, the shape of your face and your lifestyle when choosing the frame for your glasses. Spectacles can be a great accessory - enhancing good points, minimising less attractive ones, and balancing face shapes. |
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| If your face is a Square shape look for a soft curve to flatter. A deep frame with deep colour on eye line adds to the upper part of face. Avoid large frames - they look best if no lower than top of the cheek. |
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| Look for round or pear-shaped spectacles to soften the square face. |
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| If the face is Round, look for cats eye, rectangular or square shaped frames to give definition. Maybe an upswept sporty line, or a hexagonal shape. You need a shallow design. To give length to the chin look to 2 tone colouring. |
| Some width at the temples will make forehead look wider. |
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| For the Oval shape face, you can wear just about any size and shape frame. Try angular, rounded, shaped or small, round wire frames. Most frames will suit if not too heavy in weight or narrow in shape. Choose something delicate (see right). |
| Give a Long face shape, and width by choosing an upswept frame. Look for wide frame, not too small, to ocunteract the length and narrowness of the face. Choose slender lens in all-over colour metal frames. Keep away from small square styles. If face is long and larege, look for bigger frames. |
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| Frames should be * no wider than the face * in line with eyebrows at the top * no lower than the highest point of the nostril contour |
| This style (right) will suit most face shapes. Consider, when choosing, that fashion styles and colour fads come and go. |
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| Whatever you choose make sure your eye is in the centre of each frame. The metal frame (right) is flattering to an "open" face. Metal frames are durable and elegant. If you can afford more than one pair of glasses, choose something more flamboyant for the evening. Rimless glasses suit most faces but are very fragile because the lenses are not supported. |
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| If you have a drooping chin, look for non-extreme cat's eye or oval shaped frames, which are higher at the temple and will distract from the chin. Tone the frame colour to your hair - silver, gold, grey, tortoiseshell, etc. Some may like funky colour combinations - try them on and see how they suit. |
| Tinted lenses (left) have the advantage of helping to soften lines around the eyes. Narrow faces look best in aviator style, rectangular or round frames. Wide-set Eyes - look for darker, stronger bridges which have the effect of bringing the eyes together. If you have a long nose - go for a low or dark bridge to shorten the nose. |
| A short nose needs a high or clear bridge to make the most of a small nose, and close-set eyes need clear or narrow bridges which lighten the area so the eyes won't seem close together. Close-set eyes will appear more wide with lightweight, thin, small frames. Very small frames are unflattering on older faces - look for a medium or larger-size frame which will help camouflage the eye area and its wrinkles and bags. |
| Select your spectacles and sun-glasses frames to be in proportion to your face. If petite look at delicate styles as large frames will dwarf you. A large-faced women needs substantial frames as delicate ones would look light-weight. Follow your instinct and choose what you feel comfortable with. Make sure sunglasses give 100% UVA and UVB absorption. Look for infra-red protection if you live in a very hot climate. Plastic lenses will not break as easily as glass. If you choose glass, get it laminated or toughened. If you like the outdoor life, play sport and laze around on weekends, choose a casual pair of spectacles. For dressing up look for a more sophisticated frame style. |
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| A few ideas on applying your makeup when you are a spectacle wearer If short-sighted, colour the eyes in soft shades extending the colour around the eye as far as possible to make eye look larger. Don't use pale or pearlised eyeshadows. Instead look for deep natural shades for contouring. Strengthen eyebrows with a light touch of pencil. Use eyeliner on the outer eye edges only. A stronger lipstick takes attention from the eyes. If you are long or far-sighted, use soft shadows. |
| Look for neutral, natural shades, as bright colour will detract from eye colour. Minimal eyeliner. Just a touch on outer eye area and avoid using the colour black. Use the pencil with precision. Go lightly on blush as it can draw attention to the eye areas, and a soft colour lipstick would look great. |
| Keep hairstyles simple. Complicated curls and fussy accessories give a cluttered look to the face. A good hairdresser will take the wearing of glasses into consideration when suggesting a hairstyle. |
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| Page made 20 Sept 2001 Updated 7 Sept 2004 |
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