Summer’s almost here, and you know what that means – it’s time to look for a new pair of shades!
This season there are tons of great ways to update your look. Big trends to look out for include oversized, cat eye, geometric, aviator, and shield sunglasses, and glasses with fun embellishments and irregular-shaped lenses.
Before you make a big purchase, though, be sure you are buying a pair that will complement your face shape. There are four main face shapes: heart, round, oval, and square. If you don’t know what yours is, you can find a tutorial here that will help you figure it out.
Once you know your face shape, it’s time to get shopping! Here are some of our favorite looks for each face shape to help you get started:
Heart
Heart-shaped faces have broader foreheads, high cheekbones, and a narrower jaw and chin (think Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, Eva Longoria, and Halle Berry). Flattering frames will be slightly wider than your forehead and wider on top than on the bottom. Bottom-heavy frames will also help balance out a pointed jaw. Some styles to look for are retro square and cat eye sunglasses.
Prada PR 53SS
American Sunglass, $355
Cat Eye Sunglasses
Forever 21, $5.90
Fendi Cat Eye Sunglasses
Nordstrom, $465
Ray-Ban Original Wayfarer
Ray-Ban, $150
Dolce & Gabbana Cat-Eye Gold-Tone and Acetate Sunglasses
Net-A-Porter, $300
Round
Round faces are circular in shape, widest across the cheekbones, and have a width and length that are almost equal (think Ginnifer Goodwin, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, or Hayden Panettiere). Look for thinner frames that will add length to the face and angular frames that will sharpen your soft features. Retro square, cat eye, square, and oversized angular frames will look best on your face.
Elizabeth and James ‘Smith’ Sunglasses
Nordstrom, $195
Bristol Sunglasses
Sunglass Warehouse, $13.95
Ray-Ban Oversized Clubmaster Sunglasses
FramesDirect.com, on sale for $112.50
Winston Sunglasses
Warby Parker, $95
Sierra Extreme Cat Eye
Sunglass Warehouse, $10.95
Oval
If you have an oval-shaped face you’ve won the sunglasses lottery, because oval faces act as a sort of blank canvas for sunglasses – most any pair will look good on you! Oval faces have balanced features, with the chin slightly narrower than the forehead (think Kate Middleton, Jessica Alba, Beyoncé, and Carey Mulligan). While you can have fun with your shades and try some unique looks, the best frames for you will be equal to or wider than the widest part of your face and cover your eyebrows and cheekbones. Try some bold textures and shapes, and look especially for retro square, aviator, and oversized frames.
A.J. Morgan ‘Epic’ Sunglasses
Nordstrom, $24
Ray-Ban Original Aviator Sunglasses
LensCrafters, $165
Kate Spade New York Cat Eye Sunglasses
Nordstrom, $175
Marc Jacobs 506 Rectangle Sunglasses
SolsticeSunglasses.com, $420
Miu Miu Semi Rimless Sunglasses
Nordstrom, $385
Square
Square-shaped faces feature a strong jaw, wide forehead, and wide cheekbones (think Olivia Wilde, Rihanna, Natalie Portman, or Minka Kelly). Look for sunglasses that will help soften your angular features, like those with thin, curved frames. Semi-rimless frames will help balance your jawline. Look for round, aviator, and shield frames that will be the most flattering on your face.
Prada ‘Cinemà‘ Round Sunglasses
Nordstrom, $300
Woven Shield Sunglasses
Ralph Lauren, $349
Prada Round Sunglasses
Nordstrom, $325
Zeigfeld Collection Aviator Sunglasses
Tiffany & Co., $430
Ray-Ban Rounded Sunglasses
Nordstrom, $150