Summer is not yet over until it’s over and it’s time to turn to the small yet mighty frames to amp our summer wardrobe. You can rely on your sunnies to be the glossy finish to your outfit whether you are into micro-mini frames, oversized frames or you can’t get enough of the classics. The tricky part however is that not all sunglasses are a one-size-fits-all, hence the need to choose the right sunglasses for your face shape.

We know our bodies are all different and what looks good on one person doesn’t necessarily mean it will look the same on another. This applies to sunnies too as faces come in different shapes and sizes which could make hunting for the perfect pair tedious. Are you planning on splurging on a designer pair, or do you want to hit the high street and get a pair to upgrade your accessory arsenal? There’s always something for everyone! Here’s our ultimate guide to finding stylish sunglasses for your face shape. They guarantee they’ll have you looking like an off-duty Gigi Hadid even when the sun isn’t shining.

What are the Right Sunglasses for your Face Shape?

All faces are different, but most will fit in either square, round, heart, or diamond shape categories. The simplest way to know your face shape is by taking a selfie and drawing around your face or looking in the mirror and tracing what you see preferably with lipstick that you can wipe off.

For your glasses to make an unforgettable statement they need to fit your face dimensions. If your sunnies are too small or too large they will distort the proportions of facial features and make you look cockamamie. Properly fitted sunglasses need to be two-thirds low from your nose bridge with the highest point being the center of your eyebrows. The edge of the frames is supposed to align with your face with the weight evenly distributed between the bridge of the nose and your ears.

Those with smaller facial features turn to brands like Michael Kors, Ray-ban, Gucci, or Dries Van Noten while those with larger features can rock a pair of Chloe’s, Oakley, and Costa. Finding the right sunglasses for your face shape may often feel like finding your soulmate on Tinder but luckily, we narrowed down tips and tricks that’ll help you find your fit.

1. Square Face Shape

Square-faced individuals have roughly the same face height and width. They also have sharp angles due to their broad foreheads and sharp jawline. Think Rihanna and Kiera Knightley. Go for round, oval, or tear-drop-shaped frames to soften and balance the angles on your face. To add an illusion of length to your face opt for frames with a thin profile or get frameless glasses. Rihanna often rocks delicate round framed Ray Ban Wayfarers in an array of colors that stylishly contrast her angular features. You’ll want to avoid square frames with sharp corners, frames that are wider than your face, and small petite frames.

“Got my Ray Bans and I’m feeling hella cool tonight, everybody’s vibing so don’t nobody start a fight” –Rihanna (2011)

2. Round face shape

As square is to round so is round to square. Catch my drift? Having a round face means that your face is about as tall as it is wide with full cheeks and a rounded chin. Since round faces are dominated by smooth lines and soft curves, the aim is to use sunglasses that suit your face to create as much definition as you can. To make your face appear longer or narrower, go for shades with sharper angles that will elongate and contour your face. You could also try cat-eye and D-frames which work to add width to the upper part of your face.

To say that Beyoncé is a trendsetter would be an understatement and trying to understand the pure magical influence she has over the music and fashion industry would only drive you nuts. Beyoncé decided to go big and not home with stylish multi-colored square Gucci sunglasses that balanced out her round facial proportions giving her a clear-cut look. The ensemble was bedazzled with pink and yellow glitter, with the Gucci logo etched at the lens corner. Talk about a flex! This electric pair reeks of perfection on my round-faced sisters. Avoid narrow and rounded frames.

3. Heart face shape

If you have a heart-shaped face, consider yourself lucky as you have the most versatile face of the bunch. A heart face shape characterizes by a wide forehead and a narrow chin. Haley Berry, Chloë Grace Moretz, Reese Witherspoon, and her lovely daughter are examples of stars who know the right way to emphasize their heart-shaped faces with sunnies.

Even though almost any style will work on you, having a broad brow and narrow jaw means the best sunglasses to suit your face should lightly elongate and widen your chin thus balancing out your proportions. Go for frames that have rounder bases that are bottom-heavy like aviators or wayfarers to soften pointy chins or sharp cheekbones. Oval and cat-eye frames are a good choice too. To find the perfect pair for your heart-shaped face turn to brands like Bon Look, Kamali Kulture, Prada, and C. Wonder.

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4. Diamond face shape

Rare as natural diamonds this is one face shape only a few possess. Diamond-shaped faces are defined by a narrow forehead, angular jawline, and broad high cheekbones. It is a face shape shared by beauties like Megan Fox, Shakira, and Ashley Greene, who if you look closely enough, you’ll notice have an overall ‘narrow face appearance’.

For my diamond face-shaped girlies work with softly curved frames for sunglasses that suit your face to downplay your sharp features. You want to draw attention to your eyes so choose oval or circular frames which are wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. Check out Ray-Ban’s Round Flash Lenses if you are in a hippie mood or go for Oliver Peoples The Row Parquet for a more vintage style.

You can for sure get away with oversized glasses (which are everywhere now). Bigger frames look amazing on this shape, don’t shy away from LA girl sunnies, or throw on Celine’s Chunky Round Acetate Sunglasses. A diamond face shape will forever look spectacular in cat-eye models which add width to the brow. Tom Ford’s FT0304 Nastasya is the perfect cat-eye design to flatter your eyes and cheekbones and comes in both gold and silver for that extra touch of glamour. Steer clear of narrow frames to be on the safe side.

The scorching summer heat waves officially mark the season to fall in love with sunnies. I hope that you are now one step closer to finding sunglasses for your face. PS. You can use these tips when choosing your prescription glasses as well. What’s your face shape? Share in the comment section.

About the Author

Abigail Mbithe

Abigail is a 20-something wild child who still believes in unicorns, fairy tales, and everything beautiful. When she’s not trying to invent a new hairstyle or fighting acne, and keeping her skin ageless, she’s either sipping on something or hanging out with her tribe.