Frame Selection Tips (1) - "pretty" factor

Nowadays, people don't just wear the glasses for vision corrections and/or protections. Many people wear them as accessories to enhance their look. Thus, when picking out a frame, we not only have to consider if the frame is suitable for wearer's prescription lenses (aka the "comfort" factor) but also the "pretty" factor. We are going to discuss the details of these two factors:

"PRETTY" FACTOR

Everybody wants to look good. Period. From the beauty aspect, picking out a suitable frame, we have to consider a few things: the wearer's sexuality, age, profession, the wardrobe (Style) and the most importantly - the face shape. The height of the face can be divided into thirds - from the top of the forehead to the eyebrows, from the eyebrows to the bottom of the nose, and then from there to the bottom of the chin. If the eyebrows are just at 1/3 of the face, we would call it a "balanced" model. Therefore, based on the position of the eyebrows, we can define three models of a face: Long, Short and Balanced. People with balance face model would fit into most of the frame styles; Wearing darker frames would be better for long models in order to visually "lower" the eyebrow line; and on the contrary, wearing lighter colour or rimless frames would be ideal for short models in order to "lift" the eyebrow line. Esthetically, if the frame bridge line is higher, it could visually make the wearer's nose look longer and vice versa. The same to the frame temples (frame arms), choosing wider and lower position temple frames would make the long shape look shorter, and a narrower and higher position temple frames would make the short shape look longer.

Everybody's face is different, if we really have to define the differences of the shapes, we can find them in seven types: Round, Oval, Square, Rectangle, Diamond, Triangle and Pyramid shapes. Here we have some frame selection tips for each shaped face:

1. Round Face

Consider wider A box (horizontal size) and shorter B box (vertical size) frames in order to make the face look longer. Try to avoid overly round and striaght lined frames.

2. Oval Face

There are less limitations for oval shaped faces when choosing frames. Consider wider A box (horizontal size) and average B box (vertical size) frames but try to avoid straight lined and angled corner frames.

3. Square Face

Consider oval or round style frames, especially the bottom half is rounder, in order to minimize the facial angles. Or consider the semi-rimless frames, which would enhance the effect on making the face shape longer visually.

4. Rectangle Face

Consider rounder edge square frames. Deeper B box (vertical size) would be a bonus. Darker frames would also have the effect on making the face length shorter.

5. Dianmond Face

Consider bigger and wider upper half frames.

6.Triangle Face

Consider small square and rounded frames. Lower half of the frame is flatter and wider would be better.

7. Pyramid Face

Quite opposite of Triangle face, wider upper half and narrower lower half frames would be ideal, eg. cat eye style.

to be continued with part II - "Comfort" factor