Eyeglass Frames
The eyeglass frames you pick should reflect your style and highlight who you are but there are so many kinds that the shopping experience can become overwhelming. To help you find just the right ones, here’s a guide to eyeglass frame names and the face shapes they suit.
Aviator is a retro frame style that never goes out of style. Modern versions can be made of many different materials and usually feature large, teardrop-shaped lenses. These frames look great on any face shape, which is why they’re still so popular.
Butterfly style frames get their name from the fact that they resemble outstretched butterfly wings. Square and heart-shaped faces are best suited to wear butterfly style frames.
Cat Eye frames have been around since the 50s and 60s and have become a high-fashion style once again. Cat eyes are characterized by an upswept almond-shaped outline and high sidebars that are sometimes accented with fun trimmings. Cat eye frames are best suited to bottom-heavy face shapes such as triangular, round and square.
Clubmaster frames are another design from the 50s originally created by Ray-Ban. Modern incarnations combine sturdy plastic along the top with wire along the bottom. Clubmasters feature an exaggerated brow bar and sidebars. These frames go well with a square or diamond-shaped face.
Flat-Top frames feature a completely flat brow bar that you can find on classic styles such as wayfarers and aviators. A round face can wear flat top frames as long as they are light-coloured.
Rectangle frames are as the name suggests, rectangular in shape. They are best suited to oblong face shapes.
Pillowed Rectangle frames have a rectangular frame that is slightly puffed or curved along the edges. Pillowed rectangle frames look best on oblong, square and heart-shaped faces.
Rimless frames appear to not have any frames at all. Instead the lenses are held in place by invisible nylon cord, notches or mounting screws. Rimless frames look best on triangular and heart-shaped faces.
Semi-Rimless frames feature traditional frames on the top half and invisible nylon on the bottom to hold the lenses in place. Semi-rimless frames look good on diamond and triangular face shapes.
Round frames feature a perfectly round shape and is another retro style that’s seen a revival in recent years. Those with a heart-shaped or square-shaped face could consider round frames as an eyewear option.
Wraparound frames are usually sunglasses and were originally designed to fit over prescription eyeglasses. They have become a fashion basic, featuring lenses that are cut in one piece or appear solid across the bridge. Wraparounds are a good choice for a triangular face shape.
Square frames feature a square outline that can be rounded or angular. Try square frames if you have a round face shape.
Wayfarer frames are a versatile style that was originally created by Ray-Ban. They feature a chunkier square shape with thick sidebars. There is a different wayfarer style and design for each kind of face shape. Heart-shaped faces can wear the original wayfarer style with the thin nose bridge and sunglass rims. A round face shape could wear a wayfarer with an angular or straight square shape that makes the face look longer.
