The Best Sunglasses for Your Face Shape

Shopping for the perfect pair of sunglasses can be extremely tricky considering there isn’t one universal type of lenses that flatters every single type of face shape. There are 5 different types of face shapes: heart-shaped, oblong/long, oval, square, and round. We will recap the types of frames that work, the types of frames that don’t, and a celebrity who’s sunny style you can try to emulate.

Heart-Shaped

For a heart-shaped face, a person’s style to copy would be Miley Cyrus or Audrina Patridge (from the Hills) who have broad foreheads and cheekbones, but more petite chins. The key for a heart-shaped face is to stick to round or cat-eye sunglasses to smooth the natural curves of your face. You want to avoid overly-embellished sunglasses that draw too much attention to the upper part of your face.

Oblong/ Long

The cardinal rule to avoid with your oblong face-shape is frames that are too narrow for your face. Oversized or wrap-style sunglasses are perfect for your face and keep it proportional. Celebs to copy are Demi Moore and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Oval

Oval faces are generally pretty balanced between the forehead, cheekbone, and jaw. Any style will work for an oval face, but "softly angular" frames are ideal. Follow Paula Abdul or Jessica Chastain for your oval-faced sunglasses inspiration. Chances are any frames that you try will look fabulous on you.

Square

Square faced celebrities like Paris Hilton and Olivia Palermo have mastered the art of a fine pair of sunglasses. Women with square faces (broad foreheads and a square jaw line) should always wear round, oval, or cat-eye glasses. Avoid wearing extremely angular glasses because that will only complement and draw attention to and emphasize your jaw line.

Round

Round faces tend to have fuller cheeks, so naturally you should choose frames that make your face look long and lean. Wide rectangular lenses are your calling, and you should avoid round or colored frames since they’ll draw attention to your cheeks and make them look fuller. Try copying Kirsten Dunst’s or Cameron Diaz’s style when it comes to sunglasses since they have famous round faces.

A few rules to keep in mind when buying sunglasses:

1. Nothing looks worse than a pair of smudged sunglasses no matter how flattering the frames are. Always carry a microfiber cloth to keep your sunnies clean and fingerprint-free.
2. Make sure to try on your sunglasses before buying them. This may seem like a no-brainer, but with the surge of internet-shopping, you want to make sure that the sunglasses fit on your face properly and will be comfortable enough to wear for a long time.
3. Designer is not always best. Yes, designer sunglasses are very coveted nowadays, but if they aren’t perfect for your face, it’s not worth the money. Nordstrom has a lot of affordable sunglasses styles available in the BP Junior’s section from $10.