Eye Candy

Bring in the summer with Ms T’s guide to your ideal sunglasses

Summer is here and we want you to be looking your very best, especially when it comes to the eyewear of the season. Unfortunately, finding the right pair of sunglasses to suit one’s face can be a daunting task and an unflattering style or shape can bring your entire outfit down in a second. When it comes to buying sunglasses, it is important to determine the shape of your face accurately for the most ideal and functional pair of glasses for you. Consider this your go-to guide for the perfect pair that will not only make you look stylish but also shield your eyes from the blazing sun.

Round Faces



Round faces have noticeable curves and few angles with a facial width and length of equal measure. According to Mohammad Usman of LifeStyle Accesories, “Round faces lack definition. They are already curvy so the ideal eyewear shouldn’t be round. Instead, it should add more angles to the wearer’s face and make it look thinner. Generally, I suggest aviators or tear-drop shaped frames to customers with round faces as they fulfil that purpose.” Celebrity stylist and renowned fashion blogger Amber Jawaid of A Wardrobe Affair agrees. “Since round faces have fuller cheeks, you should pick frames that elongate your face. I think horizontal, i.e. rectangular, square or rounded-square wayfarers can help do that.”

Sqaure Faces



Although square faces are just as proportional in terms of length and width as round ones, it has additional angles that the latter lack. Common characteristics include wide foreheads, strong cheekbones a pronounced jaw line. “Round or cat-eye frames look great on people with square faces as they soften out the edges,” says Usman. Additionally, the sunglasses should rest high on the wearer’s cheekbones for added effect. “Any frame that has circular or oval edges can work.”

Heart-Shaped Faces



These are often described as ‘triangular’ due to being wide at the temples and narrow at the chin. Heart-shaped faces typically include high cheekbones and a converging jaw line paired with a large forehead. Therefore, sticking to cat-eye, rimless or aviator styles is best. According to Usman, “The heart-shaped faces look excellent when highlighted by frames with soft round edges. The top of the face is much broader than the lower half. A sqaure or rectangular frame will only make the top seem larger.” Amber specifically advises the cat-eye frames as these “Help to balance the face overall and do not make it too sharp or too soft.”

Oval Faces



Oval is one shape that is both lucky and unlucky in that while oval faces indeed appear long and thin (even after weight gain), the shape can make a face look too small. With gentle curves and fairly symmetrical features, “Oval-faced people can sport all and any style of sunglasses,” according to Usman. “Personally, I prefer bigger frames to add more prominence to the face.” A point to be noted is that the frame should not be too big lest they hide the wearer’s face completely. As Amber explains, “Oval faces tend to appear sort of childish and timid at times. The shape needs to be accentuated with statement glasses to make one appear more dynamic. Any shape goes with the wonderfully slender oval face as long as the frames aren’t taking over it!”

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, May 4^th, 2014.