Sunglasses – What Shape Best Fits Your Face

We asked Copenhagen-based professional MUA and stylist Cianne Denize for her tips on choosing the right pair of sunglasses for any man’s face shape – be it square, rectangular, oblong, oval, round, diamond, heart, or any type of triangle – without needing to try them on.

What is an oval face shape?

“An oval face is one where the length is longer than the width of the cheekbones. This guy also has a wider forehead compared to his jawline.”

Sunglasses for an Oval Face Shape

“It’s a well-balanced face shape and looks good with most styles of sunglasses.

The best pair should highlight the strong points of your face and downplay the weaker ones. This means that guys with an oval face should add angles to the soft curves.

Shop for sunglasses that are geometric, rectangular or slightly square like aviator sunglasses.”

What is a square face shape?

“The square face shape is characterised by a strong jawline and defined cheekbones.”

Shades for a Square Face Shape

 “When shopping for sunglasses for a square face, choose round rims to soften your bold features. Shop for teardrop-shaped or round lenses.

Sunglasses with thinner frames, like ones made from metal, make the face appear softer without losing the masculinity that the square face shape gives off.

Avoid square or rectangular shapes because they make your head look short by highlighting the angles of your face. And nobody wants a short head.”

What is a round face shape?

“Men with a round face have a lot in common with the oval. It's characterised by soft features and a slightly curved jawline and browline.

The cheekbones are usually larger, and the small forehead is almost symmetrical to the jawline.”

Sunnies For A Round Face Shape

“Go for angles! The key to sunglasses for men with round faces is to make the face look longer.

If you have a round face shape, rectangular and square frames break up the softness, slim the cheeks and help your face appear thinner and longer.

Angular and geometric sunglasses add sharper lines to create a balance between the round curves of your face and the clean lines of the frames. For men, wearing thicker frames also adds width.

Men’s sunglasses with gradient lenses add another level of elongation.

Avoid round sunglasses or any pair that highlights the roundness and curves of the face.”

What is a heart face shape?

“Men with heart-shaped faces have wide foreheads and brows compared to their cheekbones and pointed chins.

Some stylists consider this to be the most versatile of all face shapes, but I think the oval face shape is just as easy to find sunglasses for.”

Sunglasses For A Heart Face Shape

“Men blessed with a heart-shaped face look best in medium-sized sunglasses that balance out the small chin and large forehead and brow.

Aviator sunglasses look great and have a broader bottom half that balances out the width of the chin.

I suggest avoiding darker colours because they cut up the line of the face. Instead, go for rimless or light-coloured frames. If you don’t like rimless, choose a thin metal frame.

And don’t buy round sunglasses because they draw attention to the forehead and make it appear larger.”

What happens when your face shape includes a feature that you’re self-conscious about?

Nobody’s perfect (which by extension means everyone is). We all have something we’d like to hide or, if that’s impossible, draw attention away from. We asked Cianne Denize for style tips she’s used on everything from Netflix series to magazine editorials.

• Large Nose – “For men with a big nose, wear browline sunglasses. This draws attention toward your eyes and ears and away from your nose.”
• Large Forehead – “If you’re worried about your forehead getting all the attention, go for a pair of aviator sunglasses. This style looks good on most face shapes and distracts from a big forehead.”
• Narrow Eyes – “If your eyes are close together, wear a pair of sunglasses with clear frames. Avoid anything too wide, or you’ll end up looking cross-eyed.”
• Small Face – “When you want to make your face appear longer, grab a pair of rimless sunglasses or ones with a high nose bridge. These draw attention to the edge of your face in all directions.”

The secret to successful online shopping is knowing what you’re looking for. That, and a generous no-questions-asked returns policy. We have the latter, and when it comes to shopping for men’s sunglasses, this article will help you with the former.