Choosing the perfect glasses is a bit of a give-and-take process, weighing different practical factors against your aesthetic preferences. But if carefully considered, choosing the right eyewear will do more than correct your vision. It will open up an exciting new way to reflect your style and change how you present yourself to the world.
What Are Your Vision Needs?
The first aspect to consider when choosing frames is what your needs are. Those needing multiple prescriptions in their lenses, like bifocals, will want to consider larger frames with more space in the lens to accommodate the transition from one prescription to another. Additionally, take into account whether these are glasses you're going to wear sometimes, like for reading or working at the computer, or something you're going to wear for most of the day, whether for fashion or playing sports, etc., you'll want to choose a frame that reflects your style and offers long-wear comfort.
What Styles Appeal to You?
Glasses come in a wide range of styles, colors, shapes, and aesthetic types, and knowing where your tastes lean will help you find frames you'll love wearing. For something modern and streamlined that all but disappears on your face, opt for frames with a rimless or partially rimless design. Or perhaps you love a more classic, chunky frame in a rich color to highlight your features and coordinate with your personal style.
What's your material preference?
Plastic frames lend a sturdier feel and are slightly more durable, whereas metal frames offer ultra-lightweight flexibility. Try a metal style in a timeless or partially rimless design to up the ante on the lightweight feel.
Determine Your Face Shape
Most people fall into a specific face shape category, which helps determine what shape and style of glasses suit them best. Generally speaking, you'll want to choose something that contrasts your face's structure, like rounder frames for square faces or frames with sharp, square lines for oval faces. The goal is to achieve visual balance but remember that these face shape categories are general concepts, and few of us perfectly fit any specific shape.
Here are the general rules for choosing glasses for your face shape.
Round Face Shape Roughly the same width from the chin to the forehead and subtly rounded at the jaw through the brow, round faces do well juxtaposed against angular, sharp silhouettes like oversized square frames and upswept designs like cat-eyes.
Oval Face Shape A slightly elongated version of a round face shape, the oval face is defined by high and wider cheekbones and subtly narrower proportions at the forehead and chin. Oval faces can accommodate most frames but look particularly well with oversized and broader frames.
Square Face Shape In contrast to round and oval faces, square faces have angular features and distinctive jaw and brow lines that peak at wider points. Various frames suit this shape, from retro-rounder styles to rimless frames that float delicately and complement your sharper features.
Diamond Face Shape This face shape blends the angular jawline of square faces with the narrower foreheads of oval faces. Look for rimless and softer, oval-shaped frames to balance your features.
Heart Face Shape: Frames with a deep base and wider at the browline work well with a wider forehead and narrower, softer jawline to achieve overall proportion.
Glasses for All Faces Whether your face shape doesn't clearly fall into one of these shapes or you're simply looking for a popular and complementary frame; there are universally flattering styles to keep in mind. Any glasses with a subtle aviator silhouette work for everyone, as do rectangle frames that sit wider at the top.
Skin Tone and Color Preference
Once you've determined your perfect shape, choose a frame in a color that works with your skin tone. Your complexion is the surface color of your skin, but your undertone is a subtle mix of hues beneath your skin and determines what colors suit you.
Skin with warmer undertones have tones of golden, yellow, and peach, while cooler undertones show more red, pink, and blue hues. There are also neutral undertones, when a mix of warm and cool hues are present.
Black, gray, and blue are popular colors for cool undertones, while browns and warm reds work with warmer undertones. Fortunately, eyewear is generally forgiving when it comes to color, so don't be afraid to go with what you like, knowing there won't be a dramatically unflattering consequence.
Are You Using Your Glasses for Anything that Requires Specific Performance?
Lastly, let your lifestyle help you decide your needs when choosing frames. Whether you work long hours behind a computer or spend most of your time being active outdoors, you'll need to consider everything your eyewear and sunglasses will need to endure.
If flag football or nine holes of golf is something you try to work into your schedule as much as possible, you'll need frames designed to perform alongside you. Explore the Dragon Alliance Active collection, which features rubber temple tips and rubber nose pads for a snug and comfortable, not-going-anywhere fit.
Explore the exceptional line of Dragon Alliance snow goggles, which feature sleek lines, eye-catching colors and advanced technology and various VLT (visible light transmission) options to ensure premium performance for a day on the slopes, whatever the conditions.
Looking for frames that do good? Dragon Alliance glasses expertly blend style, performance, and sustainability with the Upcycled collection, made from five recycled plastic water bottles and each pair sold contributes to the Surfrider Foundation's clean water initiative.
Whatever frames you decide are best for you, you can rely on Dragon Alliance's thoughtfully designed and well constructed eyeglass frames to get the most out of your vision.