Four Popular Eyeglass Frame Styles

Are you looking for a new pair of prescription eyeglasses? We know walking into the optician can be an overwhelming experience if you come unprepared. You’re confronted with walls covered with different types of brands, frames, and even types of materials. Do you want metal glasses frames? What type of lenses do you want? It’s very easy to get lost.

That’s why the optical experts at Clarkson Eyecare have prepared this helpful guide. We know eyeglasses not only help correct your vision, but also make a statement about who you are — whether it be a serious business professional, someone with an artistic flair, or someone who prefers to blend in with the crowd. The first and biggest decision is what eyeglass frame style to go with.

Choosing the right eyeglass frames comes down to your needs and preferences. That means taking stock of your facial features, your own style preferences, and sometimes even your prescription, which may dictate how the lenses look in the frames. Different eyeglass frame styles may even look different on men and women. One rule of thumb is to try to choose a frame shape that is opposite to your own face shape — so if you have a round face, try to choose square glasses and vice versa. But that's just a guideline. It's more important to see how you like the look of a pair of frames.

From cat-eye frames to rimmed glasses, here's a look at some classic styles and who they’re perfect for.

Preparing for Your Eye Doctor Visit

In the same way you have a plan before you go to the hairstylist, it's a good idea to know what you're looking for with an eyeglass frame. With ideas like these in hand, you can get a jump start on selecting the most flattering glasses frames for a look that's uniquely yours.

1. Cat-Eye Glasses Frames

Cat-eye glasses have upward-sweeping corners and are an extremely youthful style. Since they help take the viewer’s attention upward, they can serve as an instant facelift for those who wish to look younger. These glasses make an especially bold statement with a timeless look, especially in their traditional retro form, but that boldness may not be for everyone. This type of frame can work with many face shapes, so they can be on just about anyone's list. They can slim down wider faces, emphasize the browline on those with diamond-shaped faces, and pull the eye upward for those with triangular-shaped faces. They also look particularly good on those with balanced, oval faces.

Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly are a couple of names you might recognize who favor cat-eye frames.

2. Aviator Glasses

These classic teardrop-shaped glasses are instantly recognizable by most people. Originally developed for pilots, these frames included a large lens that gave them a clear view of instrument panels. Over time, they have also come to epitomize "Top Gun'' cool. Most people can wear these uniquely-shaped glasses, though they look especially good if you have an angular face with well-defined cheekbones or a sharp jaw. An additional benefit is that the added real estate of the longer lens offers additional area for clear vision. This is only helpful if your lenses have a single correction. That said, if you want progressive lenses or bifocals, aviator frames may not be suitable, since the area at the bottom where the reading prescription would go is quite narrow. Also, the tear-drop shape may potentially draw the eye down, possibly emphasizing any kind of sagging skin or bags under the eyes.

3. Rimless Glasses

If you want to look almost as if you’re not wearing glasses, the rimless glasses frame style is for you. Without the rims to punctuate and call attention to the lenses, rimless glasses tend to blend in with your face and allow your eyes to shine. The fact that they are rimless can also naturally make them feel lighter on your face and make it easier to forget that you are wearing them. However, rimless glasses may not be for everyone. Someone who needs a strong prescription for nearsightedness, for example, needs especially thick lenses. Without the rim to hide some of the lens profile, this style would only accentuate how strong their prescription is. Thicker lenses also tend to make the glasses front-heavy, and without the bottom rim to distribute weight, you may find your glasses sliding down your nose more often. Also, if you are someone who can be hard on glasses, you’ll likely miss the protection rimmed frames can provide to your lenses.

4. Round Frames

Out of all eyeglass frame styles, round frames are the most classic. This style tracks back to the 13th century when glasses were first invented. Not surprisingly, the historic nature of this frame shape means they have often been associated with intellectuals. They're also the stuff of Harry Potter fame and the frame style worn by none other than musical legend, John Lennon. Round frames have a retro vibe, which may be the perfect thing to complete your look now that retro is coming back into style. For those with thick lenses, round or oval shape frames are an excellent choice for minimizing the profile of your lenses.

In addition, round frames go well with many face shapes, including a diamond-shaped face that has many angles. Likewise, they can bring some soft curves to a square-shaped face or help minimize the size of the forehead for those with heart-shaped faces. However, if you have a round face, then round frames will likely not work well for you.