Choosing Eyeglasses to Fit Your Personality

In this competitive world of ours, image is everything. And even if you don't think of yourself as being 'image-oriented' deeper insight into your personality might lead to startling revelations. Either way, when it comes to choosing eyeglasses, it'll be worth your time to look for a style that fits your personality.

That's not to say that if you're feeling blue, you should opt for blue-colored frames or lenses. What it means is that before you head over to the 'discounted frame' section, you need to stop and think about who you are and how you live.

Are you older, younger or somewhere in between? Do you consider yourself to be trendy or conservative? Do you have a career or are you a student? What is your career or your area of study? Are you driven by name brands or do names not impress you? Do you look at eyeglasses as a fashion accessory or a necessary evil?

If you've answered these questions, you might wonder, 'Now what? So what if I'm days away from becoming a Baby Boomer and I work a desk job? How is this going to help me choose an eyeglass style?'

Well, one solution is to discuss these self-analysis results with your optician so that together you can work towards finding a suitable pair. A good optician will know which styles are 'in' and which are finally on their way 'out'. He or she may also be familiar with matching eyeglass shapes, styles and coloring to face shapes, much in the same way as a hairdresser can usually recommend a flattering hairstyle.

Plus an experienced optician will know the inventory well. He or she will know how long a particular pair will take to order, about the materials used in each of the various manufacturing processes and whether they're durable or delicate, about the total costs involved from start to finish for the various styles, and other types of useful information that you may not have thought about.

But if you're still confused as to which eyeglass style will best match your personality, here are a few more tips.

If you run in conservative circles, stick with conservative styles and colors. Neutral colors including brown, gray and silver and standard lens shapes such as rectangles and ovals are good choices.

If you prefer to be the center of attention, then choose styles that will get noticed. Look for unusual shapes and bold colors. If the price is right, get several pairs so you can mix and match with your wardrobe and other accessories.

If you like trends but want a style that has staying power, look at the newest materials being used for eyeglasses such as titanium, stainless steel and memory-metal.

Students and those with a creative or artistic flair look best in styles that help express their individuality. There are no rules here except to steer clear of 'traditional' styles.

Choose specialty styles if you need eyeglasses for a specific purpose such as working at a computer, eye protection, sports and hobbies or driving.

Choosing Eyeglass Frames that Complement not Confuse

Diamond, triangle, round, square, oval, oblong – this isn't an introduction to geometry. It's the first step in figuring out which type of eyeglass frame best complements your face shape. Step number 2 is to determine your skin tone, either warm or cool, so that you can select the right eyeglass frame color.

What's the big deal anyway and does this really matter? Those new to wearing eyeglasses or who realize that eyeglasses add a whole new dimension to the facial structure understand that with choosing eyeglass frames is more involved than it seems. Just as there's a 'right' hair style and a 'wrong' hair style, according to experts, certain eyeglass frames and colors look most flattering on certain facial types.

As for skin tones, a person's skin is considered either cool-toned or warm-toned. If your skin has a pink or blue undertone, it's considered cool. Black, pink, magenta, pinkish-browns, slate, green, blue and dark tortoise patterns look good against cool skin tones. To complement warm skin, stick with eyeglass frame colors in light brown or orange tones such as khaki, camel, off-white, light-patterned tortoise shell, gold and coppers, coral/orange/peach and if you're bold, fire engine red!

Do you know your face shape?

Pull back your hair and take a good long look in the mirror. Which shape do you see?

Round – The round face is full with few angles. Cheeks are wide, but cheekbones are barely noticeable. Steer clear of round, dark-colored eyeglass frames as they can make the face seem large and heavy. Rectangular or boxy shapes work best. High temples add length.

Square – The square face is as wide across the forehead as it is along the jaw line. Choose round or gently curved eyeglass frames made of thin metal to soften the angles.

Oval – Like an egg, the oval face is narrow at the forehead and at the chin and wider in the area of the cheekbones. This shape is perfectly balanced. Any style of eyeglass frame works well on an oval face.

Heart – Wide at the forehead and progressively narrowing down to an angular chin, select eyeglass frames that are narrower on top and wide at the bottom to balance this face shape. Rimless styles and light colors are good choices.

Diamond – Narrow forehead, angular chin and wide temples, diamond-shaped faces look best in small top-heavy eyeglass frames that are geometric or oval or a combination of both. These shapes help lessen the width at the temples.

Oblong – Long and narrow, the oblong shape needs an eyeglass frame that breaks up the long-look of the face. Try frames that are round, or deep instead of wide, or that have horizontal lines, or are low triangular in shape. Embellishments on top add width.

Triangle – Wide at the base and narrow at the forehead, eyeglass frames that are wide at the temples bring balance to this face shape. Emphasize the top portion of the frame and the eyes. Good choices include rectangular or aviator styles and semi-rimless.