Choosing Frames for Square Faces

For our next installment, we will be tackling the slightly more difficult square face shape.  I find that most people can discern a round or oval face shape, but a square face shape is a little harder to distinguish.  Again, you have to think of these shapes more abstractly – especially in the cases of square, heart, and triangle face shapes.  Let’s break this down to make it easier to picture!

1. The width and the length of the face are approximately equal. As you may recall this is exactly like the round face shape mentioned in my previous post.

2. The jawline is well-defined and angular in appearance, appearing to be equal in width to the forehead. 

Again, the square shape requires you to apply a certain amount of imagination to perceive.  Take a close look at our celebrity models below, paying particular attention to the jawline area.

Now, what glasses are most flattering if you are a square?  Remember, we want to focus on opposites when selecting frame shape to accentuate and balance your natural features.  Since a square shape face already has a lot of structure and angles, a softer, rounded frame will provide some curves.  Metal frames are also a great choice for the square face; they are generally lighter and thinner than plastic (or zyl), making for an overall softer look.  Rimless frames (where there is no visible eyewire) are also a great option since there are no additional lines or angles created to compound the natural angles of your face.  Here are some examples:

An important note to remember is that these are guidelines after all.  If you have a square shaped face it is more than okay to select a rectangular frame shape – just aim more for those with rounded lines to soften the angularity. A personal example: I have a square-shaped face, and my most recent glasses purchase was the Coach Roberta frames featured in this post.  The rectangular shape and bold color and thickness of the frames don't exactly follow the guidelines, but the rounded edges to the eyewire still make this a flattering selection (well at least I think so, hah).