THE FRAME GAME
TIPS TO HAVE YOU THROWING ON THE RIGHT SHADES
The right sunnies are an investment buy with the power to transform your look.
While navigating the bewildering array of options may seem easier said than done, there’s a simple set of criteria that will lead you straight to the perfect pair.
We’ll start with choosing a frame colour. Sunglass Hut buying director Francesca Pezzutto says the hue of your skin, hair and eyes is the best clue.
“All people have either cool (blue-based) or warm (yellow-based) colouring and everyone looks best in his or her own colour base,” she says.
“Are you warm or cool? Knowing the answer will help you easily select frame colours.
“A cool complexion has blue or pink undertones, and a warm complexion has a ‘peaches and cream’ or yellow cast. Olive skin is considered cool because it is a mixture of blue and yellow.
“Hair colours are also considered warm or cool. Strawberry blond, platinum, blue-black, white, salt-and-pepper are cool. Warm hair colours include golden blond, flat black and brown-gold.”
If you have warm colouring, Francesca says the most flattering frames will be camel, khaki, gold, copper, peach, orange, coral, off-white, fire-engine red, warm blue or blond tortoise.
“For cool colouring, the best eyeglass frame hues are black, rose-brown, blue-grey, plum, magenta, pink, jade, blue and demi-amber (darker) tortoise,” she says.
Shape is the other deciding factor. While fashion plays a part in the styles you’ll see on the shelves, there’s no substitute for what suits you.
There’s a rising trend in round and oval shaped lenses, ideal for those with square-shaped facial features.
“Since square-shaped faces have strong jawlines, rounded glasses soften and balance these straight facial features,” Francesca says.
If you have a round face shape, you’ll look good in square or hexagonal frames.
“The straight and angular lines in the frame can minimise fullness in the face, as will deep colours such as black or tortoiseshell,” Francesca tips.
“Thin metal frames are another flattering option because they focus attention away from the sides of the face.”
Francesca says the cat eye is an immortal silhouette.
“Oval faces that are longer than they are wide suit most frames and the cat eye is a great fit,” she says.
“The frames should cover as much of the centre of the face as possible in order to minimise length.”
SHAPE IS THE OTHER FACTOR. WHILE FASHION PLAYS A PART IN THE STYLES YOU’LL SEE ON THE SHELVES, THERE’S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR WHAT SUITS YOU.