How To Choose The Right Pair of Glasses For You

Much like a beard, or hairstyle, or indeed beard and hairstyle, the types of frames available to you will be determined by the shape of your face.

There are five main shapes that all faces fall into when it comes to glasses, and around twice as many styles of frames. While this means there is bound to be at least one that suits you, this broad range also opens up plenty of scope for getting it wrong. To omit any ocular errors, we tapped up eyewear experts at high-end opticians N1 EssilorLuxottica to compile a failsafe guide.

Just as the fit of a suit isn’t enough to make it look good (though it certainly helps), when it comes to frames, there are other factors to consider in addition to shape.

Further balance can be added to the face by choosing a frame colour that works with your skin tone. For example, chunky black or similarly dark frames will contrast harshly against pale complexions. In this case, the N1 EssilorLuxottica style team recommend a less stark tortoiseshell instead.
The opposite is true for medium and darker skin tones. While it’s tempting to play it safe, as with clothing, darker skin opens up the entire colour spectrum, and therefore frames can be used to add interest or act as a statement piece.

By now it should be crushingly obvious that optical glasses are not a one-size-fits-all piece of facial furniture. When buying glasses for the first time, it’s best to visit a retailer to try models on for size.

If you’re due an upgrade, however, it’s easy to pick a size that cleaves closest to your existing pair. If the frames are fairly modern, look on the undersides of each arm or on the bridge of the nose – you should find three separate numbers stamped. In order, these represent:

These are usually accompanied by a series of capital letters and numbers, which you can simply ignore as they denote the model and make of the frames. Eye size is going to be the key variable, as depending on the style of frame, angular and wide frames are likely to have a bigger eye size than round ones. Base your choice on comfort and practicality. If you find a pair of glasses that fit you perfectly, it may be worth making a note of the measurements on these to make any future buys easier. When it comes to corrective glasses, higher prescriptions typically require thicker lenses – think more Milhouse than #menswear. Fortunately, these can be thinned (often at an extra cost) to make the overall glasses lighter and more attractive.

With glasses now as much an everyday style accessory as backpacks and belts, it’s likely you’ll come across several familiar names, including Calvin Klein, Tom Ford and Ralph Lauren.

But you’re just as likely to see many confusing terms that’ll cause you to squint; especially when it comes to frames and lens type. Here are some of the most need-to-know.

FRAMES

Acetate:
One of the most common frame materials, Acetate is a high-quality plastic known for being strong, lightweight and long-lasting. As well as being available in a range of colours, some glasses brands manufacture their own, resulting in unique takes on styles such as tortoiseshell.

Metal:
Metal frames can come from a range of materials, and sometimes a combination of several. The most common two are titanium and stainless steel. In addition to being high-strength and lightweight, metal frames usually offer a more sleek, professional finish; making them perfect for work.

Wood:
Wooden frames are growing in popularity thanks to use by the likes of Ray-Ban, Hugo Boss and Giorgio Armani. The textured material offers a fresh take on traditional frames, though is more common in handmade styles as its harder to adjust than metal or plastic.
Handmade:
A growing number of brands and retailers are giving the Savile Row treatment to specs, offering bespoke handmade versions that are customised to your face. Key brands include Oliver Peoples, Cubitts and Ace & Tate.

LENSES

Single-Vision:
Single-vision lenses have one prescription throughout the lens and can be for either near- or far-sighted use.

Varifocals:
Varifocal lenses are made up of three seamless parts within one clear lens. The different sections allow the wearer to see near, far and mid-range distances comfortably.

Photocramtic Lenses:
Also known as transition lenses, transitions react to ultraviolet light, essentially switching from glasses to sunglasses. However, they have a habit of getting stuck on the awkward in-between, so were last seen on Will Smith in 2015.

Coatings:
Opticians will often offer optional extra coatings that are worth considering. Most lenses include scratch resistance as standard, but anti-reflective, anti-smudge and even UV coatings that don’t change the lens colour are also available.