How to Wear Your Glasses

Co-authored by Kalee Hewlett

Last Updated: May 6, 2021

It is important to know the practical mechanics of wearing glasses as well as the stylistic implications of the specs that you choose. Choose glasses that you like; glasses that are comfortable; and glasses that flatter the shape of your face. Wear your glasses with care, always keep them clean, and make sure that they perch in the right position on your nose. Wearing glasses the right way can prevent them from stretching out or constantly falling off.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Wearing Glasses for Your Face Type

1
Consider which glasses will best fit your face. There is nothing wrong with choosing glasses simply because you like the way they look — but certain spectacle styles do tend to look better on people with specific face shapes. To understand your face shape, consider whether your face is longer than it is wide; whether your jawline is round, square, or pointed; and whether your hairline is wide or narrow.^{[1]
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Kalee Hewlett
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Expert Interview. 23 April 2019.}
2
Wear angular, slimming glasses if you have a round face. Round faces are about as wide as they are tall, and they are characterized by softer, curved features. Straight and rectangular lenses will make your face look longer and thinner – especially if they sit high on your face. Stick to thin frames: thicker can overwhelm a round face.
- Try wearing glasses with a “butterfly” taper, in which the lenses taper down toward the nose. You can create a better contrast with your face if the corners are angular rather than rounded.
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3
Wear large or rounded lenses with slim frames if you have a square face. Square-faced features are angular, with a flat chin and strong jaw. If you'd like to soften your features, try wearing rounded lenses. If you like the strong profile, but don’t want glasses to make you look intimidating, you can still use square-shaped lenses. Make sure, however, that the lenses are large, and roughly even in height and width.
- Avoid narrow, rectangular lenses. These may clash with your strong features.
- Keep the frames slim. Heavy frames can overpower your features and take away from the rest of your appearance.
4
Wear any glasses if you have an oval-shaped face. Oval faces are long and relatively thin, with a rounded chin and high cheekbones. This face type works well with most styles of glasses, provided that you avoid the extremes. Feel free to wear curved or square frames. Wear wide or narrow lenses, according to your preference – but avoid lenses that are too evenly round or boxy.
- A thicker frame can add definition to your face — just be careful not to get anything so heavy that it overpowers your actual features.
5
Wear tapered lenses if you have a heart-shaped face. It can be hard to fit glasses for a face with narrow cheekbones and a small chin. If you'd like to draw attention from your pointy chin, try lenses that taper down from top to bottom. Likewise, a butterfly taper can help draw the eye toward the center of your face.
- Stay away from anything too blocky or squared-off. This usually doesn’t work well with heart-shaped curves.
- Very narrow frames may look somewhat fragile on a heart-shaped face. Try a thicker wire or plastic frame.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Wearing Makeup with Glasses

1
Lighten up your face to counter heavy frames. Some eyeglass frames can cast dark shadows around the eyes in certain light. To combat this, blend a lighter-toned foundation under your eyes and down the center of your nose. This technique, known as contouring, makes you appear fresher and highlights your eyes. If you like, you can take this one step further and fully contour your face by bronzing your cheek bones, the top of your forehead and either side of your nose. Be sure to fully blend the highlighting foundation and bronzer with your natural-colored face makeup.^{[2]
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2
Avoid heavy eyebrow makeup if you wear thick frames, but consider filling your eyebrows in to accentuate thin frames. Eyebrow styling largely depends on the size and shape of your eyewear, as well as the thickness and contour of your eyebrows.^{[3]
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- Full, defined, arched brows may be in style, but they do not always mix well with glasses. Avoid heavy eyebrow makeup if you wear big, thick frames. The same goes for those with naturally light hair or thinner eyebrows. You don't want to fill in your eyebrows with a color that's too dark or make them appear too full.
- If you wear smaller, subtle frames, try filling in your eyebrows with your natural color. This can help draw focus to your eyes and accentuate your look. Use an eyebrow pencil—or eyebrow powder and a thin brush—to carefully fill in your eyebrows using short, dash-like strokes. Be sparing with the makeup, and follow the natural arch of your brow.
3
Consider wearing eyeliner to make your eyes stand out. Draw attention to your eyes with striking cat-eye eyeliner, well-defined eyelashes, and pops of eye shadow color. If you choose a bright eye shadow color, make sure that it complements the color of your frames. If your eye shadow clashes with your glasses, the effect may look cheap or gaudy.^{[4]
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4
Wear bright lipstick to balance your face, but not if you're wearing heavy makeup. It's best to highlight either your eyes or your lips — avoid coloring both. If you have eye-catching eyeglasses and you want to wear eye shadow, try pairing your look with a colorless lip gloss or slightly tinted lip balm. If you'd rather draw attention to your lips than your eyes, pass up the eye shadow and wear thin eyeliner or mascara with a bright, cheery lipstick. Some people like to complete this look with vintage-style glasses.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Wearing Glasses Safely

1
Put your glasses on carefully. To put glasses on, you should grip the front of the frame with both hands. Slide the arms over your ears and lower the frame gently onto your nose. Always handle your glasses with two hands to reduce strain on the hinges.
- Don't push your glasses into your nose. Too much pressure can cause a lasting indentation to form on the bridge of your nose.
- Wear your glasses close to your eyes, not on the tip of your nose or halfway down the bridge. This position gives you the most visibility. It might feel uncomfortable at first, but you can overcome this discomfort in time.
2
Wear your glasses on the top of your nose. When you have your glasses on, touch the nose-bridge with your forefinger and push it up so that the frames sit comfortably on the top of your nose. Unless your optician has specifically instructed you to wear your glasses in another position, your glasses should sit comfortably between your eyes at the apex of your forehead.
- Don't stretch them out. Make sure that you don’t rest your glasses on top of your head as it can stretch them out of shape.
3
Keep the lenses clean. Wipe glass with a microfiber cloth, and use a bit of water to remove persistent stains. Regularly clean the frames with mild soap and water to remove any oil or dirt that could transfer to your skin.
- Avoid wiping your glasses on your own clothing, such as t-shirts or jackets. This can leave hard stains and patterns that are very hard to wipe off.
- Avoid touching your lenses with your fingers. This will smudge your glasses with fingerprints and bacteria.
4
Remove your glasses the right way. Simultaneously raise your temples and slide your glasses forward using both hands. When you put down your glasses, even just for a moment, make sure that you fold them properly. Lay them down by the arms, not the lenses.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Which style of glasses are in for 2020?

Kalee Hewlett
Image Consultant
Kalee Hewlett is a Celebrity Stylist & Confidence Coach with almost two decades of experience helping clients build confidence and ‘dress for success.' She works with her clients to transform their sense of self 'from the inside out’ by merging her expertise in image consulting with Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Kalee’s work is rooted in science, style, and the understanding that ‘identity is destiny'. She uses her own methodology and Style To Success Strategy to create positive identity shifts. Kalee is a fashion TV host and appears regularly on QVC UK sharing her fashion expertise. She also was appointed as the head judge and host of Fashion One Network’s 6-part TV show 'Design Genius.’

Kalee Hewlett

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Expert Answer

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When it comes to the style, I think the classic black print style is great. Those kind of glasses give you a media executive look, and they're polished and sleek. Round rims are still really in if you want an alternative, chic look. You could go with something that has a more square shape if you want an alternative look.
Question

How do I pick out a new pair of glasses?

Kalee Hewlett
Image Consultant
Kalee Hewlett is a Celebrity Stylist & Confidence Coach with almost two decades of experience helping clients build confidence and ‘dress for success.' She works with her clients to transform their sense of self 'from the inside out’ by merging her expertise in image consulting with Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Kalee’s work is rooted in science, style, and the understanding that ‘identity is destiny'. She uses her own methodology and Style To Success Strategy to create positive identity shifts. Kalee is a fashion TV host and appears regularly on QVC UK sharing her fashion expertise. She also was appointed as the head judge and host of Fashion One Network’s 6-part TV show 'Design Genius.’

Kalee Hewlett

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You have to use your face shape as your guideline first and foremost. What works on you might not work on someone else and vice versa. Some people are just lucky that they can just wear any pair of glasses and pull it off, but that's not the case for most of us.
Question

Do glasses make it easier or harder to put an outfit together?

Kalee Hewlett
Image Consultant
Kalee Hewlett is a Celebrity Stylist & Confidence Coach with almost two decades of experience helping clients build confidence and ‘dress for success.' She works with her clients to transform their sense of self 'from the inside out’ by merging her expertise in image consulting with Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Kalee’s work is rooted in science, style, and the understanding that ‘identity is destiny'. She uses her own methodology and Style To Success Strategy to create positive identity shifts. Kalee is a fashion TV host and appears regularly on QVC UK sharing her fashion expertise. She also was appointed as the head judge and host of Fashion One Network’s 6-part TV show 'Design Genius.’

Kalee Hewlett

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Expert Answer

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I love glasses and I think they're really helpful when it comes to dressing up. They add a whole other dimension to your look and you can turn a dull outfit into something really fashion forward just by putting on your frames. It also depends on your haircut, skin color, and hair color. If you’re blonde you might want to go for something a lot lighter in the frame; if you’ve got black hair you might want to go for something more directional, like a dark black frame or something in a navy blue.