Here Are The Best, Most Stylish Sunglasses To Suit Every Face Shape

With the promise of quite nice weather on the horizon, it's now perfectly acceptable to have sunglasses perched on your head at all times. Swimwear, sandals, summer dresses, all need to be brought out of hiding before the next bank holiday, but the most important piece of the puzzle is a pair of shades.

Sunglasses aren't the easiest things to buy because so much depends on your face shape (are you round, oval, heart, square?) not to mention your preferences (do you gravitate towards chunky or slimline?). This means many of us stay in our sunglasses comfort zone, and while that's fine, why not try something different for summer 2023?

What Are The Best Designer Sunglasses?

Sunglasses are always a great entry-point accessory for designer labels. Dior's sunglasses are always popular with the A-list, and it has an impressive range of shield-style sunglasses and chunkier frames, as are the classic frames from Ray-Ban (Jennifer Lawrence, Nicole Richie and Olivia Wilde are all repeat-wearers). Gucci's sunglasses are also famously head-turning - Rihanna is a fan of its neon frames - while Prada's are a mainstay on the front rows at fashion week.

Looking for a quality pair of shades without the price tag? Le Specs is a celebrity (and fashion editor) favourite - with prices starting from around £40. On the high street, & Other Stories, H&M, COS and Mango, which has a host of great styles as well as sunglasses chains, have plenty of purse-friendly options.

What Are The Biggest Sunglasses Trends For 2023?

Thanks to Y2K, we're seeing a lot of frameless, tinted shades (think Anastacia) as well as wrap shades (think Kim Kardashian), which are flooding TikTok. Aviators are also a perennial, but got an extra boost last summer thanks to the blockbuster hit that was Top Gun: Maverick.

How Do I Find The Best Sunglasses For My Face Shape?

This is actually somewhat of an art form. We spoke to Dan McGee, director of ophthalmics at Vision Express, to get his top tips on how to help you find the best sunglasses for women to suit every face shape. You're welcome!

'Finding a perfect-fitting pair of glasses can be tricky. Sunglasses should distribute pressure evenly to the nose, head width and ears, meaning you'll avoid an ache behind your eyes and the red marks you often find on the top of the nose.' According to McGee, there are some very simple steps that you can follow to ensure you find a pair that fits well.

1. Make sure the width of the frames isn't wider than the width of your face at the temples

2. The top of your frames should be no higher than the line of your eyebrows

3. The bottom edge of the frames shouldn't sit on your cheeks otherwise, they will start to rub against your skin and can cause irritation

4. Make sure you're choosing frames with lenses that offer 100% UV protection

Oval Face Shape: With a rounded chin and forehead, the proportions of your face are perfectly balanced. This means that most frame shapes will look great on an oval face, which typically appears longer than it is wide. To maintain this natural balance, choose frames that are as wide, or slightly wider, as the broadest part of your face. Also consider oversized or bold shapes, such as aviators.

Square Face Shape: With an aim to soften your strong jawline and make your face look longer, go for narrow frames with more width than depth, particularly oval and round styles. You should avoid square styles, which will look out of balance with the rest of the face. And instead of darker acetate frames, perhaps opt for metal frames with a thin profile.

Heart-Shaped Face Shape: A broad brow with a narrow chin defines this face shape. Therefore, choose frames that elongate your look, direct attention downward and even out proportions. Go for light-coloured or rimless glasses, or, to broaden the lower part of your face, frames which are bottom-heavy. Rounded frames or cat-eye style are also a good choice.

Diamond Face Shape: Diamond-shaped faces are narrow at the eye line and jawline, and have broad cheekbones that may be high and dramatic. You want to make sure you’re drawing attention to the eye area as this will offer more width and balance to your face. Choose top-heavy styles like semi-rimless frames, rectangle and oval. Upswept frames like the cat-eye will emphasise and soften your cheekbones, but remember to avoid narrow frames.

Round Face Shape: With characteristic full cheeks and a rounded chin, the aim when choosing frames for a circular face is to create as much definition as possible. To make your face appear narrower and longer, go for angular, narrow frame styles. A clear bridge will also help to emphasise your eyes, while frames that are more rectangular and wider will balance the shape of the face.

The Best Aviator Sunglasses

A classic, with a fan club that includes Ashley Graham, Angelina Jolie and, naturally, Tom Cruise, the aviator always goes the distance.

The Best Oval Sunglasses

Irina Shayk et al’s go-to is the small (and slightly squashed) oval; a great multi-tasker that works just as well off-duty as with occasionwear.

The Best Coloured Lens Sunglasses

Coloured or tinted lenses, as well as frames in playful shades, are having their moment in the sun.

The Best Cat-Eye Sunglasses

Audrey Hepburn’s favourite sunglasses have perennial appeal, especially when given a new-season twist with half-moon or triangular lenses.

The Best Wrap-Around Sunglasses

Kim Kardashian loves a 'sporty' pair of shades when she's watching football. Practical and playful, they go perfectly with a leather bomber jacket.