Those wrap-around glasses looked like haute couture on the model, so why do they look like geek gear on you? The answer could have something to do with your face — or, rather, its shape.
If you have an oval face shape, you may have been told that you can wear any style of eyewear. That’s only partially true — but not in the way you might think. We’ve got your back. The team at Stoggles is dedicated to safety and style.
We’ll help you pick the perfect frames and explain why investing in safety eyewear is important for everyone and every face shape.
Is Your Face Oval?
Sometimes, it’s hard to tell whether or not your face shape is oval, round, heart, or square. Here’s a quick breakdown of these shapes with helpful tips to help you figure out your face.
Round Face Shapes
Take a look in the mirror. If your jawline seems gently curved or on the rounder side, you likely have a round face shape. Similarly, your cheekbones are likely the most prominent part of your face.
Heart-Shaped Faces
If you look in a mirror and see a smaller jaw and a wider forehead, you might have a heart-shaped face. Heart-shaped faces may have more prominent cheekbones and may have a pointed chin.
Square Face Shapes
Mirror, mirror on the wall! Who has a jawline, cheekbone, and forehead with equal measurements? Who has jaws that tend to be striking and angular?
If this sounds like you, you might have a square face shape.
Oval Face Shapes
If you see a face that is longer than it is wide, smiling back at you in the mirror, you might have an oval face shape. Essentially, the distance between your temples will be less than the distance from your chin to your forehead. This is also sometimes referred to as an oblong face shape.
Which Glasses Work for Oval Face Shapes
An oval face shape is easy to style with virtually any type of frame, but that leaves you wondering which one will look the best on you. So many options, so little time before you have to leave your fav Instagram feed and go back to work (ugh, we feel you).
Here, we break down a few classic frame styles to help you decide:
Square Frames
Classic square frames are even distances on each side of the lens, just like a square. They offer clean lines and a classic look that can add balance and structure to someone with an oval face. If you choose square frames, look for an oversized pair that helps add width.
Square frames are also a great choice for people with round faces because these specs add definition.
Round Frames
Frames that are round can be hard to style, but they work well with oval and square face shapes. If you have a pair of round frames and aren’t happy with them, it may be because the size of the frames isn’t suited to your face.
If you want to draw attention to the cheekbones, opt for round frames in a bold color.
Rectangle Frames
Once the only specs for the hipster crowd, rectangle frames are very mainstream and offer the ideal balance for many face shapes, including oval. Adding rectangle frames can give the illusion of more width. They also work well for round and heart-shaped faces.
Cat-Eye Frames
A trendy take on an old-school favorite, cat-eye frames help highlight cheekbones and draw attention upward. They work best for adding definition to round faces and square faces, but any face shape (including oval) can wear them.
Poodle skirt and 1950s milkshake bar optional.
Aviator Frames
Sometimes, you just can’t make a decision. In those instances, we recommend aviators. They are a universally flattering frame shape that offers an oversized fit while maintaining a low-key, effortlessly cool style. Aviators are wildly popular for sunglasses, eyeglasses, and protective safety eyewear.
Aviator frames tend to be larger, so if you like a lower profile frame, opt for a round or rectangle instead.
What About Color?
Color says a lot about your personality, and the color of your frames will help express your personality just as much as your frame style. You can use color to play up or play down the size and shape of your frames.
For More Drama
Add more color. For eyewear, the brighter the frame, the more noticeable it will be. Reds, teals, purples, and other vibrant colors will draw more attention to your eyes and to the shape of your frames.
For Low Profile Looks
If you’d rather keep it lowkey, opt for softer colors or for traditional frame colors like black, brown, or tortoiseshell. Another alternative? Crystal clear. Clear frames are increasing in popularity and are the perfect solution for those of us that are a bit indecisive. They also match everything in your wardrobe instantly.
Sometimes, the options are overwhelming. If you’re feeling in over your head, we created a helpful guide to picking the perfect color.
How To Choose Safety Eyewear
Everyone needs at least one pair of protective safety glasses, but if you’re wrinkling your nose at the thought of donning your old science lab specials, we’ve got news for you. Stoggles make it possible to keep your vision protected as well as your iconic style.
What You Need
Before we get into the nuts and bolts (read: frames and colors) available from Stoggles, let’s talk about what you need in safety eyewear. There are lots of options on the market, and it’s easy to get confused. Here’s what you’ll find in every pair of Stoggles.
Shatter Resistance
All eyewear should be shatter-resistant. The ANSI Z87.1-2020 certification ensures eyewear won’t shatter and send fragments into your eyeballs if you are struck with flying debris.
While you might consider your desk job a debris-safe zone, we’d encourage you to re-watch Office Space and remember that the next time you get into an altercation with the copier and a baseball bat, there could be fragments flying everywhere.
UV-Blocking
Protection from ultraviolet rays is critical because UV light damages your eyes. You might be exposed to UV light inside on the job or mowing the lawn outdoors. At Stoggles, our eyewear is crafted from ultra-lightweight polycarbonate lenses, which are naturally UV-blocking.
You might not notice it, but over time, especially when you're considering at least a couple of decades, the effects are pretty scary. So, creating a habit to protect yourself from UV is paramount, and your older self will surely thank you (when time travel becomes a thing).
Blue Light-Blocking
Just like UV light, blue light can penetrate your eye and reach the retina. We’re exposed to blue light when we’re in the sun but also when we’re in front of computers, tablets, smartphones, LED televisions, and light bulbs.
Those “tension headaches” you’ve been getting after a long day of desk-jockeying might be from blue light exposure (hello, Computer Vision Syndrome). Blue light-blocking lenses send the blue light packing, so you can avoid eye strain and further damage to your vision— and bye, bye headaches!
Anti-Fog
We’re all familiar with fogging eyewear. Not only is it annoying: It’s dangerous. If you’re wearing safety eyewear and remove your glasses to wipe away the fog, you’re exposing your eyes to the threat of injury. You’re also being taken off task or out of the game, which can frustrate you even more. Not to mention, seeing things blurry can also be a real hazard.
A solution? Anti-fog lenses. Unlike anti-fog wipes or a measly anti-fog spray solution, these lenses offer a long-term solution for fogging. Unlike other coatings, our lenses are dip-coated in our proprietary coating that lasts longer and is more even than its lesser counterparts. The GOAT of coats, if you will.
With high-quality anti-fog lenses, you never have to worry about removing your eyewear to wipe away condensation ever again.
Side and Top Shields
You need protection for the vulnerable areas near your brow bone and across each temple. Regular eyeglasses and sunglasses don’t offer protection in these areas. Due to the nature of their wrapping, they essentially follow the contour of our heads. However, we don't all have the same size heads. Hence one can often notice gaps both on the top and bottom of the eyewear.
Also, wrap-around shades don’t look super stylish, to say the least; they kind of make you look like you're competing in the Tour de France.
Top and side shields work better. They protect without interfering with your vision. Bonus: they’re way more low-profile than wrap-around lenses.
Style + Safety for Every Face Shape
Oval faces, round faces, and every face shape in between needs eyewear that is comfortable and looks amazing. At Stoggles, we make it easy to stay safe and stylish at the same time. You’ll find all of the safety features we offer in every style of frame we have, including aviator and cat eye.
All of the Stoggles frames are as comfortable as they are fashion-forward. When the glasses feel good, you’ll keep them on through the taxing and relaxing events of the day. When you look in the mirror and feel good, you’ll keep them on purely for aesthetics. It’s a win-win in our books.
Go ahead: Grab a few pairs in a few different colors. You never know when you’ll want to switch from crystal clear cat eye to antique aviator, and we believe you should have those options on hand.
Sources:
ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020: Current Standard for Safety Glasses | ANSI
800,000 Eye Injuries Occur Annually, 90% are Preventable | EHS Today
The Sun, UV Light and Your Eyes | American Academy of Ophthalmology
Computer Vision Syndrome | American Academy of Ophthalmology