How Should Your Sunglasses Fit? A Guide

It can be so frustrating to find the right fit of sunglasses online. They might look one way on the model but when you try them on it looks completely different. However, it’s easy to figure out the right pair for you once you know what to look for.

So, get ready to say goodbye to clunky eyewear and hello to perfect frames with our practical guide to finding the right fit. Let’s get started!

The key to glasses that fit right: 

1. Get the correct size 

The Right Frame Width

Frame width refers to the measurement from one end of the front of the frame to the other. The space between your head and your glasses should be about a finger width or a little less, and your eyes should look through the middle of the lenses. Measure a pair you have that you like to get an idea of what’s right for you. For wide faces, choose a frame width that’s 140 mm or more.

Another factor to consider is how sunglasses sit on your nose. If you find the glasses sliding off your nose, then they’re probably too large for your face and you should pick another pair. 

Why do sunglasses always feel too tight?

You probably have a wide face. If the top half of your face is about the same width and it’s wider or the same as your jawline, then you have a wide face. Celebrities with wide faces include Robert Pattinson and Selena Gomez.

For people with wide faces, wide, oversized frames work best for you. Anything too narrow could put pressure on your temples and cause headaches with regular wear.

Recommended WMP Styles for Wide Faces: Emerson, Jaxon, Wesley, Lance, Madison, Aubrie

Why do sunglasses slide off my nose?

If your sunglasses fall off your nose often  then you probably have a small face. Famous people with small faces include Esther Povitsky and Elijah Wood.

The key to glasses for small faces is that you don’t want the frames to be too wide. Be sure to measure glasses that fit well on your face first to get an idea of what will work for you.

Recommended WMP Styles for Small Faces: Nick, Abner, Nevada, Tate

Comfortable Arm Length

The arm length is the measurement from the beginning to end of the arms that fold in. Most arm lengths are about 135mm to 150 mm. If you have a problem with sunglasses arms always being too short, choose sunglasses closer to 145mm.

Sunglass arms should fit securely without digging into your temples and causing discomfort. But they also shouldn’t be so loose that they’re falling off. The arm tips should sit behind your ears so that they don’t slide forward when walking.

WMP Eyewear offers both frame width and arm length in product descriptions, so reference those before ordering a pair to make sure it’s the right fit for you.

2. Choose the Right Material

When shopping for sunglasses, you want lightweight materials that can hold up against wear and tear. Acetate is a lighter and softer plastic. It’s malleable, so if you bend it a little bit here and there, it won’t snap in half like regular plastic would.

If you want something a little more rigid, polycarbonate is lightweight and more affordable than acetate. However, it’s not super malleable so it’s more likely to break if you apply pressure to it but it can survive drops.

3. Check Your Eyebrows! 

When picking out sunglasses, the frames shouldn’t completely cover your eyebrows. Instead, look for frames that show the top of your eyebrows slightly. Eyebrows offer social cues in conversation, and you don’t want anything you’re saying to be missed. 

4. Choose the right nose pads or skip them 

If you wear glasses, silicone nose pads are just underneath the bridge and are a bit softer for long-term wear, like with WMP’s Nova frames. Nose pads can also come in plastic and are usually adjustable, so you can move them around as needed to help the glasses better work for your face. 

However, nose pads irritate some people. If that’s you, go with plastic or acetate frames instead. For example, the Lance frames don’t have nose pads, and can still keep the sunglasses securely on your face.  

5. Opt for flexible hinges when in doubt 

While standard hinges work for some people, they don’t offer as much flexibility for wider faces. If you’re concerned about the width of the frames, purchase sunglasses with flexible hinges. These can rotate up to 180° without breaking, so you don’t have to worry about snapping them if your child is playing with them or if you’ve got a wider face in general.

6. Find Glasses That Fit Your Face Shape

Every face is different, so you want to pick the shape that matches your face best. We’ve outlined each face shape below, but here are some tips to follow in general.

If you have a wider face, then you want to pick wide, oversized frames to avoid putting pressure on your temples and causing a headache.

If you have a smaller face, then you want smaller round or square frames that won’t draw attention to your smaller features.

There’s a frame out there for everyone, but not all of them will work for your face shape. Find your type below for the style that matches yours best.

Square Face

People with square faces typically have a flat chin, wider forehead and hairline, equal width throughout their face, an angled jaw, and flat cheekbones. Famous people like Rosario Dawson and Henry Cavill both have square faces.

The best style for square faces is round frames made out of wire or thinner plastic. A more delicate design balances out the assertive shape of a square face. 

Recommended WMP Styles for Square Faces: Clove, Ariel, Nevada

Round Face

Round faces have about the same length from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the jaw and width from temple to temple, usually with softer features as well. Celebrities including Drew Barrymore and Leonardo DiCaprio both have round faces.

To help make a round face stand out more, you want frames with bold lines and rectangular lenses made of thicker plastic or acetate.

Recommended WMP Styles for Round Faces: Lance

Heart-Shaped Face

If your face is more pointed at the jaw and wider at your forehead (like a heart!), then you’ve got an adorable heart-shaped face. People with heart-shaped faces include Ryan Reynolds and Lizzo.

Get yourself glasses with wide or winged frames (cat-eyes are great for you) slightly wider than the forehead with rounded lenses.

Recommended WMP Styles for Heart-Shaped Faces: Sophia

Triangular Face

This uncommon face shape works like a triangle: you have a wider jaw and a narrower forehead. Your strong jaw makes your face stand out and is usually the most noticeable feature on your face. Famous triangular faces include Shailene Woodley and Ian Somerhalder.

You’ll want wide frames (wider than your jawline) and details on the top can balance out your narrower forehead.

Recommended WMP Styles for Triangular Faces: Jaxon, Harvey, Madison

Oval Face

The majority of people have oval faces. Your forehead and jaw are similar in width, and the biggest part of your face falls right around your cheekbones. Famous actors with oval faces include Emma Watson and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Lucky for you, most glasses will look good on you! The only thing to look for is if you have a long face, you may want to get wider frames. Other than that, go crazy and pick out whatever you like.

Recommended WMP Styles for Oval Faces: Phoenix

Diamond-Shaped Face

Not very many people have diamond-shaped faces. But if you do, you’ve got a smaller chin and jaw with the widest point on your face at your cheekbones. Some famous diamond-shaped faces you may know include Rhianna and Michiel Huisman.

Since your cheekbones are probably your best facial feature, try out rounded or oval frames that can sit right on top of them and let them stand out.

Recommended WMP Styles for Diamond-Shaped Faces: Drew, Nevada

Now You’re Ready to Go Glasses Shopping!

Now that you have everything you need, you can browse WMP’s online catalog with confidence to buy the perfect frames to fit your face. Try a few and return any within 30 days for a refund.