As an Image Consultant with over 30 years experience, I caution clients not to think of glasses as a functional item, but as a fashion accessory. If eyes are the windows to the soul, glasses are the frame that announces to others everything about who you are. When we speak to others, we look directly into their eyes. Even when we pass strangers on the street, we glance at their faces, and above all, at their eyes.

In my Total-Image Workshops, I very often steer my clients away from silver or gold frames, because they can easily appear “clinical” looking. Nevertheless, this is a popular choice for eyewear because most people assume wrongly that their glasses will not be noticed as much in these nearly “colorless” metals. Wrong. If you prefer metal frames, consider pewter ones or very thin black frames. They look less clinical.

A powerful Image makes a powerful statement about what others can expect from you. To make that powerful statement, I recommend frames in a bold color. This can be is a great branding tool. Many years ago I entered a room filled with 300 businesswomen. One woman stood out above them all. She was well dressed and elegant, but so were many others. However, she wore “lipstick red” glasses, and they branded her as the most dynamic and memorable woman in the room.

Your face shape and your eye and hair color can be considerations when choosing frames for your eyewear. For example, you can choose frames in a color that will make blue eyes look bluer, green eyes look greener, etc. Or you can go another route. Frames that get your red (or black, etc.) hair noticed more.

In a nutshell, here are suggestions for choosing frames based on eye color. To make blue eyes look bluer, wear burgundy, rust, orange, or red frames. Wear purple frames (or red-family colors) to make hazel or green eyes look greener. With brown eyes, you make them look darker with pale frames, and they will look more golden with purple frames. Brown eyes look better with colors that make a nice contrast as opposed to tortoise frames, for example.

For red hair, wear colors in the blue green family. Colors like teal, cobalt, emerald green, or bottle green. Don’t choose frames that “match” your hair color, like rust or tortoise frames. For brown hair, purple sets it off nicely and can bring out golden highlights, but you can also wear other “fashion” colors such as red, green, or blue.

If you have gleaming jet black hair, consider white frames, but only if you have a high-fashion look in general. Black goes with every color, so you have lots of options. For a very dramatic look, which your hair will support, try red frames. People with partly grey hair should avoid silver frames, because they will only accent the grey; and gold frames will clash with their hair color. Stick to colors that are clear and bright, including red and blue. Black frames also look great with grey hair.

Thin frames are better for most people. Thick plastic frames easily look severe, especially black ones. When it comes to choosing shapes for glasses, you must consider the shape of your face. In general, however, exaggerated shapes should be avoided—oversized glasses and ones that are very round, for example. The best shape for most people is a “square round” frame. That is, it is not too squared off at the edges nor so rounded that it ceases to look chic.

Obviously, if you have a square face, avoid frames that have an overall square appearance, and with a round face, you will want to resist ovals or round shapes. Thin faces do not necessarily look better in extra-wide frames. For this face shape, the best frame is a square-round shape that leans more toward round or oval, and that is just slightly wider than average.
Have fun with your glasses and wear them proudly. If you choose attractive frames, they can even be an asset or a part of your “signature look.”

Sandy Dumont, THE Image Architect is an image consultant and professional speaker based in Norfolk/Virginia Beach, with 30 years of international and national experience helping individuals and Fortune 500 companies improve their image. She conducts customized Branding for People workshops on a regular basis.