Behold the best sunglasses for every face shape

Have you ever loved a pair of sunglasses because they looked impossibly chic on Bella Hadid, only to try on a similar pair and realise that they suddenly looked so wrong? We don't mean the size of the sunglasses. We're talking frames. An oversized cat-eye may look effortlessly cool on Hailey Bieber, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will do the same for you. The right cat-eye can lift and sculpt one face, while on another it can sit too broadly and make the face appear rounder. It has little to do with the sunglasses themselves and everything to do with your face shape.

Over the last couple of years, more people are trying to find their perfect matches in fashion and beauty, from products that suit their skin to colours and silhouettes that flatter their proportions. When it comes to fashion, colour analysis, body proportions and, yes, face shape can play a surprisingly useful role. This is especially true when it comes to sunglasses. While most face shapes can pull off most frames, some silhouettes just naturally work better with certain proportions. Think of it less as a set of rules and more as a handy starting point when you're looking for your next pair. 

The first and most important step? Understanding your face shape. Face shapes generally fall into six categories: oval, round, square, heart, diamond, and oblong. One of the most commonly identified face shapes, oval faces tend to be longer than they are wide with fairly balanced proportions, while round faces have softer curves and similar width and length. Square faces have a more defined jawline and angular features, while heart-shaped faces are wider at the forehead and taper towards the chin. Diamond-shaped faces are widest around the cheekbones, and oblong faces, meanwhile, are longer and narrower overall.

So, if you're wondering which frame is most likely to flatter your features, here's your best bet.

Oval face - Oversized frames

Round face - Rectangular frames

Square face - Oval frames

Heart-shaped face - Aviators

Diamond face - Cat-eye frames

Oblong face - Square frames

All images: The brands 

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