When you're shopping for the perfect pair of new glasses, you'll want something that helps you see more clearly, appear more polished, and even elevate your confidence—all at once.
If you're tired of wearing basic, ho-hum glasses that don't flatter your features or showcase your personal style, you're not alone.
Read on to learn how to choose the best glasses to elevate your appearance, your confidence, and your unique sense of style.
Key takeaways
- Features like eye color, hair color, face shape, and skin tone can all affect how glasses appear on your face.
- Finding your skin undertone can help you shop for the right glasses frame colors.
- The best glasses for your skin tone will depend on whether you have cool undertones, warm undertones, or neutral undertones.
See Related: What Does SPH Mean On My Prescription?
How skin tone affects frame color
Have you ever wondered why certain colors of clothing tend to brighten your skin, making it appear more radiant, while other shades tend to wash you out?
Undertones play an important role in how colors generally appear on the skin. That’s because colors that complement skin undertone can enhance the skin’s natural radiance. On the other hand, clashing shades can make the skin appear dull.
The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to finding the best color frames. Your eye color, hair color, and skin tone can all impact how your glasses look and which glasses frame colors will work best for you.
Undertones and glasses colors
The perfect pair of glasses has the power to do more than help you see better. They can make you appear more polished and send your confidence skyrocketing, serving as a much-needed tool and a statement piece for any outfit.
Whether you have light skin, medium skin, olive skin, or dark skin, considering your skin color and undertones can help you find the perfect frame colors to complement your features.
Understanding warm, cool, and neutral undertones
There are three types of undertones:
- Warm undertones
- Cool undertones
- Neutral undertones
Warm undertones are characterized by peach, yellow, or golden hues, making medium skin appear bronzed or sun-kissed.
Individuals with these undertones may find that earth tones look complementary against their skin. This means that glasses in colors like brown, beige, warm tortoise shell, gold, honey, and forest green are more flattering on the skin tone than cooler shades.
Cool undertones can be characterized by red, pink, or blueish shades, making the skin appear rosy. This skin tone looks great with gray, silver, and blue frames.
Neutral skin tones allow for versatility when selecting frames and can benefit from a wide range of frame colors, including dark blue and dark brown. Some shades are universally flattering, working on both warm skin and cool skin.
How to find your true skin undertone
Finding your skin undertone is the first step to choosing a pair of new glasses that complements your features.
The best part?
Finding your skin tone can be easy.
All you have to do is hold some silver or gold jewelry up to your face during daylight. If the silver is more flattering against your skin, you have a cool skin tone. If the gold jewelry complements your skin tone and makes you appear brighter, you have warm skin.
Whether you have light skin, deep skin, or warm skin, taking your undertones into account when shopping for the perfect pair of glasses can go a long way in helping you find the right pair.
Bonus: Double Vision (Diplopia): Causes, Symptoms, & More
How eyes can impact frame color
Considering your eye color when shopping for eyeglasses can help you determine the best frames to help brighten your features and make your eyes really "pop".
As a rule of thumb, opt for frames within the same color family as your eye color. You can also choose colors that offer a bold contrast. For example, colors like black, tortoise, or deep purple can make blue eyes stand out more.
Best complementary colors for eyes
Best frame colors for brown eyes
Brown eyes typically pair well with warm undertones, making brown, gold, black, green, and tortoise shell frames a great choice.
Best frame colors for green eyes
Both warm colors and bright colors can look great on green eyes. Think gold tones and other shades like brown, black, pink, and purple. Individuals with hazel eyes might find shades like deep greens and gray frames to be complementary.
Best frames for blue eyes
If you have blue eyes, you may find that blue and gray tones pair beautifully with your eye color, while rich browns and tortoise frames can offer contrast.
Whether you have light blue eyes, brown eyes, grey eyes, or hazel eyes, taking eye color into account when shopping for frames can help you locate the best frame colors for you.
Best frame color by hair color
When it comes to finding the right glasses frames for your appearance, hair color matters. Similar to how a picture frame can complement a photo, your hair and glasses combination can go a long way in pulling together your entire look, making you look more polished and presentable.
If you're really hoping to get it right, pay close attention to your hair's undertone when selecting the perfect pair of colorful glasses for your face.
Best eyeglass frames for black hair
If you are rocking jet-black hair, consider frames in shades like cobalt blue, which can bring out cool undertones, making it appear richer. Burgundy frames, on the other hand, can add warmth and better highlight your features.
Best frames for grey hair
For those with salt-and-pepper hair, a pair of gunmetal gray glasses, black frames, or clear frames can complement your hair’s natural tones and draw attention to other facial features.
Best frames for brunette hair
Dark hair and warm brown hair, like auburn, tend to have red or gold undertones. Cool brunettes, like those with ash brown or cool auburn hair, tend to have ashy undertones.
Colors like light tortoiseshell, reds, creamy whites, and warm greens can all pair well with brunette hair.
Best frames for blonde hair
For blondes, the best eyeglass frames will depend on whether the blonde hair has cool or warm undertones. Generally, blondes may find that frames in dark colors and earthy tones, as well as translucent colors like blue, green, and purple, can all create a striking look.
Try these hair/glasses combinations
- Brown hair: Try navy blue, black, red frames, and gold frames
- Blonde hair: Look for blue, black, pink, and purple frames
- Black hair: Opt for black glasses, blue, bronze, rose gold, or other neutral colors
- Gray hair: Grey or clear glasses, ivory tortoise glasses, floral print glasses, red glasses, and purple glasses
Shopping for eyeglasses
There is no shortage of stylish frames to select from when browsing glasses online. Oculus Eyecare carries a wide variety of frames, making it easier than ever to find your best look. For help choosing the perfect pair to suit your style and lifestyle, book a personal styling appointment with one of their experienced opticians.
Conclusion
Your glasses see you through every day, and you should look and feel amazing when you wear them.
When it comes to shopping for the perfect pair of glasses, you shouldn't settle for a pair that makes you feel anything less than your best. By understanding how your unique features can affect the appearance of your frames, you're sure to make the right choice every time.
Keep Reading: Contacts vs. Glasses: Which Is Right for You?
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Oculus Eyecare is Seattle’s premier optometry practice and optical boutique for those looking to see and be seen in a new way. Located in South Lake Union on Denny Way, Oculus Eyecare offers comprehensive eye care services and exams for individuals and families in Seattle. Click here to schedule an appointment or a personal styling session. To stay connected and learn more, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.