Eyeglass Styles for Women

If you have to wear eyeglasses, they should at least look good on you. The many different styles of eyeglasses can make finding a pair that flatter your face shape simple. The key to choosing a flattering pair of glasses is to think in terms of opposites, according to optician Rene Soltis in "Real Simple" magazine. Choose glasses that are a different shape than your face to look your best.

Square Glasses
Square or rectangular glasses frames look best on a round or oval face, since the rigidity of the square offers a nice contrast to the softness of a round face. Go for a pair of glasses with short rectangular lenses if you want to add length to your face and make it look less round.

Rimless Glasses
Rimless eyeglasses don't have a frame to hold them in place. Instead, they are simply attached to the ear posts with a screw. If you have a heart- or diamond-shaped face, rimless glasses may be your best choice, as they look delicate and dainty in contrast to a wide forehead. The dainty eyeglasses also draw attention away from a narrow chin.

Round Glasses
A pair of round eyeglasses can either make you look a bit like a hippie or give you a geeky, 1980s vibe, depending on the size of the glasses. Stick with round frames if you have a square face, because the round lenses will soften your face. If you go for round glasses, be careful to choose a pair that aren't too large for your face.

Cat Eye Glasses
A pair of cat eye glasses adds a bit of vintage flair to your face. The lens shape is rounded and comes to a point on the sides of the eye. The style of glasses is pretty flattering on most face shapes. For an everyday look, look for a pair of cat eye glasses that have moderately sized lenses and not too much detailing. If you want a dressier pair of eyeglasses, opt for a pair of cat eye lenses in a tortoise print or with small sequins embedded in the corner of the lenses.

Sporty Glasses
If you wear glasses and like to play sports or get plenty of exercise, you may need a pair of glasses designed to handle lots of activity. Eyeglasses that you can wear during exercise typically have polycarbonate instead of glass lenses, so that they won't shatter should your glasses fall. The frames are also much more durable than regular glasses styles. You can find a sporty pair of glasses in pretty much any shape, though most are designed to look a bit more rugged than everyday glasses.