If you were anything like me in elementary school, you may have been a little jealous when your best friend got a cool new pair of glasses, and might have even contemplated failing the eye test on purpose to obtain your own. Several years and one legitimately failed eye test later and the glasses life was mine to embrace. The problem? I was in high school by then and glasses were no longer the coolest of accessories. At first I felt upset about the need for such a dorky addition to my look and I wore contacts almost exclusively. Now that I’m older (and wiser), I’ve embraced my frames and learned some tried-and-true tricks to make any girl look absolutely great in glasses. Read on to find out the secrets for yourself!
1. Choose frame shape wisely
Just like picking clothes that fit your shape and flatter your body, choosing a frame style that ‘fits’ is an essential to feeling great in your glasses. Several great guides exist including this one from LensCrafters but the basics are pretty easy as well. Oval faces are the easiest to fit and most versatile, but square lenses will provide a good contrast.
If your face is square shaped don’t overwhelm it with chunky frames or hard lines. If your face is heart-shaped find frames that are heavier on bottom to balance you out, and if your face is round your want glasses that add angles and hard lines to your face.
2. Color is also important
I’m sure you’ve barely ever contemplated the color of someone’s glasses unless said glasses happen to be bright red or lime green, however color is a very important part of how well the glasses compliment your look. My own glasses are a mid-tone brown to compliment my brunette hair but the bottom of the rims are a translucent purple to compliment my green eyes. If you’re having trouble choosing a color, tortoise shell is a good neutral ground. Also keep on the lookout for buy one, get one deals at your local optometrist. Sometimes the best option is to have multiple options! Boring black for everyday business and a brighter hued pair for days you want to mix it up.
3. Pull up your hair or give it some volume
Now that you’ve picked a pair of frames to flatter your face, consider what you can do to flatter the frames. Glasses are a pretty bold accessory, and when paired with long locks of hair you can appear to be hiding behind all the layers. Instead give your hair some extra volume that day to balance out the frames, or pull it up in a messy bun or high pony. Bangs can look great with glasses, but always beware the urge to get bangs and then instantly regret it. Consult several confidants before making a rash decision to find out if bangs really would be a good look for you
4. Exaggerate your eye makeup
This tip came to me courtesy of the lifesaving beauty gurus over on YouTube. Like most girls I’m religiously devoted to my Naked Palette and will spend unreasonable amounts of time perfecting my winged eyeliner. Unfortunately with glasses I always felt like the whole effort would be wasted once I donned my thick frames. Boy was I wrong! This video by emilynoel83 showed me that your makeup look with glasses can actually be even more exciting than without. In essence, the bolder the better. Shimmery shadows will get noticed behind the glass and darker than normal liner and lashes are needed to stand out behind your frames. Another important tip: mind your brows. Glasses draw a lot of attention to the shape of your brows to make sure to keep them in good condition and consider a brow gel or powder if yours are on the lighter side.
5. Make them a part of your everyday look
We all know a few people who we just associate with wearing glasses. They’ve made their frames such an effortless part of their look that you almost didn’t recognize the one time at the beach when they weren’t rocking their usual look. I’ll admit, I’m not yet that person. I still switch frequently between glasses and contacts but there are certainly some benefits to committing to your frames. Number one you’ll seem smarter. Obviously you won’t actually be smarter, but when walking into a job interview recruiters almost always perceived the glasses wearing candidate as more competent than those without. Aside from smarts, you can also use glasses to project your identity: maybe as someone who’s a little edgy, a little hipster or a whole lot retro!
6. Feel cute and confident
Do you want to know the real secret to looking great in glasses, and really looking great in general? Just be yourself! If you’re feeling cute and confident, others will perceive you in the exact same way. Yes, the above tips certainly helped me in overcoming my reserves about glasses being an ‘uncool’ accessory, but I never really felt confident in glasses until I simply decided to be! If you decide to love your look, the whole world will go along with you, and recognize you for the savvy, cute, glasses-wearing collegiette you are!