When shopping for sunglasses, you’ll want them to work with your face shape and complement your best features. With square face shapes, that means offsetting your angular features and elongating them.
A square face’s main characteristics include:
- A strong jaw
- A broad forehead
- Wide cheekbones
It’s important to note that no one has a perfectly square face—most of us have a mix of round and angular features. Square faces are evenly proportioned like round faces but with more angular features.
The forehead, cheekbones, and jaws are the same width, with the jaws sharply angled. The chin is wide and flat.
The best frames for square-shaped faces include:
- Round or oval frames
- Aviators
- Browline
- Cat-Eye
- Wayfarers
5 Best Sunglasses For Square Face Shapes
People with square face shapes look best with frames with soft, thin lines and curves. Rounded shapes soften the jawline, emphasize the eyes, and lengthen the nose.
Here are the best sunglasses for square face shapes:
Round or Oval Frames
Made famous by the likes of John Lennon and Harry Potter, round and oval shapes are perfect for a square face. They’re versatile enough to go with everything from jeans to suits, and their soft lines suit square faces well.
These frames often have wire rims and a minimalist aesthetic. Those with particularly wide faces might benefit from pairs with larger nose pads and curved temples.
Popular Round or Oval Frames
The Ray-Ban 4171 Erika boasts a classic elegance with its stylish design. The rubber fronts, sleek arms, and luxurious hue give this frame a strong presence.
The Ray-Ban 3447’s lightweight metal frame has a strong build, while the rubber-coated arms and adjustable silicone nose pads offer a comfortable fit.
Made of premium acetate, Muse Sugar Ray has a vintage keyhole bridge and attractive colored arms. This frame exudes sleek sophistication.
Aviators
Aviators are classic and timeless. They’re versatile enough to go with everything from jeans to suits, and their soft lines suit square faces well.
Aviators come in various sizes and materials, making them perfect for any type of wearer. Be sure to buy traditional aviators, staying away from newer ones, which have more square lenses.
Popular Aviator Frames
The Ray-Ban 3025 features a distinctive, tear-drop frame that puts a playful spin on traditional aviator design.
The Ray-Ban 3362 boasts a sleek double bridge and a thin, yet sturdy frame that is effortlessly cool with a hint of mystery.
The Amelia E. Paulina frame boasts a stylish double bridge and rim of metal and acetate with adjustable nose pads.
Browline
Browline frames were the most popular type of glasses in the 1950s and early 1960s. They’ve been called “Malcolm X glasses,” since he was often photographed wearing this distinctive style.
In the 1980s, Browlines saw a revival in popularity when Rayban introduced their take on the design, the Clubmaster.
As the name suggests, the upper part of the glasses resembles eyebrows, creating a natural curve around the eyes. This helps to draw attention away from any sharp angles on your face.
Popular Browline Frames
With its semi-rimless frame design, this pair became the brand’s hallmark. Its metal accents add a touch of class.
Made from featherlight O-matter, the Oakley Frogskins Lite offers a modern spin on a classic style with its browline frame.
With its stylish polished hue and comfortable no-slip grip, this classic accessory is the perfect blend of style and function.
Cat-Eye
Also known as Butterflies, cat-eye frames have an upswept rim where the frame connects to the temples. This gives the wearer a vaguely cat-like appearance around the eyes.
While typically associated with women due to their fun and flirty image, men often wear them too.
Popular Cat-Eye Frames
The Heather Amelia E. exudes glamour with its unique color. Expertly crafted from top-notch acetate, it boasts a striking blend of boldness and sleekness.
The Ray-Ban RB2299 Lady Burbank showcases a translucent pink frame paired with stylish brown vintage lenses. These lenses offer full UV protection.
Expertly crafted from premium acetate, the Duchess Amelia E.’s sleek metal arms and sophisticated lines create a polished and refined appearance.
Wayfarers
Popularized by Rayban, Wayfarers are another classic design. Luckily, they come in multiple variants, meaning there’s a pair for any face. For people with square-shaped faces, slightly curved Wayfarers are best.
Popular Wayfarer Frames
The iconic Ray-Ban Wayfarer frame revolutionized style, made from premium acetate, this frame continues to make a statement just as it did in the 1950s.
The legendary Ray-Ban 2132 Wayfarer ushered in a trendsetting era of cool. Expertly crafted from superior acetate, this frame still leaves a lasting impact.
The SeaClean is a stylish, eco-friendly frame made from repurposed plastic. This lightweight yet sturdy design features popular wayfarer lines and metal accents.
Where to Buy Sunglasses
Biggest Selection: GlassesUSA
Fastest Delivery: EyeBuyDirect
Best Independent Retailer: Warby Parker
Frames to Avoid
Avoid large rectangular frames with straight harsh lines. These will make your face appear broader. The sharp lines further accentuate the squareness of your face.
How to Determine Your Face Shape
If you’re unsure about your face shape, there are steps you can follow to find out. First, identify your most prominent facial features.
Measure Your Face Length and Width
Using a mirror or selfie, try to measure your face length and width. Your face length begins with the center of your hairline and ends on the tip of your chin.
The width of your face goes from the left to the right side of your face. These measurements must be taken twice—one for your cheekbones and the other for your jawline.
- Long faces are categorized as oblong, oval, or diamond shapes
- Wide faces are categorized as heart, square, or round shapes
Analyze Your Facial Features
Some people have sharp and defined features, while others have rounder and softer ones. Determining what you have can specify your face shape further.
- Long faces with soft, rounded features are oblong or oval shapes
- Wide faces with soft, rounded features are round shapes
- Rounded foreheads with pointed chins are heart shapes
- Wide faces with sharp jawlines and prominent cheekbones and foreheads are square shapes
- Narrow foreheads with sharp jawlines and pointed chins are diamond shapes
Additional Tips to Determine Your Face Shape
Aside from measuring by eye or using a measuring tape, you can also use face shape calculators like Omni Calculator.
There are also apps that measure your face shapes, including:
- Find Your Face Shape for Apple
- Face Shape Meter for Android and Apple
- Hiface for Android and Apple
How to Choose Sunglasses Frame Colors
Frame colors are just as important as shapes. These are things to consider when choosing your sunglasses frame colors:
Skin Tone
People’s skin tones come in a spectrum of yellow, pink, and neutral undertones. Some can also have peach or olive undertones.
The general rule of thumb is that warm colors suit yellow undertones, cool colors suit pink undertones, and both can suit neutral undertones.
If you don’t want to worry about your skin’s undertone, you can get neutral-colored frames like black, brown, cream, or white. These will suit any skin tone.
Hair Color
Your hair color can influence how a pair of sunglasses will look on you. For example, people with black, brown, or white hair could wear any color sunglasses because their neutral hair colors won’t clash.
Wardrobe
If most of your clothes are bright colors or loud prints, it’s a good idea to wear neutral-colored sunglasses. This ensures you can wear them with all your outfits without clashing.
If you own mostly neutral-colored clothing, you can wear a muted, but colorful, pair of sunglasses. However, if you prefer a monochromatic look, neutral-colored sunglasses are just as good an option.
Read More: Best Glasses for Square Faces
5 Best Places to Buy Glasses Online
Best Overall: Warby Parker
Also Great: Liingo Eyewear
Biggest Selection: GlassesUSA
Fastest Delivery: EyeBuyDirect
Best on a Budget: Zenni Optical
Examples of Square Faces With Sunglasses
In this article
Best Places to Buy Glasses
Best Overall
Warby Parker has stylish, high-quality frames at affordable prices.
Also Great
Liingo Eyewear is another great option to buy glasses online.
Best on a Budget
EyeBuyDirect has a wide variety of budget frames starting at $6.
Best Places to Buy Contacts
Best Overall
Discount Contacts is our #1 recommendation to buy contacts online.
Also Great
GlassesUSA has a huge selection of contacts, glasses, & sunglasses.
