TIPS FOR FINDING THE PERFECT FRAMES TO SUIT YOUR FACE, AND YOUR STYLE 

Being four-eyed never looked so good. These days glasses need not be a style hindrance, but can instead be an enhancement. This lesson hasn’t been lost on those with perfect vision either: non-glare, anti-reflective, non-prescription lenses—such as those by Nikon or Seiko—are increasingly in demand. No longer mere practical necessity, glasses are now an essential accessory.

Responding to consumer demand, downtown optical stores are pushing fashion considerations and making style a priority, bringing in styles from big name designers. Licensed optician Robert J. De Guzman of Horizon Eye Care says that his shop is one of the few boutiques in Winnipeg that carries the hip (not to mention pricey) frames of designer Roberto Cavalli. Other fashion houses, from Calvin Klein to Prada, are staples in the eyewear game.

With consumer interest and knowledge growing, some experienced opticians, like David Hoffman, say they are focusing on fit and practical considerations, while leaving “the look” up to their customers. While it used to be that the customer deferred to the optician on all matters, explains Hoffman, those experienced at buying glasses are becoming more and more assertive where style is concerned. Some customers are even taking pictures of the merchandise with their cell phones to comparison shop for the perfect pair, he says.

	Candies purple "Cat's Eye' $250 David I. Hoffmann
	JaiKudo Silver & green square framed 470 $186 Douglas Benoit Opticians
	Hakim black and white "Roseanne" open sides D95571 $239 Hakim Optical
	Luxottica SRL Prada dark grey VPR 041 52617 4BP-101 135 $269 Horizon Eye Care

So what are the guidelines to finding that pair of frames that best fits your personal style? According to optician Douglas Benoit, your face is the place to start—specifically, the shape, colour, and complexion of your face, as well as that of your eyes and the bridge of your nose. Some helpful bits of arcane knowledge are for long-faced persons to avoid wide frames, and square-faced individuals to forego shallow lenses.

Hoffman says that a time-tested rule of thumb is to match the colour of frames or tinted lenses with your skin and hair; an example are light pink frames, which are best suited to natural blondes with fairer complexions. On the other hand, contrast can sometimes be more effective; blue frames, for instance, can greatly complement the brown-eyed.

The other major point of reference should of course be what’s hanging in your closet. As with any accessory, you want coordination. Additional flexibility can be attained with multi-toned frames, which provide an additional layer of subtlety and nuance. In fact the very season is now determining the appropriateness of frame colours, says Senada Hajdarevic of Hakim Optical. Thus, to hedge their bets, many of Hoffman’s younger customers buy multiple pairs of variously coloured frames.

Then there’s the matter of design and shape. Benoit says that women especially are choosing frames with designed or decorated temples (the temple being the part of the frame that extends back to tuck behind your ears). This look can range from a few dotted metallic studs, to mesh, to even wilder motifs, like Cavalli’s trademark snake. According to Guzman, even guys are into bling-encrusted specs, like those by Dolce & Gabbana.

Our experts say that the rectangular is hot where lens shape is concerned, although the classic cat’s eye design for women is also still very much in vogue. Indeed, retro is definitely in, with designers like Prada revisiting the thick, square men’s frame in addition to more streamlined creations. Wide temples are also popular right now, although Benoit says he discourages them because they tend to block one’s peripheral vision: “I don’t like to think people are driving while wearing frames like that.”

Consequently, Benoit says he stocks few frames in this style, save for reading glasses or models where the temples are high.
And that still remains the cardinal rule: never sacrifice function (or safety) for fashion. Then again, can’t you have both? That’s the whole point, really – these days, there’s no reason at all why you can’t look good seeing well.

	Roberto Cavalli R.C.-initial mesh temples $599 Horizon Eye Care
	Fysa - L50 Red-green, Metal avant-garde $250 David I. Hoffmann
	Hakim Euro Chic "Arianna" metallic blue D8659H $179 Hakim Optical
	Jai Kudo Brown thick framed plastic 1759 $156 Douglas Benoit Opticians