How to choose glasses that suit you

Not sure which style of glasses suit you best? Leightons’ Dispensing Optician, Gurpreet Singh, has some essential tips.

Choosing the lenses is the easy bit — your Leightons optician will give you an eye test and you’ll be prescribed the optical correction you need to give you 20/20 vision (or 6/6, as it is in the UK).

Then comes the hard part. Choosing frames to suit your face shape, prescription and personal style. Now this is of course subjective. There’s no eye test for finding the ideal frames for you.

But there are a few principles you can use to help you find the glasses that suit you.

Gurpreet Singh, Dispensing Optician

We popped into the Leightons Farnham branch to hear what Gurpreet Singh – a dispensing optician with some 20 years’ experience – has to say about choosing the best frames.

Here’s Gurpreet’s five tips to help you choose glasses frames:

1. Choose glasses for your face shape

Your natural face shape can help direct your choice of glasses. Round frames or square frames? “A rough rule of thumb is this,” says Gurpreet. “If you have a slim face, choose round frames. If you have a rounder shaped face, try square frames.

2. What’s in fashion

Fashion changes with the breeze. Luckily, fashion moves slower for glasses (with a few exceptions). “Right now, tortoiseshell frames are in and narrow letterbox-style frames are out. Deeper frames favoured – fashion is cyclical, so things will change in time.” Gurpreet notes that ‘cat eye’ frames – that turn up at the sides near each arm, are particularly popular.

3. Follow your complexion

Darker complexions often suit darker frames, and lighter complexions may suit lighter frames. “But, as with everything, there are exceptions to the rule. Experiment with different frames and don’t be afraid to seek advice from one of our in-branch staff. We’re not just opticians and ophthalmologists, we’re style consultants too.”

4. Try a statement

Green or red frames are good statement colours, offering a vibrant departure from the standard black, silver or pale frames. “Fashion loves to borrow from the past and this 50s look has stormed back into vogue.” Checkout Face à Face’s stunning cats eye frames, for example.

5. Don’t be afraid of designer brands

“Much of the high-fashion world is out of reach for many of us, but buying frames for glasses gives you access to top-end brands like Chanel, Gucci and Tom Ford at comparatively affordable prices.”

Come and see us

Want to get Gurpreet’s style advice in-person to help you find the perfect frame? Pop into our Farnham branch, or any Leightons branch for that matter – all of our opticians are skilled stylists when it comes to choosing great glasses.

Book an appointment

Find your local Leightons here, book online or call the team on 0800 40 20 20.