Follow That Brow

“I have a round face, so I need some rectangular frames,” is one of the most common phrases that we hear from consumers who write to us asking for help.

Usually they give us a list of styles they like which tend to be more conservative and rectangular shaped. Most Asians think they have a round face, and therefore they often lean towards rectangular shaped frames or sunglasses so they can “off set” the roundness.

Evidently, that is not true. Asians have all kinds of facial shapes just like the rest of the world’s population. My colleague Bradie often says, “If I could make a dollar for every time an Asian thinks he/she has a round face, I’d be rich by now.”

We often suggest inquiring consumers to send in front and profile pictures, along with their height. With these, I can get a sense of their proportions and suggest a few styles of frames that would fit them the best by conducting a virtual fitting.

I love having the opportunity to do a virtual fitting. It gives me a chance to learn what are the most common challenges faced by the consumers, and it is a way for me to connect with them. I greatly appreciate the trust they place on us.

But if I could only give one piece of advice for choosing the right frame shape, it would be “follow your brow line.”

Finding the right frame starts with understanding your brow line. Frame shown is Nathan in C2.

Many Asians do not have protruding brow bones and deep-set eyes sockets, so it appears they have a greater distance between their eyebrows and their eyes. If an Asian with these features wears a frame that is very flat on the top rim, it creates a straight line between the eyebrows and the eyes. This inevitably would visually “close” the eyes and make them look smaller. However, when the shape follows the brow line and it finishes just below the eyebrows, it is much more flattering. It gives a more youthful look, visually “opening” the eyes.

Furthermore, having the upper rim of the frame sit right across your upper lid and actually impede your vision, causing you to be unable to look through the center of your lenses.

Finding the perfect pair of glasses involves quite a bit of technical knowledge, as there are many factors involved besides examining brow lines. With over one hundred styles, all with different designs and nuances, we create our frames with variations meant to fit specific facial features. When one is browsing through our online catalog, it can be a challenge to determine which one will be the best fit, especially without an experienced optician to guide you through the process.

That said; even if you have an optometrist near you that carries our collection do not hesitate to ask us for help. Simply send to info@tc-charton.com your height along with pictures of the front of your face and side profile (without glasses) so that I can assess the most adequate temple length and examine your nose bridge. From here, I can suggest specific styles tailored to your features.

Your optician will be able to check and see if they have the suggested frames in stock. If by chance they don’t, you can request that they be ordered as “patient approval.” To find a location near you that carries our line, visit our store finder located at the top of our website at www.TC-Charton.com.

Remember: always, look at your eyebrows. Study your face closely in the mirror. How are your eyebrows? Are they straight? Arched?  If so, pick a style that has higher arches on the upper part of the shape. You will notice the difference. After all, we want the frame to sit on your face as if it was designed just for you.