Glasses can be a stylish accessory that complements an outfit or enhances someone’s natural features. However, the wrong style of glasses also has the potential to add years to a person’s appearance. When selecting eyeglasses, it’s important to consider frame size, shape, and color to avoid looking mature beyond your years.
Do bigger glasses make you look older?
Larger, oversized eyeglass frames can potentially age a person’s appearance. Oversized frames were very trendy in the 1980s and 1990s, so they may give off an outdated or mature vibe. Additionally, the thicker frames cover up more of the face, obscuring youthful facial features. Smaller lenses also make the eyes look smaller, which can contribute to looking older.
Recommended frame size
To avoid having glasses enlarge and age your face, the frames should complement your face size and structure. Frames that are too big or too small for the face look disproportionate and emphasized age lines. The right frame size balances and enhances your features.
- Opt for frame sizes that align with the widest part of your face. Look for frames as wide as or slightly wider than your cheekbones.
- Larger frames pair best with longer, oval faces while petite frames flatter smaller, rounder faces.
- If you have a wide face, choose frames that are not overly thick horizontally to prevent widening your face further.
Do small glasses make you look older?
On the other hand, glasses with lenses that are too small or narrow can also age your appearance. Tiny frames do not have enough of a lens surface to properly magnify and correct vision. Squinting to see through ill-fitting glasses can cause wrinkles around the eyes over time. It also draws attention to fine lines and aging around the eye area. Additionally, glasses that are too compact look dated, like those popular in the 1950s and 1960s.
Finding the right lens size
The ideal lens size depends on your prescription strength and facial proportions. Make sure the lenses are large enough to:
- Fully correct your vision without straining
- Cover about 1/3 of your cheekbone width
- Let about 1-2 mm of your eyes show between the lens and frame
Do square glasses make you look older?
Bold, angular frames like square or rectangular shapes can pair poorly with aging skin, emphasizing wrinkles and sagging. The straight lines and sharp corners create harsh framing around delicate aging features. However, square frames can look modern and youthful on the right face shape when paired with the proper size lens and frame thickness.
Who can wear square frames?
Square frames best complement straight, chiseled bone structure and larger foreheads. Rounder, softer face shapes often appear older and more severe in square frames. The straight lines can also widen round faces that lack definition and angular features.
- Oval faces: Balance square angles with oval lenses
- Oblong faces: Counterbalance length with medium-sized square frames
- Square faces: Enhance strong jawline with sharper edges
- Round faces: Soft square or rectangular frames minimize roundness
Do cat-eye glasses make you look older?
Like square frames, angular cat-eye shapes with pointed corners can sharpen facial features in an aging way. The upward slant of cat-eye frames also draws the eyes up, accentuating sagging around the eyes and cheeks. Softer, rounded cat-eye shapes help minimize aging effects. Vintage-inspired cat-eye frames may also give off an outdated vibe, contributing to looking mature.
Who can wear cat-eye frames?
More dramatic, winged cat-eye styles work best on heart-shaped faces with defined cheekbones and foreheads and pointier chins. Softer cat-eye frames flatter oval, long, and diamond face shapes. The angles of cat-eye glasses can widen round faces, making them appear older.
- Heart faces: Accentuate angles with bold cat-eye frames
- Oblong faces: Rounded cat-eyes balance length
- Round faces: Subtle cat-eye frames prevent additional width
Do dark-rimmed glasses make you look older?
Thick, dark frames can make glasses look dated and age your appearance, especially darker colors like black, brown, and tortoiseshell. The heavier, prominent frames overwhelm the face and draw attention to aging features. Thick frames also cast shadows that can emphasize wrinkles and undereye circles. Lighter metallic colors, transparent frames, and rimless glasses open up the face.
Frame colors for a youthful look
Lighter, modern colors make glasses appear youthful and fresh. Colors like light pink, blue, purple, clear, and gray minimize aging effects of bolder, thicker frames. Metallic shades like gold, silver, and rose gold also give a contemporary, stylish look. Avoid darker hues like black and dark brown for framing aging faces.
- Gold/silver: Enhance cool or warm skin undertones
- Light pink: Warm, youthful hue for all skin tones
- Tortoiseshell: Layer transparent variations over aging features
- Black: Can look harsh on delicate aging features
Do bifocals make you look older?
Bifocal and progressive lenses have visible separate reading lens sections that give glasses a stereotypically “old person” look. The line where the lenses change for close vision draws attention to aging eyes needing magnification for near work. However, bifocals come in modern frame styles that can minimize the aging effect. Ask for blended invisible bifocal lines for a seamless look.
Options besides traditional bifocals
If you need varying prescriptions for distance and reading vision, alternatives like progressives and contacts avoid bifocal lines. Contacts correct each eye individually for a smooth, undetectable option. Progressives have a “no-line” gradual transition between prescriptions.
- Progressive lenses: Seamless change between distances
- Mono-vision contacts: Corrects each eye differently
- Reading glasses: Separate from everyday glasses
Conclusion
Glasses styles that enlarge, overwhelm, or obstruct the face tend to age a person’s appearance. Oversized, thick frames and small, dated lenses make the wearer look mature beyond their years. Angular cat-eye and square shapes also sharpen aging features. Dark, bold frames look harsh and dated while bifocals have an obvious “old person” look.
To find youthful glasses, select modern frames in lighter colors and proportions that flatter your facial structure. Make sure lenses are big enough to correct your vision without squinting but not so oversized that they widen and obscure your face. With proper fitting glasses and updated styles, you can maintain a youthful look with vision correction.