When it comes to choosing eyeglasses, one of the key considerations is determining which frame colors will be the most flattering with your hair color. The interplay between hair color and glasses frame color can greatly impact your overall look. With so many frame options available, from versatile neutrals to bold pops of color, it can be tricky to know which shades will complement your tresses rather than clash with them.
General Guidelines
While personal style preferences should ultimately guide your choices, there are some general guidelines when it comes to selecting eyeglass frames to coordinate with your hair color:
- Brunettes with dark brown or black hair often look best with frame colors like tortoiseshell, olive green, gold, gray, charcoal and deep purples.
- Blondes with light golden to platinum hair tend to look great with frames in icy light blue, blush pink, peach, gray, silver and ivory tones.
- Redheads can pull off frame colors like olive green, plum, tortoiseshell, brown, wine red, emerald green and rusty orange hues.
- Those with salt and pepper or silver hair have lots of versatility and can wear black, gray, silver, purple, red, tortoiseshell and blue frames.
However, those color guidelines don’t need to be strictly adhered to. The most important thing is choosing a frame color that you feel confident and comfortable in. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different hues outside of your traditional color palette to find frames that make you feel like your best self when you look in the mirror.
Frame Color and Skin Tone
Along with your hair color, your skin’s undertones should also be factored into choosing the most complementary eyeglass frame hues. Those with warm golden undertones often look great in yellow, peach and terra-cotta toned frames that enhance their glow. People with cool pink undertones tend to shine in icy pastels like rose gold, silver and mint green. Olive skin tones make hazelnut browns, deep greens and rich plums really pop. And for those with neutral undertones, classic black, gray, tortoiseshell and jewel-toned frames are foolproof options.
Hair Color and Lens Color
The frame colors aren’t the only consideration when coordinating your eyeglasses with your hair color. The tint or color of the lenses themselves can also impact the overall look. Those with light hair often look great with lightly tinted lenses in soft hues like gray, green, peach or pink. Brunettes can carry off bold, dark-tinted lenses in amber, brown and olive hues. Redheads also look wonderful in green lenses to pick up the subtle hints of strawberry in their hair color. Mirrored or reflective lens coatings in silver, gold, blue and purple can provide an eye-catching pop against any hair color.
Tips for Blondes
Blonde hair, ranging from platinum to golden honey hues, has the potential to look washed out or disappear against frames that are too similar in color. Choosing eyeglass frames with a high contrast to your fair locks is key. Black, tortoiseshell, white and dark browns or purples will make your hair color really stand out. Metallic rose gold and silver frames also complement and enhance blonde hair beautifully.
Soft pink, peach, mint and baby blue eyeglass frames work well for blondes seeking a more subtle everyday look. And if you want your glasses to serve as a bold accessory, vibrant colors like red, royal blue and emerald green can be striking against light locks. Just stay away from pale frames too close to your hair color, which can look dated and bland rather than chic.
Tips for Brunettes
With so many different brunette shades from ash brown to espresso black, determining the most flattering eyeglass frame hues can be tricky. A foolproof option is to go just slightly lighter or darker than your exact hair color for a harmonious balance. Black-haired beauties might opt for dark tortoiseshell frames while medium brunettes could wear rich maple or walnut brown frames.
Metallic rose gold frames add a touch of warmth and femininity to balance out dark straight tresses. Brunettes seeking contrast can’t go wrong with icy pastels, white, silver, or even coral and peach frames for a striking color pairing. And for an artsy retro vibe, marsh green, olive and amber toned glasses deserve consideration.
Tips for Redheads
Red hair color ranges from warm coppery auburn to cooler strawberry blonde hues, but generally falls in the middle of the color spectrum. To avoid clashing, redheads are best served by choosing eyeglass frames in equally versatile middle neutrals. Tortoiseshell frames mix nicely with both ashy and golden red locks. Olive green, gray, charcoal and terra-cotta provide attractive contrast against red hair as well.
Don’t overlook navy blue, forest green, plum and crimson frames, which can enrich and intensify the allure of red hair. Pale frames like powder pink, peach, sky blue and lilac can also allow red hair to take center stage. Just stay away from pairing red frames with red hair, which tends to look overly matchy-matchy.
Tips for Gray and Silver Hair
One of the many benefits of salt and pepper or silver locks is having the freedom to experiment with all different colors of eyeglass frames. Unlike those with naturally pigmented hair, you don’t have to worry about clashing or matching. Silvery hair has an inherently cool tone, so rich jewel-toned frames in emerald, ruby and sapphire beautifully accentuate your sophisticated style.
Whether you opt for black, tortoiseshell, white, gold or bright purple frames, you really can’t go wrong with gray or silver hair. If your aesthetic is bold and artistic, try mismatched frames with different colors on each eye. The contrast will pop against your striking hair. The one style to avoid is metal wire-rim frames, which can look too harsh and cold with naturally gray hair.
Frame Shapes for Different Face Shapes
Along with frame and hair color, the shape of your eyeglass frames should be selected based on your face shape in order to achieve the most balanced proportions. Here are some tips:
- Oval faces look great in almost any frame, but rounded cat-eyes and aviators are especially flattering.
- Those with long, narrow face shapes should aim for square, rectangular frames to add width.
- Round faces are balanced out by narrow rectangular glasses with an angular browline.
- Heart shaped faces with wide foreheads can minimize width with oval or cat-eye frames.
- Square faces are softened and complemented by round and oval frames.
- Diamond face shapes need angular cat-eye or wayfarer frames to even out the cheekbones.
Finding the Right Balance
At the end of the day, choosing eyeglasses is about finding the right balance. You want shades and hues that harmonize with your hair color, while also considering your skin tone, personal style and face shape. The most foolproof approach is to experiment and try on a wide range of frame styles and colors. Pick the glasses that make you light up when you look in the mirror rather than simply coordinating. With so many frame options available, you can certainly find eyeglasses that artfully accent your lovely locks while feeling uniquely you.
Conclusion
Hair color and eyeglass frame color don’t necessarily have to match, but they do need to complement each other. Following basic guidelines around flattering color pairings, while also keeping your own personal preferences in mind, will ensure you find glasses that feel comfortable, confident and authentic to your look. Don’t be afraid to have some fun mixing and matching to discover new color combinations and frames shapes that make your fabulous hair color pop.
| Hair Color | Flattering Frame Colors |
|---|---|
| Brunette | Tortoiseshell, olive green, gold, gray, charcoal, deep purple |
| Blonde | Icy blue, blush pink, peach, gray, silver, ivory |
| Redhead | Olive green, plum, tortoiseshell, brown, wine red, emerald green, rust orange |
| Silver/Gray | Black, gray, silver, purple, red, tortoiseshell, blue |
