Oval Glasses For Men & Women

History of Oval Glasses

The oval shape is one of the first shapes historically used in eyewear. Oval glasses trace back at least 200 years. During the civil war oval eye glasses with straight temples were used for prescription lenses, sunglasses, and even sharpshooter glasses. Later on between the 1880 and 1920 oval eyeglass frames made up a large proportion of Vintage Frames, often known as riding temples glasses. These were gold or silver, oval in shape, and had cable temples to keep the frames on the face while riding a horse. After the nose pad was invented during the 1920’s oval eyeglasses were replaced with various roundish shapes, such as ovid, Panto, P3 and round. Oval glasses frames largely went out of style until the 1980’s and 1990’s.

Antique Eyeglasses were seen more as a medical device than a fashioniable object and were therefore unisex, the same frames were made for men and women.

Oval Glasses & Sunglasses Today

Oval glasses are a great option for people wanting a circular look for their prescription glasses who find that the round shape is a bit extreme. Perfectly Round Glasses can look goofy on some faces if the lenses are too large. Oval glasses frames provide the perfect balance.

Oval Glasses Face Shape

Oval Glasses work best for people with heart, square or diamond face shapes. Heart shaped faces are wider on top than they are on the bottom, so oval frames that are slightly wider than your forehead can balance it out.

Oval glasses can help sqaure square faces. Their curvy lines add balance if worn slightly higher up on the face

Oval Eyeglasses work well with diamond shaped faces as well. Diamond face shapes are pointy on top as well as on bottom and oval glasses can even them out.

Face shape guidelines are not absolutes. It is common for people to find a air of frames that looks great on them even though it goes against all the face shape guidelines. Oval eye glasses can look good on all face shapes, the above is merely a general rule of thumb.