Glasses That Do the Talking: Cat Eye, Round and Square Optical Frames

Glasses That Do the Talking: Cat Eye, Round and Square Optical Frames

A guide to designer glasses with a prescription in mind, from cat eye and butterfly shapes to round, oval, square and aviator frames. It covers how to read the numbers inside a temple and how to pick a shape that suits you.

Nobody knows exactly who invented spectacles, and I find that oddly reassuring. The first written mention is a sermon by an Italian Dominican friar, Giordano da Pisa, who said they had existed for less than 20 years. Another Pisa friar, Alessandro della Spina, is remembered not as the inventor but as the person who helped them catch on in the late 1200s. The famous 1286 date is an estimate, and a curator at the British Optical Association Museum says it is pushing it to be that precise. So the honest story is late 13th-century Italy, and a long line of people deciding that something useful could also look good.

That is how I think about glasses now. They sit in the middle of your face, so they do more for an outfit than almost anything else you put on, and I would rather choose them like a good coat than like a chore. This first group is all cat eye and butterfly shapes, the silhouette women wore through the 1950s and 1960s, set apart from the browline by that upsweep at the outer edges. Altina Schinasi's Harlequin frames won the Lord & Taylor Annual American Design Award in 1939 and stayed popular well into the 1950s, and in 1952 Claire McCardell and American Optical released a cat eye described as the first eyewear line by a fashion designer.

Celine has the 3 Dots Cat Eye pair in 51mm, shown twice in this grid, and it is the one I would put on with a white shirt and a blazer. The Gold Cat-Eye Optical pair from Gucci is the dressier choice, lovely with black knitwear. Versace brings the VE3294 and VE3330 Cat Eye Plastic frames, bolder in presence. Miu Miu has the Brown Cat-Eye and the Black Slim Cateye, and the slim one is the pair I would wear every day. Bottega Veneta's Fashion Show cat-eye is the sharpest of the bunch, Balenciaga's Black Cateye Optical Frame is graphic and a little severe, and Snob's Bocca cat-eye adds a softer curve. Dolce & Gabbana and a second Gucci cat-eye round it out.

My test: the upsweep should land near your temple, not float above your brow.

Collage of cat eye and butterfly optical frames, round and oval optical frames, and square and aviator optical frames, and a mood photo of a woman in tortoiseshell frames sipping from a mug.
Cat eye, round and square optical frames from the houses I trust.

Cat eye and butterfly optical frames

Round and oval frames that soften things

Round and oval frames are the ones I reach for when the rest of my outfit is sharp. Think a structured blazer, a crisp collar or a trench with a strong shoulder, and a soft curved frame on top to take the edge off. One styling rule of thumb quoted by AllAboutVision is to choose a shape that contrasts with your face: round frames for a square face, square frames for a round one. I treat it as a starting point, not a law.

Mykita's Tortoiseshell-effect round-frame pair is the one that looks most like a classic, and it works with denim and a plain tee. Gucci has two here: the Round frame optical and the Woman Round Plastic GG1424O. Prada's Black Round pair is the minimalist pick, and I would wear it with an all-black outfit and nothing else on my face. Oliver Peoples brings a Round frame optical pair with the quiet confidence that brand is known for, and SPY's Boundless Optical round-frame is the lighter, sportier take. Balmain's Brigade round-frame optical has a little more attitude.

The ovals are my favorite part. Gentle Monster's Ivy oval-frame pair is the fashion one, MAX&Co. has an Oval-frame pair that is easy to live in, and Marni's Oval-frame is the playful artistic option. Cartier offers Oval Eyeglasses in 56mm, which reads polished with a silk shirt or a slip dress. Dior's DiorCannageO B3U oval in gold is the one I would pair with a gold watch and simple studs.

A tip from the fitting room: smile in the mirror. If the frame rides up on your cheeks, it is the wrong size, however much you love it.

Round and oval optical frames

Square, rectangle and aviator lines

Square, rectangle and aviator frames are the grown-up end of the rack. They make a face look decided, and that is exactly why I like them with soft clothes: a slip dress, a loose knit, a cotton shirt left a little undone. If you want your look to feel more polished without adding another thing, this is the group.

Ray-Ban offers a Square-frame optical pair that is the easiest entry, because it goes with everything. Burberry's Woman Square Plastic BE2390 is a clean, serious shape that I would wear with a trench. Miu Miu's Woman Square Plastic MU 04UV is the playful square, with more personality. Dior's DiorSignature S6I Rectangular in 50mm is the tailored option, narrow enough to feel modern. The Fendi FF Squared navigator in green gives you a bit of color without shouting, and the Celine Thin navigator in black is the sleekest, a line drawn across the face.

Then the aviators and pilot shapes. Tom Ford's Pilot pair in 57mm is the broadest and boldest of the lot, a strong choice for anyone who likes a little drama. Chloé's Aly navigator in gold is lighter and prettier, and it looks lovely with a camel coat. AllAboutVision notes that aviator and cat eye shapes tend to suit a base-down triangle face shape, so if that describes you, try these.

What I would skip: a big, heavy rectangle if you mostly wear soft, romantic clothes, and any frame you have only seen in a photo. Try it on, turn your head, and see how it looks from the side.

Square, rectangle and aviator optical frames

How I choose a pair

Start with the numbers. Inside the temple you will find three of them, for example 54-20-140: the lens width, the bridge width and the temple length, all in millimetres. Lens width usually runs from 40 to 60, bridge from 14 to 24 and temple from 120 to 150. Two frames with the same numbers can still fit differently, so use them as a guide and then try the pair on.

Before you buy, book a comprehensive eye exam so your prescription is up to date. The American Academy of Ophthalmology says every prescription must be approved by an optometrist or ophthalmologist, even when you order online. I also skip anything that promises miracles for screens: the Academy does not recommend blue light-blocking lenses, and says screen strain comes from blinking less. The fix is frequent breaks, like the 20-20-20 rule.

Then pick the look. I choose two pairs: one quiet frame for work and one that makes me smile. That is plenty.