SQUARE FACES, SOFT EDGES

Round frames take the edge off a strong jaw.

Strong jawline, broad forehead, sharp cheekbones — a square face already brings the angles, so frames that echo them can read severe. The counter-move is softness: round, oval, and soft-geometric shapes that contrast the jawline instead of competing with it. That's the standard "glasses for square face" advice, and on this one the charts are mostly right.

Placement matters as much as shape. Sit the frame high enough that your brows show above the top rim — burying a strong brow under a heavy top line makes the whole face look heavier. And watch the width: a square face is often wide at the temples, so frames with narrower fronts will pinch the visual balance and look undersized. You generally want a front that reaches your temple line, not one that stops short of it.

This is a good year for square faces. The softened 70s squares and soft-geometric blends showing up across the Oct 2026 roundups give you structure without the hard corners, and the oversized acetate trend means you'll find rounder, larger options everywhere — including the large-diameter rounds going increasingly unisex this year.

What to avoid: thick, boxy rectangles with sharp corners in dark colors. On a square face that's the visual equivalent of shouting over yourself. If you want rectangular, pick the softened kind — rounded edges, thinner profiles — and let your jawline do the talking on its own.

"Your jawline already brings the angles. Let the frames bring the curves."