Sunglasses for a triangle face: the shapes that balance a wider jaw

Short answer: The best sunglasses for a triangle face put the weight on top: cat-eye frames, aviators and frames with a strong upper rim or detail at the upper corners. Choose a frame that is at least as wide as your jaw, so the top half of your face looks as wide as the bottom. Avoid small, narrow frames and frames with a heavy lower rim – they make the jaw look even wider. Among our frames, the cat-eyes Mora and Palma and the aviator Lai are the easiest matches.

How to tell if you have a triangle face

Pull your hair back, look straight into a mirror and trace the outline of your face. A triangle face (pear-shaped face) is the opposite of a heart shape and usually shows these signs:

• The jaw is the widest part. The jawline is clearly wider than the forehead, often with a strong, defined jaw.
• The forehead is narrow. The temples sit inside the line of the jaw.
• The cheekbones sit in between. The face widens gradually from the forehead down to the jaw.
• The chin is broad. It is wider and flatter than the small, pointed chin of a heart or diamond face.

If your forehead is the widest part and your face narrows to the chin, you have a heart shape – see our guide to sunglasses for a heart-shaped face. If forehead and jaw are about the same width and the corners are angular, it's closer to square. Most faces are a mix, so treat this as a starting point – our guide to which sunglasses suit my face covers every face shape.

Why weight on top works

With a triangle face, the goal is to add visual width to the upper half of the face so it balances the jaw. Three details do most of the work:

• A strong top line. A thicker or darker upper rim draws the eye up to the brow, where the face is narrow.
• Width at the upper corners. Upswept or wide outer corners make the forehead look broader.
• A light lower edge. A thinner or lighter bottom rim keeps attention away from the jaw.

Best sunglasses for a triangle face shape

• Cat-eye frames: The top match. The upswept corners widen the brow and lift the face. See our cat-eye sunglasses.
• Aviators: The wide, straight top bar and teardrop lenses are broadest at the top, which is exactly what a triangle face needs. Browse our aviator sunglasses.
• Frames with a strong upper rim: Browline-style frames, or any frame with a bolder top edge, add weight where the face is narrow.
• Wide rectangular frames: A rectangle that is wider than it is tall stretches the upper face. Look for a flat top and soft corners in our rectangular sunglasses.
• Colour or detail on top: Two-tone frames with a darker top, or details at the upper corners, pull the eye upward.

What to avoid with a triangle face

• Small, narrow frames. A frame narrower than your jaw makes the lower face look even wider.
• Heavy bottom rims. A thick lower edge adds weight right above the widest part of your face.
• Small round lenses. Tiny, very round frames can look lost and make the jaw look wider by contrast.
• Bottom-heavy shapes. Frames that are widest at the bottom repeat the triangle instead of balancing it.

Wide jaw or strong jawline: the fit check

A strong jawline is a great feature – the frame just needs to hold its own against it. Look at yourself in the mirror with the sunglasses on: the outer edges of the frame should line up with your jaw or sit just outside it. If the frame ends well inside the jawline, go one size up. Also check that the temples run straight back to your ears without pressing at the sides of your head, and that the frame sits level and doesn't slide down your nose.

The right size: width in real millimetres

1. Measure a pair that fits. Measure the front from outer edge to outer edge, or read the temple stamp: lens width □ bridge – temple length. For a triangle face, the frame should be at least as wide as your jaw. Many triangle faces suit frames around 137–145 mm. Our guide on how to measure sunglasses explains each number.
2. Check the top rim. It should follow your eyebrows – a little brow showing is fine.
3. Check the width. In the mirror, the frame should look as wide as your jaw, not narrower.
4. Check the eyes and bridge. Your pupils should sit near the centre of each lens, and the bridge should rest on your nose without sliding or pinching.

ECO SHADES sunglasses for a triangle face

Dyhr is made from recycled metal. The other frames below are made from 100% recycled plastics with 5-barrel optical hinges and friction-lock screws. All have UV400 lenses in recycled PMMA.

• Mora Black: a soft cat-eye in black with upswept corners that add width at the brow – the featured pair and our top pick for a triangle face. 52□22-145, Medium, Category 3.
• Palma Blue: a cat-eye with a sculpted brow line in translucent blue, for a lighter look. 53□22-146, frame width 139 mm, Medium, Category 3.
• Lai Green: an aviator that is widest at the top, with a straight brow line. 57□17-145, frame width 137 mm, Medium, Category 3.
• Dyhr Gold Brown: a rectangular frame in recycled metal with a clear top line and a light lower edge. 56□17-138, frame width 140 mm, Medium/Large, Category 3.
• Gallina Havana: a rectangular frame in warm havana with a flat top. 52□22-145, frame width 138 mm, Medium, Category 3.
• Palazzo Brown: a wider rectangular frame for a broad jaw. 54□24-150, frame width 145 mm, Medium/Large, Category 3.

Our lenses are not polarised. Questions about our materials or UV protection? Just contact us.

Quick FAQ

What sunglasses shape is best for a triangle face?

Cat-eye frames, aviators and frames with a strong upper rim. They add width at the brow and balance a wider jaw.

What sunglasses suit a pear-shaped face?

A pear-shaped face is the same as a triangle face: narrow at the top, wider at the jaw. The same rules apply – put the weight on top and choose a frame at least as wide as the jaw.

What are the best sunglasses for a triangle face for women?

Cat-eyes like Mora and Palma are the classic choice, followed by aviators and frames with a darker top rim.

Which sunglasses suit a triangle face for men?

The rules are the same for everyone. Aviators like Lai, wide rectangular frames like Palazzo and Gallina and the metal Dyhr are easy choices; avoid small, narrow frames.

What sunglasses suit a strong jawline?

Frames that are wide enough to line up with the jaw and have a strong top line, such as aviators, cat-eyes and wide rectangles.

Every ECO SHADES pair comes with UV400 lenses and a 2-year warranty, and our sunglasses are CE, UKCA and FDA approved. We have 30 years of optical experience and 20,000+ happy customers behind our designs. With a triangle face, put the weight on top, go wide enough – then pick the pair you love.