Glassy cool

Ella Emhoff made waves with her decision to sport wire-rimmed glasses at a recent high fashion event. Pics/Instagram

Once revered more for their function than their form, spectacles are now coming into their own as a fashion accessory of choice. Take, for instance, American Vice President Kamala Harris's stepdaughter Ella Emhoff who marked her fashion week debut in her signature bespectacled avatar. The reason for this uptick in interest, says content creator Satshya Tharien, is the easy availability of a wide variety of more style-savvy designs, thanks to prolific eye-wear retailers. She shares her top criteria for picking a fashionable pair.

Choose frames that work with your face shape and skin tone, says Satshya Tharien

Choose the right shape: It's important to choose a pair that works with the shape of your face. While oval faces look best in glasses that are as wide as the widest part of their face, heart-shaped faces can wear shapes that are wider at the bottom. If you have a strong jaw and full cheeks, a cat-eye shape may work well for you, suggests Tharien. If you're having trouble selecting a suitable pair, Tharien recommends swapping the lenses of your favourite sunglasses with prescription lenses.

Producer Kiran Rao is known for wearing her glasses as a statement accessory

Select a flattering colour: Pick a shade that works with your skin tone. Warm skin tones can wear gold, peach, off-white and lighter tortoiseshell frames, while cooler skin tones can pick from a black, silver or blue-grey palette. Tharien is partial to transparent frames because of their versatility.

Take some risks with your make-up: Curl your lashes and wear ample mascara, says Tharien. She also recommends using concealer on your under-eye dark circles as the reflection from your frames can amplify them. Use setting powder on the areas where your frames rub against your skin to keep your base from being rubbed off. Don't skip the eyeliner as thick lenses can make your eyes ‘disappear'. Finally, opt for bolder and brighter eye make-up looks, as your glasses will automatically tone them down.