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Glasses That Can Make You Look Younger

Shu Kie

Written By:

Shu Kie

Updated: 19 April 2024 •  
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Aging is a beautiful thing. What a joy to grow old and gather experiences, love, friends, laughs, and everything in between. Gray or silver locks, smile lines, changing bodies, it’s all gorgeous!
 
However, sometimes we do like to try a few little accessories and style tricks to give a youthful booster. Wanting to look a bit younger doesn’t mean you’re ashamed of aging, it just means you’re proud of the youth inside of you.
 
Glasses can be a great tool for making you look younger, so here’s our handy guide!
 

Tips for picking glasses to make you look younger

1. Experiment with a toasty warm shade

 
This (like all of the following tips) isn’t a hard and fast rule, as bright cool tones can be just as youth-enhancing. However, when we age, we tend to lose a little of our color and “glow” in our hair and skin.
 
This can result in our complexion to look a little ashier and cooler. To counter this, a warm amber tone or golden tortoiseshell can add warmth and life to the face.
 
helen mirren wearing a pair of tortoise shell glasses

Helen Mirren rocking the tortoiseshell.

 
We love the warm tortoiseshell tones of our Gentle frames.
 
tortoiseshell gentle frame

Mouqy’s Gentle with a tortoise-gold combo.

 

2. Try a youthful bright color

 
Being past the age of *insert decade here* does not mean you need to tone down your light and stick to neutrals. In fact, bright colors are a great way to inject fun, youth, and a sense of whimsical fashion to your look. A brightly colored frame will act as a feature piece, drawing attention to your gorgeous eyes. What’s more, it tells the world “I’m here!”.
 
Check out Bake-Off star Prue Leith in her signature bright blue frames.
 
prue leith wearing a pair of blue square glasses frame

Beautiful in blue.

 
If you’re after something a little more subtle, try our Deluxe frames in a beautiful icy blue pastel.
 
deluxe blue pastel frame

Mouqy’s Deluxe in green gold.

 

3. Stick with thinner lenses

 
Thick bifocal lenses aren’t exactly the most youthful things in the world. The great news is that advanced technology allows those with very strong prescriptions to enjoy thin, light lenses.
 
Here at Mouqy, we offer high index lenses that feel like air and look great. These not only feel great on the face but they open up your style options! You can even go for rimless or semi-rimless styles.
 
Speaking of rimless glasses…
 

4. Try chic rimless styles for a lighter look

 
Rimless glasses are endlessly chic and simple. They add texture and subtle interest to the face without overpowering your features or taking focus from your dazzling visage. Rimless glasses are youth-giving as they’re clean, light, and offer a pared-down, discerning aesthetic.
 
diane keaton wearing a pair of rimless glasses

Diane Keaton stuns in rimless.

 
We love the Dreamy frames as they add a little tint of color.
 
dreamy oval purple

Mouqy’s rimless Dreamy in purple.

 

5. Try bold black power frames

 
Fashion icon and queen of color Iris Apfel is one hundred years old. Yes, you read that correctly. Iris is known for her bold, bright, outrageous fashion choices (and a bevy of achievements) no matter her age. Her signature glasses are oversized, thick, and black… and they look incredible.
 
iris apfel wearing a pair of oversized black glasses frame

The iconic ​​Iris Apfel.

 
If you want to make a statement, take a leaf out of Iris’s book! You could try the bold and beautiful Navy frames in black.
 
navy square black

Mouqy’s Navy in bold, black frame.

 

6. Try a wider upper rim

 
Adding a little width, angles, and curves to the face can enhance the dimension of your features. This style is especially great for square and oval faces as it balances out your proportions. Check out Julie Delpy in these classic frames in a striking, deep shade.
 
julie delpy wearing a pair of classic oval glasses

Julie Delpy wows in this classic shape.

 
The frames are wider at the top and curve down in a deep oval at the bottom, flattering her face gorgeously.
 
Want the look? We love our Kingly frames in transparent.
 
kingly oval

Mouqy’s Kingly in transparent.

 

7. Try updated aviators for a fresh look

 
Just look at Christine Baranski in these glitzy aviators! The aviator style is always associated with pure cool, adventure, and a little masculine, youthful energy.
 
chrtine baransk wearing a pair of aviators

Aviators – done a little different.

 
We love our updated two-tone version the Aesthete style.
 
aesthete aviator brown

Mouqy’s Aesthete in tortoise-brown.

 

8. Try plastic pantos for a modern look

 
Yes, the Panto 45 style is a distinctively vintage one. However, it’s so vintage that it’s come back around and is now also incredibly modern. I mean, just look at Mr. Silver Fox himself, Steve Carell rocking these.
 
steve carell wearing a pair of panto glasses

Image from INSIDER

 
We adore our Mascot frames with a little hint of Panto style (plus, they come with clip on sunglasses as extra!)
 
mascot oval tortoise

Mouqy’s Mascot in tortoise – with clip-on!

 

9. Have fun with vintage/retro styles

 
Speaking of vintage frames, why not push it as far as you can? Vintage and retro styles ooze youthful energy, bravery through style, and a sense of whimsical fun.
 
Here’s Jackie O “back in the day” rocking a pair of frames we today would most definitely consider vintage. In fact – we adore her style so much we’ve written a deep-dive into her eyewear choices.
 
jackie o wearing a pair of oversized geometric sunglasses

The unrivaled Jackie O. (Source: Pinterest)

 
Why not try these chic and OTT Queenie frames in a deep red tone with a gold accent?
 
queenie cat eye

Mouqy’s Queenie in red-gold.

 

10. Embrace the cat-eye

 
Cat-eye glasses give such a sleek dimension to the face and give a nod to retro styles of decades past. Cat-eye glasses are great for older faces as they provide length, clean lines, and a hint of sensual style.
 
meryl streep wearing a pair of black cat eye glasses

The queen herself, Meryl Streep

 
We adore our Candid frames in tortoise.
 
candid cat eye

Mouqy’s Candid in tortoise with glittery temple arms.

Want more recommendations? See our guide on choosing the right glasses styles for seniors!

Glasses to avoid if you want to look younger

There’s a perception out there that glasses make you look older and possibly more conservative. This perception is slowly changing as glasses are getting the cred they deserve for being 100% cool.
 
Check out this interesting study that shows that above the age of 45, glasses make us look approximately 5 years older. However, take this with a grain of salt because the participants may have been wearing frames that age them up!
 
These styles can, (but not always) make us look a little older than our years.
 

1. Metal rims

 
Metal rims can look youthful, of course. However, they can also age you up a little, especially if they’re in silvery or charcoal tones that drain color from the face. Plastic frames add a little more structure and life.
 

2. Pearly tones

 
Plastic rims in pearly, pale tones can be aging as they tend to drain color from the face. This can be doubled when the frames are large and rounded as it gives off the “grandma” look (most famously worn by the Queen).
 
Yes, the grandma look may be just what you’re looking for, then cool! However, brighter, sharper, bolder colors and shapes will work best for a more youthful aesthetic.
 

Ageless style icons we adore

There are so many older style icons we’ve grown up with and continue to applaud as they age. Here are our favorite bespectacled older style heroes:
 

  • Helen MirrenA timeless style icon who proves sexiness doesn’t expire.
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  • Debbie HarryThe lead singer of Blondie has been a pop-rocker style icon since the 70s and continues to teach us all a lesson or two on edgy-chic style. At 76 she’s breaking stereotypes and proving age is merely a number.
  •  

  • Jennifer LopezOkay, okay, the superstar is only 52 which is not old whatsoever. However, in a world where 20s and 30s are lauded, it’s incredible to see a woman two decades down the line absolutely killing the style game.
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  • Diane KeatonAh, Diane, the original cool girl. Diane is known for her pant suits and helped to usher menswear into women’s wardrobes. Her glasses choices are always on point and we bow down to her.
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  • Michelle ObamaWhile she doesn’t often wear glasses, Michelle Obama is the queen of sunglasses and of ageless style in general. She knows how to fuse casual with chic, timelessness with modernity.

 
We hope you’re feeling excited and inspired to branch out and find a pair of frames that reflects your truly youthful side. And just remember, the best frames are the ones that make you feel good, age aside.

Shu Kie

Written by:

Shu Kie

Shu Kie is Mouqy’s certified optician with over 5 years of experience in the optical industry. She earned her certification from Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO).

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