The single most important criterion in selecting frames is fit. Not colour, not brand, not shape — fit. A frame that sits too wide on the face creates the impression of weight where none exists. One that sits too narrow suggests effort. The correct frame disappears into the face and makes the face more coherent.

The temple arms should rest without pressure along the side of the head. The nose pads or bridge should distribute weight evenly. The lower rim of the lens should not intersect the cheek when smiling. None of this is vanity. It is simply the precondition for everything else.

The received wisdom — round faces take angular frames, square faces take rounded ones — is approximately correct and almost entirely useless. It describes a kind of compensatory logic that results in frames chosen against the face rather than with it.

A more useful principle: identify the feature of your face you find most interesting, and find frames that allow it to remain interesting. Strong brows warrant frames that sit at or just below the brow line. A distinctive jawline is best left uncontested. The face is not a problem to be solved.

Tortoiseshell, black, warm brown, and translucent grey are not conservative choices — they are considered ones. They persist because they do not compete with skin tone, clothing, or setting. They function across contexts. This is not timidity. It is intelligence.

Colour frames work when the colour is specific rather than general. A particular olive, a very precise burgundy, a blue so dark it reads as charcoal in certain light — these are worth pursuing. Bright red, bright blue, and novelty colourways rarely survive the first season of wear.

As a rule: if the colour is the most memorable thing about the frame, reconsider.

Acetate develops character over time. The colour deepens slightly at the edges. The surface acquires a patina. A well-chosen acetate frame worn for a decade is more interesting than the same frame new. This is a feature, not a defect.

Titanium and beta-titanium offer something different: structural integrity at minimal weight. Frames in these materials are often the correct choice for daily wear, particularly for those who find acetate heavy or warm. They require less adjustment and maintain their geometry over years of use.

Avoid frames where the material is primarily decorative — where the hinge is a separate piece glued on for effect, or where the bridge is plated rather than solid. These fail in proportion to how often they are worn.

The first pair of glasses a person selects carefully tells you what they aspire to. The second tells you who they actually are. The second pair must do something different — different light, different context, different register — or it is simply a backup, which is a waste of a frame.

A considered collection of three pairs covers most occasions: one frame that works everywhere and asks nothing of anyone; one that is appropriate for formal or professional contexts; one that is personal, perhaps slightly unexpected, worn when the occasion permits a considered choice. Beyond three, each addition should earn its place by doing something the others cannot.

Lorgner exists to help you think through exactly this.