How to select the right frame colour

Start by identifying your skin undertone. The underlying warmth or coolness in your complexion, rather than just its surface lightness or darkness. Look at the veins on your inner wrist in natural daylight. Green or olive veins indicate a warm undertone; blue or purple indicate a cool undertone; seeing both equally means a neutral undertone.

Warm undertones suit earthy, golden colours like tortoiseshell, warm brown, gold, olive green, rose gold, and warm reds.

Cool undertones suit black, silver, grey, navy, deep purple, and cool pink frames.

Neutral undertones suit almost everything, use your eye colour and hair as a tiebreaker. If you are still unsure, black, tortoiseshell, or clear frames are universally flattering across all undertones.

Yes, your frame sits directly alongside your eyes, giving it the power to make your eye colour stand out. Choose a frame that echoes your eye colour for a harmonious, unified look or choose a contrasting colour for a more striking effect.

Brown eyes suit tortoiseshell, gold, and warm green for harmony; deep blue or purple for contrast.

Hazel eyes suit tortoiseshell, bronze, and deep green; purple provides a striking contrast.

Green eyes suit rich brown, gold, and tortoiseshell for warmth; purple frames create a vivid complementary contrast.

Blue eyes suit silver, grey, and navy for an echo effect; rich brown and tortoiseshell for warm contrast.

Grey eyes suit silver and gunmetal for a refined look; navy and deep plum add definition.

Warm skin tones (yellow, peach, or golden undertones) are complemented by earthy and rich hues. Tortoiseshell, warm brown, gold, olive green, rose gold, orange, and rich warm reds. These colours echo the natural warmth of the skin and create a harmonious, flattering look.

Cool skin tones (pink or blue undertones) pair best with cooler, more refined shades. Silver, black, grey, navy, deep purple, and cool-toned pinks. These frames create clean contrast against a cool complexion without clashing.

Both warm and cool skin tones can wear black and tortoiseshell. These two colours are among the most universally flattering frame choices regardless of undertone.

Your glasses should complement how you dress, but they do not need to match individual outfits. Neutral frame colours like black, tortoiseshell, brown, grey, clear, gold, and silver, are the most wardrobe-versatile choices. They work with virtually any clothing.

If your wardrobe is predominantly neutral, you have freedom to add a coloured frame as the single point of interest. If your wardrobe is already colourful or patterned, a neutral frame usually creates the most balanced overall look.

Consider also the contexts in which you will wear your glasses. If you wear them all day including at work, a neutral or professional frame is a practical primary choice. A bolder frame works well as a second pair for evenings and weekends. The most important factor is that the frame reflects your personal style and makes you feel confident.

Black, tortoiseshell, and clear frames are the three most universally flattering and versatile frame colours.

Black suits every skin tone, every undertone, every eye colour, and every occasion.

Tortoiseshell with its layered blend of amber, brown, and black. Has warm, multi-tonal character that is flattering on almost any complexion.

Clear frames are the most outfit-neutral of all. They add definition through shape without introducing any colour that could clash with skin, hair, or clothing.

If you are choosing a primary pair of everyday glasses and are unsure where to start. Any of these three will be a safe, flattering, and enduringly stylish choice.

Blonde hair suits a wide range of frame colours, with the best choice depending on whether your blonde is warm or cool in tone.

For warm blonde, golden, honey, strawberry, or caramel shades. Tortoiseshell, gold, warm brown, coral, and rose gold complement the natural warmth of the hair.

For cool blond, ash, platinum, or silvery tones. Black, navy, silver, and grey create polished contrast.

Across all blonde shades, pastel frames such as soft pink, powder blue, and lavender complement the lightness of blonde hair without competing with it. Black and tortoiseshell create a bold, effective contrast against any shade of blonde.

Grey and silver hair is one of the most versatile hair colours for eyewear because almost any frame colour works.

Bold statement colours like cherry red, ocean blue, and forest green look particularly striking against silver hair. They create a confident, fashion-forward combination.

Tortoiseshell and warm browns add warmth and prevent grey hair from looking flat. Grey and clear frames create a refined, unified aesthetic. Bright frame colours that might overwhelm darker hair work especially well against grey. If there is a bolder colour you have always wanted to try, grey hair is the ideal moment to wear it.

Yes, the guidance on this page is a framework for finding naturally flattering choices, not a set of rules.

Any frame colour can be worn by anyone. Personal confidence and style ultimately matter more than colour theory. This skin undertone, eye colour, and hair guidance gives you the most reliable starting point when you are unsure.

Direct Sight's 30 day exchange policy means you can order with confidence. If a frame colour looks different in person than you expected, we will exchange it without question.

Black and tortoiseshell frames are consistently the two most popular frame colours in the UK prescription eyewear market.

Black is the most reliable single choice. Universally flattering, always professional, and available in every frame style from slim metal to bold thick acetate.

Tortoiseshell is the most popular patterned choice globally. Valued for its warmth, its flattering multi-tonal character, and its ability to transition between every dress code.

Clear and transparent frames have grown strongly in popularity over recent years. While gold, brown, and grey remain consistent bestsellers. Among bold colours, blue and green lead the market for those who want to express individuality through their eyewear.

The most reliable professional frame colours are black, tortoiseshell, brown, grey, silver, and gold. All of which suit every workplace from traditional corporate to creative agency. Navy and deep plum also work in most professional environments.

The key consideration for work is that the frame should feel considered rather than distracting. It should complement your professional presentation rather than compete with it.

Bright or vivid colours (orange, yellow, vivid red, hot pink) are best suited to creative industries or creative roles. They work well as second pairs for those who want to express more personality outside work.

As a practical approach choose a neutral primary pair for everyday professional wear. Keep a bolder frame as a second pair for evenings and weekends.