Lawrence.com

New York — You're staring at a case full of sunglasses, and all those sunglasses are staring right back at you.

Which one will you try on? What style is best suited for your face?

There are multiple factors to consider when shopping for sunglasses, says Carol Norbeck, vice president of special projects for Silhouette, including the shape and proportions of your face and your personal style.

To pick the best pair for you, Norbeck recommends this little exercise: Draw the shape of your face � short and round, long and narrow or even triangular � on a piece of paper. Next draw the opposite shape glasses on the face. That's probably the shape for you.

For example, if your face is a long and narrow oval, draw boxy glasses; for a short and round face, draw rectangular glasses; and for a face with sharp features, try softer, rounder glasses.

When it comes to choosing the color of both the frames and the color of the lens, Norbeck advises sticking to the guidelines you already know.

"Use the same rules that you use for a blouse and your makeup," she says.

She also suggests keeping the frame in line with your haircolor: tortoise-shell for dark brunettes and red for redheads.

Right now, rimless sunglasses are a popular trend, as are anything big, observes Norbeck.

"You can always buy the right trend for yourself."

When you find a shape that fits your face, you generally stick with it and will look for only small variations when you buy a new pair, she says.

Mont Blanc's newest offerings are basic enough to almost be labeled unisex. There's the "Comete," a 1960s-inspired oval shape that was initially designed with women in mind; the "Eclipse," a less retro, more rectangular shape that also was designed for women; and the "Planete," men's wire-based glasses in a rectangular shape.