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We're here to guide you through the frames that suit your face shape and the brands we trust

There was a time when the answer to the question 'where can I buy the best glasses?' was 'at the nerd shop, you great big poindexter'. The game was ruled by Big Contact Lens.

But now, glasses are extremely hot. A well-chosen pair of specs aren't just a means of divining what exactly those blurry shapes in the outside world are: they're the most important piece of jewellery you'll put on every day. And, you know, they'll help you see.

It's a wide world of frames out there though. So here's a few tips for picking the right pair...

There are a lot of face shape terms you'll see bandied about: round, oblong, diamond, square, heart, triangle, oval. As a rule of thumb, you want to aim for a frame shape which contrasts with your face shape. Rounder face shapes tend to suit more angular, square frames; squarer faces tend to suit rounder, softer frames.

The other big decision you're going to have to make is how thick you want the frames of your glasses: thicker frames work better as an accent on a heart-shaped face but can look a bit over-chunky on a rounder face and obtrusive on a squarer face.

There are, of course, translucent frames too, which take the edge off thicker styles.

If you've got an oval face, you've got it made. Pretty much everything suits you, you jammy bastard.

We've all noticed a bit of schmutz on our lenses and hurriedly wiped it off with the bottom of our t-shirt/tie/duvet cover. Probably don't do that too often though – tiny little fibres in fabrics like that can scratch your lenses. You'll have the same problem with toilet paper, towels and tissues. Wood pulp isn't too great with glasses.

So what do you do? If you're doing it properly, take your glasses off with both hands holding the hinges – you'll stress the joints less, so they'll last longer – and rinse your glasses in a stream of lukewarm water from the tap so you're not accidentally rubbing any bits of grit or debris into the lens itself.

Then, use a specialised cleaning spray with a microfibre cloth to polish up the lens itself. Do the frames, nosepads and arms too. Yeah, you can get single-use wipes that do both at the same time, but you'd better be happy to look the turtle that ends up eating it in the eye and telling it, "Sorry buddy – CBA with those little pots of spray though, you know?"

Apparently, some people lick their glasses. Do not lick your glasses.

Ready? Here are some of the best glasses you can buy in 2022.

Alexander McQueen's spin-off brand does a neat line in light, unfussy frames with extra accents to them: these have a few sharper bends, making them a little more interesting than your average silver wire-frames.

MQ 0207O 003, £107.95 misterspex.com

You pronounce it 'easy peasy', and chucking a pair of these on your head is indeed a far easier way of transporting your look back to the turn of the Sixties than spending your bank holidays knocking together an actual time machine.

Letmesee #C, £32 selfridges.com

The Wayfarer frame will never, ever get old, obviously. But while Ray-Ban's rounder models are less ubiquitous, they're equally likely to stand the test of time.

Round-Frame Acetate Optical Glasses, £115 mrporter.com

Michael Caine has had a lot of strong looks over the last six decades. But none will ever beat the Mediterranean good life era of Michael Caine. With these frames on, you'll understand how he can be at peace with having made Jaws 4.

Want a thicker frame but don't reckon your face really suits all that retro clutter? Go translucent. Part pre-eye-lasering Jurgen Klopp, part demure Elton John. Plus there's gold here too, because: Gucci.

D-Frame Acetate and Gold-Tone Blue Light-Blocking Optical Glasses, £300 mrporter.com

A little squarer, a little sharper, a little silver-er. Persol is one of the first places you should head for sunglasses, and it's one of the first places you should be heading for your everyday glasses too.

PO3012V, £173 persol.com

Another one from Gucci, though these are more Adam Driver than Jared 'Mamma Mia!!' Leto. A coloured frame can feel like it'd be hard to work, but you'd be surprised how easily your wardrobe fits with a light tortoiseshell.

Aviator-Style Acetate Optical Glasses, £265 mrporter.com

Remember Money Heist? Spanish, Netflix, lots of heists, lots of money? Some nice glasses? Right well never mind – point is, the heist mastermind behind the heists that they heisted for money, El Profesor, rocked a pair of Persols.

PO3160V El Profesor Original, £219 persol.com

This is a good example of a thinner frame taking the weight out of a chunkier, more substantial style.

Aviator-Style Silver-Tone Optical Glasses, £260 mrporter.com

These are the ones that Harry Crane from Mad Men used to wear before he discovered cravats and started being a bit of a tit. A solid lesson in eyewear there.

PR 54TV, £300 visionexpress.com

Fancy something between round and angular? These are right in that twilight demimonde of the eyeglass, with hexagonal frames giving you structure without quite so much severity.

Can't hack the weighty Persol frames but like the aviator-ish shape? Take the weight out with wires. A wire-frame keeps the shape and structure clear while never sitting too heavily.

PR 66XV, £280 visionexpress.com

A straightforward, blocky, classic frame with ever so slightly softened curves just to lift the Clark Kent-ness of it all. Tidy.

CK 20534 001, £142.95 misterspex.co.uk

A properly round frame can be very tricky to pull off. But if you've the jawline for it, then there aren't many more appealingly minimalist than these.

Almost an optical illusion: a thin frame that looks like a thick frame. The price might have you reaching for your non-alcoholic cleaning fluid and microfibre cloth too, just to double check you're seeing it right.

Squarer frames implicitly look a little bit retro. But these? These are a tiki bar party with a reel-to-reel of Peter Gabriel's hottest new grooves on in the hot tub room. This is a good thing.

The absolute antithesis of those Wayfarers we nodded at before, these beauties are barely there at all. If you're concerned that having too much furniture on your face will make it all a bit too busy, try these.

RB3947V, £131 selfridges.com