The Art of Extended Fit: Designing Frames for Real Faces
For a long time, eyewear design has quietly followed one unspoken rule: design for narrow, average faces and hope everyone else makes it work. The result? Millions of men walk around in frames that pinch, slide, squeeze, or simply never feel quite right, leaving men thinking they hate wearing glasses….When in reality, what they hate is a poor fit.
At Zyloware, and especially within brands like Randy Jackson and Shaquille O’ Neal, we design frames around the reality that men’s faces are not one-size-fits-all. Extended fit isn’t a niche. It’s a necessity.
Why Most Frames Don’t Actually Fit Most Men
The eyewear industry has historically built around a narrow set of facial measurements. Smaller lens widths, tighter bridges, and shorter temples are cheaper to produce and easier to stock. That works for a limited portion of the population — but not for the many men who have broader faces, stronger jawlines, wider bridges, or fuller temples.
When frames are too small, you get:
Pressure at the temples
Red marks on the nose
Lenses sitting too close to the eyes
Frames that constantly slide or tilt
None of that is normal — but it’s become common.
The Three Measurements That Change Everything
1. Bridge Width
The bridge is where the frame rests on your nose. If it’s too narrow, the frame pinches. Too wide, and the glasses slide down. Men with broader noses or higher bridges often feel immediate discomfort when trying standard frames, even if they don’t know why.
A properly designed extended-fit bridge distributes weight evenly, so the frame feels secure without pressure.
2. Lens Width
Lens width determines how much of your face the frame covers. When lenses are too narrow, frames look tight, sit too close to the eyes, and create distortion at the edges of your vision. They also make wider faces look squeezed into the frame instead of balanced by it.
Randy Jackson extended-fit frames use wider lenses that sit naturally on the face, creating better visual comfort and a more confident aesthetic.
3. Temple Length
Temples (the arms of the frame) are often overlooked, but they’re critical. When they’re too short, frames press behind the ears and slowly creep forward during the day. When they’re too long, the frame slips and feels unstable.
Extended-fit temples are designed to follow the natural curve of the head and hold the frame in place without tension.
You don’t hate wearing glasses, you just need a pair that fits!
Most men who think they hate glasses have never actually worn a frame that fits them properly. They’ve worn frames that were too tight, too small, too short, or simply not built for their face.
When you put on a well-designed extended-fit frame, something changes. The pressure disappears. The slipping stops. The weight feels balanced. Suddenly, glasses don’t feel like something you’re tolerating — they feel like something you own.
That’s the difference between eyewear designed to look good on a shelf and eyewear designed to feel good on a real person.
Men are finally being offered what they should have had all along: eyewear built for their actual proportions. Brands like Randy Jackson and Shaquille O’ Neal lead that movement, proving that you don’t have to choose between style and comfort — you get both when design is done right.
If you are interested in stocking extended fit styles at your practice, please speak to your Account Manager or call our Customer Care team on: 1-800-765-3700