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Most of us agonise over what to wear or how to have our hair. But there's one part of our look that could give us an instant glow-up – and yet, it is often overlooked.
Glasses, whether you need them for medical reasons or not, have the power to totally transform someone's appearance. They can instantly making you more attractive or, if incorrectly used, age you beyond your years.
A recent example comes after a vicar caught public attention by crashing his bishop's car while three times over the drink drive limit.
Father Sion Hughes Carew was banned from driving for two years in March for smashing the Bishop of Lincoln Stephen Conway's £48,000 Kia Sportage.
Despite the spectacle earning him the nickname 'the Vicar of Tiddly', Fr Carew has been given a new job in the Church of England.
He has now controversially returned to the pulpit as a curate in London, as the Daily Mail revealed.
Photos showed Fr Carew preaching at St Michael and All Angels – a Grade II listed church in Chiswick, west London – and also illustrated a 'glow-up' from the vicar after he ditched his glasses.
A previous snap showed Fr Carew looking older than his 40 years as he sported spectacles while posing next to Bishop Stephen Conway.
But in more recent photographs, the vicar appeared fresh-faced and youthful, with a stylish hairdo and, at one moment, a pair of fashionable sunglasses.
So, what's the secret to getting glasses right? And which famous faces nail the look, while others clearly need to rethink their chosen spectacles...
Father Sion Hughes Carew (left) was banned from driving for two years in March for smashing the Bishop of Lincoln Stephen Conway's (right) £48,000 Kia Sportage
New photos show Fr Carew preaching in Chiswick, west London – and also illustrated a 'glow-up' from the vicar after he ditched his glasses
Speaking to The Daily Mail, personal stylist and style confidence expert Lisa Talbot said: 'Glasses are one of the first things we notice about someone because they sit right in the centre of the face, so the right pair can completely change how your features look and how you're perceived.
'It's not necessarily that someone looks "better" with or without glasses, it's about whether the frame works with their face.
'The shape, scale, colour and even the thickness of the frame can either complement your features or compete with them.'
Celebrities known for their funky glasses include Meryl Streep, Robert Downey Jr and Elton John – all of whom often shock fans when not in their favoured spectacles.
Yet while those A-listers likely appear even more put-together thanks to their fashionable accessories, some famous faces don't hit the fashion mark quite as well.
For instance, certified heartthrob Brad Pitt doesn't always pick his shades correctly, with some proving to be almost too small for his features, according to Lisa.
'I think Brad’s glasses could sometimes be slightly wider to sit flush to his temples for a more flattering fit to his face,' explained the expert.
She added: 'The right glasses can actually act like a frame for the face, drawing attention to the eyes and creating balance. They can also add personality and become a really important part of someone's signature style.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is a famous figure who is known for usually wearing glasses
Celebrities known for their funky glasses such as singer-songwriter Elton John can often shock fans when not sporting his favoured spectacles
Meryl Streep improves her red carpet looks with a pair of chic glasses, but will also sometimes go without so more of her face is visible
Certified heartthrob Brad Pitt doesn't always pick his shades correctly as some prove to be almost too small for his features, according to expert Lisa Talbot
'This is why two people can put on exactly the same pair of glasses and have completely different results.
'What works beautifully on Meryl Streep or Robert Downey Jr is partly because their frames complement their individual facial features and personal style.'
But it's not just regular spectacles, as sunglasses are no different in their impact. The right pair instantly make you look more 'polished, confident and pulled together', according to Lisa.
However, the wrong shape can 'overwhelm the face or make your features appear smaller', added the expert.
Lisa continued: 'My advice is to think about glasses in exactly the same way you would any other item you wear: don't just ask whether you like the glasses themselves. Ask whether they work on you.'
For celebrity Mayfair hairdresser Dar Barot, 75 per cent of people could look 'considerably better in glasses if their frames were selected specifically for their face', the expert told the Daily Mail.
The hair stylist said: 'After more than four decades designing hair for royalty, celebrities and private clients, I have learned that the face must always come first. Exactly the same principle applies when choosing glasses.
'Glasses are like the frame around a beautiful painting: they should enhance what is already there. Choosing them requires an expert who genuinely understands faces, proportion and individuality, rather than someone simply following fashion.
'The right frame should complement the eyes, eyebrows, cheekbones, jawline and skin tone. Hair, neckline, shoulders, body proportions and the complete silhouette should all be considered.
'Glasses can appear entirely different depending on whether the hair is worn up or down, straight or curly, and whether a fringe frames the face. Haircut, colour, makeup and aesthetic treatments can also alter the overall balance.'
Natasha Cooper, retail trend expert at MediaVision, meanwhile said that there are a number of reasons why some people are deemed to look better in glasses – or without them.
She said: 'One being how certain frames can add symmetry and balance to your face. Different people have different head shapes and face proportions so finding the right shape for your face can really enhance your natural face proportions.
'For instance, a rounder face shape typically suits rectangular frames as opposed to someone with a square face shape who would suit a round, soft shape frame more.
Actor Dwayne Johnson pictured with and without glasses
Anne Hathaway pictured wearing sunglasses, and without, this year
In 2020, Prince William (pictured) opened up about his stage fright and how his ageing eyesight was actually a blessing in disguise as it blurred the crowds and allayed his nervousness
Stanley Tucci (pictured) is well-known for wearing stylish glasses - and shocks fans when he goes without the specs in films
Alan Carr (pictured) is another celebrity well-known for his fashionable glasses
'There is also a psychological aspect to this too. Glasses are often associated with being smart and intelligent, which for many can be deemed as attractive which can change your whole perception of how you see someone.'
Amish Patel, a skincare expert at Intrigue Cosmetic Clinic, added: 'Glasses add symmetry to the face, which is what we always strive for in aesthetics – a symmetrical, balanced face tends to be the blueprint for what society generally considers "beautiful", and the right pair of glasses can give the face this desirable, more angular symmetry.
'Coloured frames can also complement the wearer’s skin tone, adding warmth to their complexion, creating an instant "glow up", and even making their eye colour look more enhanced.
'Glasses can also mask dark under-eye circles, eye bags and crow's feet, which can make some individuals feel more self-conscious.
'In this case, putting on a pair of glasses could therefore boost the wearer’s confidence, and we know that confidence is an attractive attribute to many people.'
Yet still, some famous faces appear to prefer to go without glasses - even if they can complement your features - but not for the reasons you might think.
For example, in 2020 Prince William opened up about his stage fright and how his ageing eyesight was actually a blessing in disguise as it blurred the crowds and allayed his nervousness.
Speaking on the BBC documentary Football, Prince William And Our Mental Health, he said: 'My eyesight started to tail off a little bit as I got older, and I didn't use to wear contacts when I was working, so when I gave speeches I couldn't see anyone's face.
'And it helps, because it's just a blur of faces and because you can't see anyone looking at you – I can see enough to read the paper and stuff like that – but I couldn't actually see the whole room. And actually that really helped with my anxiety...'
So, whether you prefer to wear glasses or contacts, or neither, experts say be sure to take into consideration next time whether your outfit could experience a 'glow-up' thanks to the accessory.