Short answer: yes, our glasses are unisex.
Longer answer: they’re made for people, not genders.
At Banton Frameworks, we don’t design glasses with men or women in mind. We design them around proportion, balance, materials and longevity. There’s nothing inherently masculine or feminine about a well-made acetate frame, and we’ve never felt the need to assign our designs a gender just to make them easier to categorise.
So you know, I wear my Banton frames every single day. At no point has anyone ever asked if they're men's glasses.
That said, context matters, so let’s unpack it properly.
So they're for men and women?
Yes. Every frame we make is designed to be worn by anyone who appreciates quality materials and careful craftsmanship.
There are no gender-specific details on our frames. No softened edges to make them “female”. No exaggerated angles to make them “male”. Just honest shapes, solid proportions and materials chosen because they age well and feel good on the face.
Our approach is simple: if a frame fits you and feels right, it’s for you.
Why men often favour our frames
While our glasses are unisex, the reality is that they tend to suit people with slightly larger head sizes.
Our frames are bold, thick and generously proportioned. That means they often feel more comfortable on faces that need a bit more width, bridge space or overall presence. As a result, they’re frequently favoured by men, simply because men, on average, tend to have larger head sizes.
This isn’t a design decision driven by gender. It’s a by-product of scale.
Smaller faces can absolutely wear our glasses too, but proportion is everything. A frame that feels bold and confident on one person can feel overwhelming on another, regardless of gender.
Do women wear your glasses?
Yes they do. We have many female customers who were our handmade glasses. They love them for their solid build construction and generous sizing. I wear various models of our frames every day (unless I'm out running where I swap them out for contact lenses).
Bold frames can feel intimidating at first, especially if you’re used to lighter, more delicate styles. It’s not uncommon for someone to think, “These might be too much for me,” only to realise that once they’re on, they actually bring a sense of character and confidence that thinner frames never did.
We’ve seen plenty of women fall in love with our frames after initially doubting they’d suit them. That hesitation usually isn’t about fit. It’s about expectation.
Do you have photos of women wearing them?
No. Most of our photography features men, simply because the majority of our customers are men. When we organise photoshoots, we tend to reflect that reality rather than styling something artificially. We’d rather show how our glasses genuinely look on the people who most often wear them than create imagery that feels forced or tokenistic.
How to know if our glasses will suit you
One of the first things you should consider is comparing the lens width, bridge size and overall frame width of your current glasses with ours. Your existing frames are the best reference you have. If they fit well and feel comfortable, the dimensions (printed on the frame) will be a great starting point.
Look for a series of three numbers, usually labelled on the interior surface of one of the temple arms of your glasses. For example 50 [] 20 145 which stands for;
- Lens width: 50mm
- Bridge width: 20mm
- Temple length: 145mm
If you’re unsure what you’re looking for, check out this blog post about how glasses frames are measured. Alternatively, a quick message with your current frame size usually clears things up very quickly.
Still deciding if Banton is for you?
As you can tell, we're a little different compared to the big optical brands. The fact you're reading this article is a miracle considering how small we are! But if 'different' doesn't scare you, perhaps you'd like our other other before-you-buy articles.
Thanks for reading x