Best hairstyles for a long (oblong) face.
A long face, sometimes called oblong, is noticeably longer than it is wide. The forehead, cheekbones, and jaw run close to parallel, and the chin is rounded or slightly squared. The classical work for a long face is to add visible width and break the strong vertical line. A well-chosen cut interrupts the length with horizontal interest. bangs, volume at the sides, or layers that fall outward.
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Try Hairstyle AnalysisHow to tell if you have a long (oblong) face
To check whether your face reads as long, measure the length from hairline to chin and the width across the cheekbones. A long face has a length-to-width ratio of around 1.6:1 or higher. The forehead, cheekbones, and jaw are similar in width, with no strong taper. The chin is more rounded than pointed. If the face reads as a tall rectangle rather than an oval, it falls in the long category.
Five hairstyles that suit a long (oblong) face
Blunt fringe
A straight horizontal fringe across the brow shortens the visible length of the face by hiding much of the forehead. The single most effective change for a long face.
Chin-length bob
A blunt bob that ends at the chin places a strong horizontal line across the lower face. The cut reads wide rather than long and shifts the proportion noticeably.
Shoulder-length cut with volume at the sides
Shoulder-length hair with body adds horizontal width at the cheekbones. The eye reads outward rather than down, which is what a long face wants.
Soft waves below the chin
Waves that fall outward. rather than long, straight, vertical lines. interrupt the elongated read. The texture introduces movement where a long face most needs it.
Curtain bangs with layers
Curtain bangs frame the cheekbones and add a diagonal line across the upper face. Combined with layers at chin and jaw level, they shorten the apparent proportion.
What to avoid on a long (oblong) face
Long straight hair without layers or fringe is the cut that most consistently lengthens an already long face. Centre parts add a vertical line down the middle and read even taller. Severe slick-back styles expose the full length of the face without any horizontal interruption. If a cut has no horizontal element anywhere, it will not balance a long face.
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Other face shapes
- Hairstyles for an oval face
An oval face is the proportional baseline classical portraiture uses as the reference. The forehead is slightly wider than the chin, the cheekbones are the widest point, and the overall length is roughly one-and-a-half times the width. Almost any hairstyle reads well on this shape; the work is choosing a cut that flatters the rest of you (hair texture, lifestyle, the look you actually want) rather than correcting any proportion.
- Hairstyles for a round face
A round face is roughly equal in length and width, with soft cheekbones, a rounded jawline, and no strong angles. The classical work for a round face is to add visible length, draw the eye upward, and introduce diagonal or vertical lines that lengthen the proportion. A well-chosen cut on a round face can shift the perceived shape closer to oval without obscuring what makes the face distinctive.
- Hairstyles for a square face
A square face has a strong, defined jawline with the forehead and jaw close to equal in width. The overall proportion is close to square. length and width nearly match, with the cheekbones running parallel to both. The classical work is to soften the angles at the corners (temple, jaw) while keeping the bone structure visible. A square face suits softness in the hair to balance the strength in the face.
- Hairstyles for a heart-shaped face
A heart-shaped face is widest at the forehead and tapers to a narrower, often pointed chin. The cheekbones are visible but the proportion is the inverted triangle of forehead-down-to-chin. Classical work for a heart face balances the narrow chin by adding width or softness at the jaw line, and by drawing some of the visual focus down from the forehead.
- Hairstyles for a diamond face
A diamond face has narrow forehead and chin with wide, prominent cheekbones. the proportion is the diamond's two points top and bottom with the widest line across the middle. The classical work for a diamond face is to add width at the forehead and jaw to balance the cheekbones, and to keep the eye moving rather than fixed on the strongest feature. A diamond face is one of the more distinctive shapes; cuts that acknowledge it tend to flatter more than cuts that try to neutralise it.