Hairstyle guide
Hairstyles for a Oblong Face Shape
Styling for an oblong face commonly aims to add visual width at the sides and minimize added height, similar in spirit to rectangle but often with an emphasis on softening rather than squaring off the jaw.
Overall do's & don'ts
Do
- Styles with width or waves starting around the cheekbone can offset the face's narrowness.
- A soft, full fringe can shorten the appearance of a long forehead.
- Shoulder-length cuts with curl or volume at the ends tend to be suggested over very long, flat styles.
Avoid
- Long, straight, center-parted styles with no side volume can emphasize the face's length and narrowness.
- Added height at the crown can make an already long face look longer still.
By length — short styles
For both women’s and men’s short cuts, these general principles tend to carry over most directly:
Do
- Styles with width or waves starting around the cheekbone can offset the face's narrowness.
Avoid
- Long, straight, center-parted styles with no side volume can emphasize the face's length and narrowness.
By length — medium styles
Chin-to-shoulder lengths give the most room to add or remove volume exactly where it helps:
Do
- A soft, full fringe can shorten the appearance of a long forehead.
Avoid
- Added height at the crown can make an already long face look longer still.
By length — long styles
Longer styles offer the most flexibility for layering and framing, whether worn straight, wavy, or curly:
Do
- Shoulder-length cuts with curl or volume at the ends tend to be suggested over very long, flat styles.
Avoid
- Long, straight, center-parted styles with no side volume can emphasize the face's length and narrowness.
- Added height at the crown can make an already long face look longer still.
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