Face shape guide
Rectangle Face Shape
Similar to square but noticeably longer, with straighter sides from forehead to jaw.
What is a rectangle face shape?
A rectangle face shape shares the angular jaw and forehead of a square face but is clearly longer relative to its width. The sides of the face tend to run fairly straight from temple to jaw, without much curve at the cheekbones, and the jaw stays close in width to the forehead — distinct from an oblong face, which is narrower overall and more uniform in width. // TODO(human-review): verify general length-to-width ratio claim.
Key traits
- Forehead
- Fairly wide and often tall, contributing to the overall length of the face.
- Cheekbones
- Close in width to the forehead and jaw, with little outward flare.
- Jawline
- Angular and close in width to the forehead, similar to a square face but on a longer frame.
- Chin
- Often squared, sometimes with a slightly longer appearance than other shapes.
- Length vs. width
- Face length is clearly greater than width, typically more than the 1.5x seen in oval faces.
Often confused with
Rectangle vs. oval
Both are longer than wide, but oval faces have a soft curve through the cheeks and jaw, while rectangle faces have straighter, more angular sides.
Rectangle vs. square
Square faces share the straight, angular jaw but have length and width that are much closer to equal than a rectangle face.
Rectangle vs. oblong
Oblong faces are longer and narrower still, with a softer, more uniform width and less jaw angularity than the jaw-matches-forehead structure that defines rectangle.
Styling goals
A common approach is to add width visually at the cheekbones and temples while minimizing added height, to soften the overall sense of length.
Hairstyles
Full guide →Do
- Styles with width at the sides, such as waves or curls starting at the cheekbone, can balance the face's length.
- A soft, full fringe can shorten the appearance of a tall forehead.
- Chin-length to shoulder-length cuts with volume at the sides are often suggested.
Avoid
- Very long, straight, flat styles with no side volume can emphasize the face's length.
- Added height at the crown can make a long face look even longer.
Glasses
Full guide →Do
- Tall frames, oversized shapes, or frames with decorative detail at the top can reduce the visual length of the face.
- Round or slightly curved frames can soften the straight sides.
Avoid
- Narrow, small frames can leave a lot of bare face above and below, emphasizing length.
- Rectangular frames that echo the face's own long, straight lines can overstate them.
Necklines & accessories
Do
- Boat necks, off-the-shoulder styles, and horizontal necklines can visually add width at the shoulders and collarbone.
- Statement earrings with width, like chandelier or hoop styles, can balance a long face.
Avoid
- Long, narrow pendant necklaces may add to an already elongated vertical line.
- Very small stud earrings can get visually lost on a longer face.
Beard styles
Full guide →Do
- Fuller beard styles with width at the sides and jaw can help balance a long face.
- Keeping some volume along the jawline rather than tapering it tight tends to add visual width.
Avoid
- Long, narrow beards that extend well below the chin can emphasize the face's length even further.
Want to confirm your rectangle face shape?
Upload a photo to the Face Shape Detector for an instant estimate, then use the guidance above to style it.
Try the Face Shape Detector →Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between rectangle and oblong face shapes?
Many general styling guides do use 'oblong' and 'rectangle' interchangeably, but on this site we treat them as related but distinct: rectangle keeps an angular jaw close in width to the forehead (like a stretched square), while oblong is narrower and more uniform in width with less jaw angularity.
Does a rectangle face need volume at the crown?
Usually the opposite — adding height on top tends to make the face look even longer. Volume at the sides, around cheekbone height, is more commonly suggested to add width instead.
Are rectangle faces rare?
Not especially — all of the commonly described face shapes are naturally occurring and fairly common; none is rarer than the others in any strict sense, though self-reported frequency varies by population and survey.