Long hairstyles for a long face, and shorter cuts that add width

01

What do oblong and rectangular face shapes look like?

An oblong face is noticeably longer than it is wide, with forehead, cheekbones and jaw close to the same width, so the sides run fairly straight. With angular jaw corners many guides call it rectangular, with softer ones oblong or long; the hair advice is the same. An oval face is also longer than it is wide but narrows gently at the forehead and jaw.

To check, measure from the hairline to the tip of the chin and compare that with the width across the cheekbones. A long face is clearly longer, and its forehead and jaw are nearly as wide as the cheekbones. Our guide to face shapes explains the method with a tape measure or a mirror.

1. Add a level photo

   Add a front photo to the Face Shape Detector, paste one, or tap “Take a selfie”. Hold the camera at eye level: from below or above, it stretches or shortens the face.

2. Place the hairline carefully

   Face length runs from chin to hairline, so move “Adjust hairline” to where your hair really starts. If you are unsure, try two positions and see whether the result changes.

3. Read the length ratio

   The measurements table shows face length divided by cheekbone width. A long result lists ideas under “Hairstyles”, “Glasses” and “Beards”; without a photo, the manual form takes the same four measurements in cm or inches.

02

Why hairstyles for rectangle and oblong face shapes add width

Hairstyles for rectangle and oblong face shapes add width at the sides and shorten the vertical line, because length dominates the outline. Volume around the cheekbones and jaw makes the face read wider, and bangs cover part of the forehead, which shortens the visible length.

The stylists in Hairdressers Journal recommend soft layers, a wavy blow-dry for horizontal volume and soft, rounded or curtain fringes for rectangular faces, and warn that overly long styles can lengthen the face further. The older Pivot Point guide in Modern Salon adds that chin-length hair with volume at the sides suits oblong faces, and lists height and long, straight hair as things to avoid.

• Width over height: put volume at the sides, not on top.
• A horizontal line helps: bangs, or a cut that ends at the chin or shoulders.
• With an angular jaw, choose soft bangs over blunt ones; a stylist in Hairdressers Journal says heavy, blunt bangs stress the straight lines of forehead and jaw.

03

Long hairstyles for long face shapes

You can keep long hair with a long face: give it layers, waves or bangs so the length does not fall in one straight line.

• Long layers with curtain bangs: curtain bangs that part in the middle and fall to the cheekbones take height off the forehead, and layers from the chin down add movement at the sides.
• Long waves or curls: waves that start at cheekbone height push the hair outward, so it frames the face instead of adding to its length. A wavy blow-dry gives straight hair the same effect for a day.
• Side-swept fringe: a long fringe swept across the forehead adds a diagonal and shortens the visible face.
• Updos with soft sides: a low bun or ponytail with a few pieces left out at the sides keeps width near the face, while a tight top knot adds height.

04

Shoulder-length, bob and short hairstyles for a long face

Lengths around the chin, collarbone or shoulders suit a long face well, because they end in a horizontal line across the lower face.

• Shoulder-length waves: soft waves from the cheekbones down put the width beside the face, not below it.
• Curtain bangs with medium hair: the beauty editors at L’Oréal Paris recommend chin bangs, long curtain bangs that end near the chin, for long and rectangular faces because they help shorten and frame the face.
• Layered bob: a chin-level bob with layers for side volume. Pivot Point educator Muzaffer Topal calls a chin-level cut ideal for rectangular faces in Modern Salon.
• Short cuts: a pixie or short shag with a fringe and fullness at the sides rather than height on top.
• Curly and coily hair: natural curls already add width. A shape wider than it is tall, fullest around cheekbones and jaw, works well; a taper high on top and close at the sides does the opposite.
• Fine hair: a few layers and a blow-dry or texture spray help it hold volume at the sides.

05

Men’s hairstyles for a long face, and beards

Men with a long face usually look balanced in cuts that keep the top low and the sides from being shaved too short.

• Side part with a fringe: the front falls partly over the forehead instead of being pushed up, which shortens the face and adds a diagonal.
• Crew cut without height: short on top, a little shorter on the sides, with the front left flat or brushed forward. Ask the barber not to take the sides too short.
• Fuller sides: medium-length, textured hair with visible sides. FashionBeans sums up the goal for oblong faces as adding width while avoiding extra height or length.
• Styles to skip for balance: pompadours, tall quiffs and skin fades under a long top all add height.

06

Glasses for a long face

Frames with some depth from top to bottom, oversized frames or frames with decorative temples suit a long face, because they fill the middle of the face and add width; small, narrow frames leave more face visible above and below. Curtain bangs work with glasses if they end above or beside the frame, not on the lenses. For frame shapes and width, see the detector’s “Glasses” section and our guide to glasses for your face shape.

07

How to ask your hairdresser or barber for a cut that adds width

Describe the effect you want first; the stylist can translate it into a cut for your hair.

1. Say what you want to change

   “More width at the sides, less height on top” tells a stylist more than a list of cut names.

2. Bring photos with bangs

   Show the cut from the front and the side, on hair like yours: straight, wavy, curly or coily, fine or thick.

3. Name the end points

   Use landmarks for the length, such as “chin”, “collarbone” or “shoulders”, and for bangs: eyebrows, cheekbones or chin.