Face shape · Hairstyles

Oblong face shape hairstyles

An oblong face is long for its width, with the forehead, cheekbones and jaw at roughly the same width. It is the mirror image of round, and so is the advice: add horizontal, take away vertical. Here is what that means in cuts, for women and for men.

What makes a face oblong

Face length divided by cheekbone width sits around 1.62, well above the reference oval of 1.45. Jaw over cheekbone is about 0.80 and forehead over cheekbone about 0.88, the same as oval: the widths are in proportion to each other, the face is simply longer. On the mesh, all three thirds (hairline to brow, brow to nose base, nose base to chin) run long, and the middle third often runs longest.

So the problem is a single axis. Nothing about the widths needs correcting; the length does. Every cut that works for an oblong face either adds width at the sides, hides part of the length behind a fringe, or both. Every cut that fails does the reverse: it stacks height on top or lets straight hair hang flat against the cheeks, narrowing the face and stretching it further.

Oblong is also easy to over-diagnose. A tall forehead or a long chin on an otherwise oval face can make it feel long without the ratio actually crossing 1.5. The face shape tool measures it; if it reports oval leaning oblong, use this guide with a lighter hand.

The one principle

Horizontal in, vertical out. Width at the sides, volume that starts at the temples, waves and curls, and a fringe that covers some forehead all add horizontal or subtract vertical. Height on top, slicked-back hair, long straight lengths and a centre part with no fringe all do the opposite. This is exactly the round face advice with every sign flipped.

Cuts at a glance

Cut	What it is	What it fixes
Shoulder waves + curtain fringe	Waves from the temples down, fringe on top	The most complete answer: width at the sides, an inch off the forehead, and no long vertical line
Brow-length fringe	Straight or lightly textured, at the brow	Shortens the visible face more than any other single change. The one shape where a heavier fringe is an asset
Chin or jaw-length bob	Blunt line at the chin	The bob round faces avoid is the one this face should consider — a horizontal at the bottom
Layers from the cheekbone	Start at the cheekbone, ends flicked out	Puts width where the face needs it. Inward ends pinch the face narrower
Curls or a perm	Volume down the sides, top kept flat	Side volume is a gift to a long face. Short curly cuts at the jaw work especially well
Side part, deep sweep	Hair swept across the forehead	Behaves like a fringe. Better than a centre part, which draws a long vertical down an already long face
Low, loose updos	At the nape, loose at the sides	A high tight bun is the one updo to avoid here
Half-up, top kept flat	Flat crown, wavy loose half	Do not add height at the crown — that is the one thing this face already has

Hairstyles that work for women

Shoulder-length waves with a curtain fringe

The most complete answer for an oblong face. The waves add width from the temples down; the curtain fringe takes an inch or two off the forehead; the shoulder length stops the hair from becoming a long vertical line. If you take one cut from this page, take this one.

Brow-length fringe

A straight or slightly textured fringe that sits at the brow shortens the visible face more than any other single change. Oblong is the one shape where a heavier fringe is an advantage rather than a risk. Keep it soft at the edges so it does not look like a helmet.

Chin-length or jaw-length bob

The bob that round faces should avoid is the bob oblong faces should consider. A blunt line at the chin adds a horizontal at the bottom of the face and visually closes the length. Add a fringe and it works even better.

Layers that start at the cheekbone

Face-framing layers beginning at the cheekbones, not the chin, put width where the face needs it. Flick the ends outward rather than inward; inward-curving ends narrow the face.

Curls or a perm

Volume all the way down the sides is a gift to a long face. Keep the top relatively flat and let the sides be as full as they like. Short curly cuts that sit at the jaw are especially good.

Side part with a deep sweep

A side part with the hair swept across the forehead behaves like a fringe: it covers forehead and adds a diagonal. Better than a centre part, which draws a long vertical line straight down the middle of an already long face.

Low, loose updos

If you put your hair up, keep it low at the nape and loose at the sides, with some pieces left out around the face. A high, tight bun is the updo to avoid.

Half-up with the top flat

Half-up styles work if the top is kept flat and the loose half is wavy. Do not add height at the crown; that is the one place an oblong face has plenty.

Hairstyles that work for men

Searches for oblong face hairstyles for men outnumber the general query, and the men's version of the advice is stricter, because the popular men's cuts of the last decade (high fades, tall tops) are built for round faces and actively work against a long one.

Classic side part, medium length

Two to three inches on top swept to the side, sides scissor-cut and left with some weight rather than faded to the skin. The side part covers part of the forehead; the fuller sides add width. The standard answer for this shape.

Textured fringe, pushed forward

A crop with the top left slightly longer and combed forward onto the forehead. The fringe shortens the face, and the forward direction keeps everything flat. Works with a low fade or a scissor-cut side, not a high skin fade.

Longer crop with a low taper

Three inches on top with texture, the sides tapered low and left fuller above the ear. The extra weight at the sides is exactly the width the face lacks.

Medium length, tucked or swept

Four to six inches all over, worn swept across or tucked behind the ears. Length at the sides adds width; just keep it off the top so it does not become height. Avoid slicking it straight back.

Curls, left to sit

Natural curl adds width without effort. Keep the top from growing tall and let the sides fill in. A curly fringe is the ideal oblong-face feature.

Beard shaping

A beard extends the face downward, which is the wrong direction. If you keep one, keep it short at the chin and fuller on the cheeks and jaw so it adds width rather than length. A long, pointed beard is the worst option for this shape.

What to avoid, and why

Height on top. Quiffs, pompadours, tall textured tops, high top knots and crown volume all add to a length that is already the problem. This is the oblong-face mistake.
Long, straight, centre-parted hair. Two vertical curtains either side of a long face narrow it and stretch it. If you want length, add waves and a side part.
High skin fades. Removing all width at the sides makes the face look narrower and therefore longer. Ask for a low taper or scissor-cut sides.
Slicked straight back with no fringe. Exposes the full forehead and the full length. Sweep it to the side instead.
Very short fringes. A micro-fringe reveals most of the forehead again and loses the shortening effect. Brow-length or longer.
For men: a long, pointed beard. Extends the face downward. Keep the chin short.

If you are leaning toward another shape

Oblong leaning oval (length/width near 1.5): apply this guide lightly. A fringe still helps; the restrictions on height relax. See the oval guide.
Oblong leaning square / rectangular (jaw nearly as wide as the cheekbones, with angle): keep the width-and-fringe advice, and add softening around the jaw: waves, side-swept ends, no blunt lines level with the jaw.

How to measure the ratios by hand is in how to tell your face shape. Glasses follow the same logic: frames with more depth from top to bottom shorten a long face; narrow, shallow frames lengthen it.

FAQ

Questions people ask

What is the best hairstyle for an oblong face?

Something that adds width and shortens the visible face. For women, a shoulder-length cut with waves and a brow-length or curtain fringe; for men, medium length on top swept to the side rather than up, with the sides left a little fuller than a tight fade. The reason is the ratio: an oblong face runs about 1.6 times as long as it is wide, against a reference of 1.45, so the cut has to supply width and take away length.

Is oblong the same as rectangular or long face?

Close enough that the advice is the same. Oblong describes a face that is clearly longer than wide with the forehead, cheekbones and jaw at similar widths. Rectangular usually means the same proportions with a squarer jaw. Both want the same thing from a haircut: width and a fringe. If the jaw is distinctly angular, add the softening advice from the square face guide.

Should an oblong face have a fringe?

Yes, more than any other shape. A fringe covers part of the forehead and shortens the visible face directly. Brow-length, curtain and wispy fringes all work. The only fringe to be careful with is a very short one, which reveals most of the forehead again.

What hairstyles should an oblong face avoid?

Height on top and long, straight hair hanging flat against the cheeks. Both stretch the face further. A tall quiff or pompadour on a man, or a high top knot on a woman, is the single most common oblong-face mistake. Very long, straight, centre-parted hair is the second.

What is the best men's haircut for an oblong face?

A side-swept style with medium length on top and the sides left with some weight: a classic side part, a textured fringe pushed forward, or a longer crop. Avoid high fades paired with a tall top; that combination removes width and adds height, which is the opposite of what the face needs. A short beard kept full at the sides and shorter at the chin helps too.

Updated 2026-09-10

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Is your face oblong, or oval leaning long?

The difference is a few percent on one ratio, and it changes the advice. The scanner measures your length-to-width from a photo and tells you which side of the line you sit on.

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