Oblong Face Shape: How to Tell and What Suits It

How to tell if you have an oblong face shape

1. Your face is clearly longer than it is wide, usually more than one and a half times.
2. Your forehead, cheekbones and jaw are similar in width, so no part stands out as widest.
3. The sides of your face look fairly straight from temple to jaw.
4. Your forehead may be tall, or your chin may be long.
5. Your jaw can be rounded or slightly angular, depending on whether you lean toward oval or rectangle.

Measuring your face length accurately matters here: measure from the middle of your hairline to the bottom of your chin, with your head level.

Oblong vs oval vs square

• Oblong vs oval: both are longer than wide, but an oval face has curved sides and is widest at the cheekbones, while an oblong face is longer with straighter sides. A “long oval” sits between the two. See oval.
• Oblong vs square: both have similar widths top to bottom. Square is about as long as it is wide; oblong is clearly longer. See square.
• Oblong vs rectangle: most guides treat the oblong and rectangle face shape as the same thing. Some reserve “rectangle” for long faces with angular jaw corners and “oblong” for softer ones. The styling advice is the same.

Still between two? The guide to all face shapes walks through the three questions that settle most ties.

Hairstyles for an oblong face

If you’d like to shorten the look of the face, the aims are to cover part of the length and add width at the sides.

Bangs

• Full bangs that fall just above or at the brows shorten the forehead the most.
• Curtain bangs add width at cheek level as well as covering part of the forehead.
• Side-swept bangs create a diagonal line that interrupts the length.

Short and medium

• Chin-length bobs with texture or a slight bend at the ends add width at the jaw.
• Shoulder-length cuts with waves put fullness beside the face.
• Shaggy layers starting at the cheekbones create side volume.

Long

• Long layers with waves or curls add width. Keep the hair from falling flat and straight beside the face.
• Half-up styles with volume at the sides rather than on top.

What to think about

Height at the crown and very long, sleek, straight hair both add length. They’re not wrong; they just emphasize the long line.

Men

Keep height on top modest and let the sides stay a little fuller. A side-swept fringe or a classic side part shortens the face; tall quiffs and pompadours lengthen it.

By hair type

• Straight hair: add movement with long layers or a soft bend, so hair doesn’t hang flat beside the face; bangs make the biggest difference.
• Wavy hair: natural waves at cheek level are one of the best looks for a long face. A shoulder-length cut shows them off.
• Curly and coily hair: width is built in. Rounded shapes that are fullest at the sides, rather than tall at the top, balance length.
• Fine hair: a textured bob with curtain bangs adds width without needing a lot of volume.

Glasses for an oblong face

• Choose deeper frames. Frames with more vertical height fill more of the face and break up its length.
• Look for decorative or contrasting temples, which add width at the sides.
• Round, square and aviator frames all work if they have enough depth.
• Oversized frames can look great on long faces, since there’s room for them.
• Small, narrow rectangles emphasize length, if that’s your aim.

Eyebrows for an oblong face

Straighter, flatter brows create a horizontal line that balances length. Extending the tail slightly outward adds width at the upper face. High, sharp arches pull the eye upward and add length.

Contour and makeup for an oblong face

• Shade along the hairline and under the chin to visually shorten the face, if you enjoy contouring.
• Blush placed horizontally, across the apples toward the ears rather than up toward the temples, adds width.
• Highlight the outer cheekbones instead of the center of the face; a long vertical line of highlight down the nose and chin adds length.

Earrings, necklines and hats for an oblong face

• Earrings: studs, clusters, buttons and round hoops add width at the sides. Long linear drops add length, so save them for when you want that.
• Necklines: crew necks, boat necks and turtlenecks create horizontal lines that shorten the face. Deep V-necks extend the vertical line.
• Hats: wide-brim hats, bucket hats and cloches worn low on the forehead shorten the face. Tall-crowned hats add length.

Oblong face shape for men

For men, beards that are fuller at the sides and shorter at the chin add width and avoid extra length. Well-groomed stubble or a short, even beard also works. A long, pointed beard lengthens the face further. More in the face shapes for men guide.

Myths about oblong faces

• “Long faces should always wear long hair.” Chin- to shoulder-length cuts often balance long faces best.
• “Oblong and oval are the same.” Oblong faces are longer with straighter sides.
• “A long face looks older.” Face shape doesn’t decide age. Lighting and styling matter much more.
• “You must avoid center parts.” With bangs or side volume, center parts work well.

Measure your face length accurately, with a movable hairline marker, in the face shape detector.