A rectangular face is one that is longer than it is wide, has a squared jaw line and in some cases also has a square hairline.
An oblong face is longer than it is wide and has a rounded jawline.
Your Goal is to look for hair styles that visually shorten and/or add width to your face your face.
If you have a rectangular face shape it is also one that softens your jaw line.
Characteristics of a Good Style:
- Natural looking styles.
- Styles that add width at your temples.
- Hair that has some height (not too much) on top of your head and some width above your ears.
- A fringe (bang) is good if you have a high forehead. For smaller depth foreheads a straight and wispy or swept off to the side and not too thick fringe is best.
- The sides should be off your face, either swept back or short.
- Off centre or side parts.
- Medium to medium short in length.
- Long hair must have plenty of width at the neckline.
Avoid:
- Highly stylised styles e.g. angular cuts, severely slicked down, extremely short etc.
- Height only on top of your head.
- Long straight hair.
- Hair close to the sides of your head.
- Centre parts.
- Hair combed straight back if you have a high forehead.
TO FIND OUT WHAT HAIRSTYLE SUITS YOUR FACE SHAPE JUST CLICK HERE!
Here is a sample of what hair styles look great:
The Right Short Hairstyle: This hairstyle is a very good example of how people with long oblong face shapes should wear their hair short. The heavy top layers fall into a rounder shape while the bangs almost halve the vertical length making the face and chin appear shorter and more balanced. This same shape will work on any other hair texture.
The Wrong Short Hairstyle: The worst thing that oblong face shapes can do is to make their faces appear even longer, as is the case with this hairstyle. Height on top is the obvious culprit and should be avoided at all costs. This is the wrong hairstyle for the wrong face shape!
The Right Medium Hairstyle: This is a very nice hairstyle shape to compliment long faces. The bangs in the front help to make the face appear shorter, while the layered sides and back that kick out create needed width. Waves or curls would work just as well, even slightly shorter if required.
The Wrong Medium Hairstyle: The wrong hairstyle is shown very well for long oblong face shapes. The middle part creates more vertical length while the flimsy sides do nothing to build width. This hairstyle lacks body and needs to be shortened in shape (not length).
The Right Long Hairstyle: This is a soft wavy hairstyle with body that really suits our oblong face shape model. The bangs help to shorten the overall length of the face while the layers help add body and bounce creating needed width. This shape will work in straight or curly textures.
The Wrong Long Hairstyle: This is very good example of a poor choice of hairstyle selection for our model. The hairstyle makes her oblong face look even longer than it actually is due to the middle part that divides the shape into two longer portions. The all straight one length sides and back also only add to vertical length.
Eye Wear
- You will look best in glasses that are large (according to your body's scale), and have softened edges rather than an angular appearance.
- Look for glasses that encourage the person looking at you to look up towards the top of the frame for an extra face lift, e.g. frames that have a coloured top rim or a decorative upper outer edge.
- Because your face is longer than it is wide, your best frames will have depth as well as width.
- The frames must also be in proportion to your head size. A woman who has a small head will need smaller frames for balance and vice versa.
- Decorative or contrasting temples can also be added to give width to the face.
- A low bridge will shorten a long nose and a high bridge will lengthen a short nose.
- Update your glasses every two or three years with a current style.
- Avoid obvious bifocals as they will make you look older and out-of-date. Ask for no-line progressive lenses.
- Avoid frames that are too square at the lower part of the frame as these will emphasise your square jaw line
Make-up
- The goal here is to add width to the cheekbones and shortness to the face.
- Place a dark foundation and/or a darker dry shading at the hairline around the forehead and just under and slightly over the chin.
- Give your cheeks and eye area more width by shading the hollows of your cheeks. Shade from the ear and blend downward towards the corner of your mouth.
- Brush a highlighter high onto the cheeks (not the cheekbones).
- Place blush out on the cheek bones at the outer corner of the eyes.
- Blush should never be applied lower than the lowest part of the nose.
I highly recommend to book yourself into a Make Up Workshop or Make
Up Lesson with a Professional Make Up Artist as she will teach you what
works for you and what doesn't. What colours are great on you and which
aren't so great. I personally work with Rozlyne Vidal (check out her
website on www.rozlynevidal.com) and her next workshop with a focus on Eye Make Up Application is coming up on the 2nd of June in Engadine. Click here for more details.
Earrings:
It is more important for your earrings to suit your face shape before they suit your outfit.
Your best earrings add width to your face.
Select from the following shapes:
- Round
- Small drops – teardrop in shape
- Fan
- Oval
- Chandelier
- Long earrings are acceptable with long hair worn down when it is thick. But never with glasses.
Hats:
- The best shaped hats on you will be styles that have full brims.
- Hats with uplifted brims are especially flattering as they will draw the eye up and will make you appear taller and slimmer.
- Take your body's scale into account when selecting how wide your brim is to be. Don't get caught looking like a mushroom. The best width is never wider than your shoulders.
- Avoid hats that are narrow and thin.
Copyright Style Angel and TAIC 2009
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