Elongate a square face with a below-the-collarbone hairstyle. The long, loose beach waves that bend outward at the cheekbones add fullness to Gwyneth's face.
Image via Cindy Ord/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty
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Best Haircuts for Oblong Faces
When selecting the perfect haircut for an oblong face, says Pelusi, you want a style that will downplay the face's length. "Go for a hairstyle that make the face rounder and shorter," Pelusi says. "Bangs swept to the side are a lovely choice for this face shape, along with a haircut that incorporates lots of movement and layers."
As for hairstyle don'ts, oblong faces should avoid straight haircuts and styles. "Long straight hair with straight-across bangs are a terrible choice for this face shape," Pelusi says. "Why? Because it further elongates the face. There is no movement to distract from the face's length."
Don't be too upset — blunt bangs require styling every day anyway. So, who's really winning here?
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Haircuts for Oblong Faces: Long Layers
While oblong faces should avoid particularly long haircuts, Parker's playful layers create movement in her strands to help add width to her face.
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Haircuts for Oblong Faces: Wavy Bob
Framing an oblong face is all about the movement (and layers). A short bob like Liv's adds fullness to the face, wile the Old Hollywood waves break up the length of her face.
Image via SGranitz/WireImage/Getty
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Haircuts for Oblong Faces: Lob With Bangs
Side bangs? Check. Face-framing lob? Check. If finding the perfect haircut for oblong faces were a test, Kelly Rowland would have aced it.
Image via Jemal Countess/WireImage/Getty
There's no shortage of haircut ideas on the internet. Every week, another cool-girl celeb sports a game-changing new hairstyle on Instagram. But the haircut that works for J. Law might not look quite as cute on you — and that's OK, so long as you hold no illusions about it. Of course, finding the best haircut for your face shape is easier said than done — and it's a process that takes a few painful missteps before getting it right.
Whether you're still getting over the emotional scarring of your terrible high school hair days (oh hey, bowl cut), or simply have yet to find a haircut that flatters your face shape, the search for the ideal haircut is hard. It requires attention to detail and knowledge of angles — things best left to a professional. And while we're grateful for the haircut inspiration that floods our Pinterest boards, scrolling through haircuts for round faces, oval, square, etc. can go on forever.
That's where hairstylist extraordinaire, Marco Pelusi comes in. Celebrity clients like George Clooney and Jennifer O'Dell put their trust in Pelusi's hands (literally), as he transforms their hair into beautifully fitted frames for their various face shapes. When deciding how to approach a client's hairstyle, Pelusi offers this insight: "Face shape, body shape, facial features and jawline — to name a few — are all important factors when deciding what type of haircut is going to look best on a client," he says. "It's important that your stylist enhances your positive features and softens the traditionally 'negative' ones" (aka round cheeks, small chin, etc.).
And while you'd think everyone would be walking around with angular haircuts to emphasize features like cheekbones and jawlines, Pelusi says when it comes to face shapes there are definite rules. "Some face shapes are easier to work with than others," he confesses. "But every face shape is beautiful in its own way, when catered to properly [with the right haircut]. It's all about how you frame the face."
So what is the best haircut for your face shape? Find all the coolest hairstyles ideas that will flatter your face, and discover the haircut of your dreams.
