The oblong face is longer than 1.5 times it’s width and tends to look long and narrow, but has a curved jaw (unlike the rectangle face which has a square jaw). If you count ‘noses’ it’s more than 3 noses long. It is a similar width at the temple as the jaw
Hairstyles that Suit and Oblong Face
- You want to think about making your face look a little shorter (so more like an Oval).
- A heavy blunt fringe (bangs) to your eyebrows or basically almost any kind of fringe will work to cut down the length of your face
- Volume at the sides – flicks or curly and wavy hair works well as it gives you more volume at the sides of your face so that it adds some balance
- Shorter bobs are great particularly with a fringe
- Layers around your ears
Hairstyles to Avoid for an Oblong Face
- Centre part with long straight hair
- Side part with long straight hair
- Short hair with volume at the crown and not through the sides of the face
- Hair pulled back off your face in a ponytail without a fringe
Further reading:
Your Ultimate Guide to 17 Necklines and Which to Choose to Flatter Your Features
ahhh, this explains why I’ve had a fringe since I was 10 years old – I feel I look terrible with my fringe off my face – And I why I hate it when hairdressers try and put height at my crown area
Ahh, this explains why I’ve had a fringe since I was 10, I feel I look terrible with my hair back from my face – although it would make life much easier to be able to pull it all back, no fringe hairstyles are far more versatile! It also explains why I hate it when hairdressers try and put height in the crown area….yuck!!!!
This is my face shape….and for 45 yrs I had a fringe , and it felt like a childish prison… grew it out a few yrs ago — am really enjoying the freedom of no hair on my face and embracing natural waves, even if it’s not perfection. I am always on the lookout for updos that create a little roundness.
Hi Imogen, I’ve been browsing your blog for a few months now and have learned a lot. (Many, many thanks for offering such helpful, and visual, information.)
Today I’m puzzling over your advice for oblong faces. My face is oblong, but the extra length is in my chin, not my forehead. I look terrible with bangs (fringe?). My favorite photos of myself are ones in which my forehead is exposed up to the hairline. I think I need it showing in order to help balance my chin. How does a long chin affect your advice for hairstyles and hats and… maybe other things that I don’t realize it might affect. 🙂
(Please imagine a question mark at the end of that last sentence.)
Annie – most oblongs are long at both ends, but of course, we are all unique. I would suggest then not having a fringe, but instead, ensure you have hair around your jaw area which won’t draw attention to it. A longer face needs a flatter crown on a hat (a high crown will just make everything look longer). Longer jaws can also look more masculine, which is why a little more length and volume in your hair is flattering.
Been looking over your site at length and am glad to have found that I have been dressing for a petite H (at least in that I had a good eye), but the face shape bothers me. I think after looking over this oblong face shape, that perhaps I am more of an oblong than a diamond., I looked over the hairstyles for the diamond shaped faces… thing is I never ever have flat hair, looks ridiculous, I never have a blunt -cut -my -face- in -half -fringe and I need height on top. So, when you said I was related to a diamond, what does that exactly mean. Am I a heart living alongside a diamond? I see my Mothers face half way upward and my fathers half way downward… to bad it wasn’t a decided face shape.
Thanks for your advice. I am 47 and wanting to change from long, long hair… i feel its time to do something but not anything drastic.
Also, do you do anything on romantic, dramatic, classic styles and how to decide on that. My two wedding dresses were always vintage or bohemian and I never wear that daily, always wear the more dramatic, petite styles. Is there something in that?
Thanks, Meredith
Meredith – I go into personality style in depth in my 7 Steps to Style program which is aimed at personally discovering everything about your personally, from face shape, body shape, proportions, personality etc. I can’t do that for every reader for free otherwise I couldn’t keep a roof over my head or feed my children! If you read the descriptions for each face shape you will see a diamond face has a narrow forehead and jaw, a heart has a broad forehead and narrow jaw, and oblong has a long face but forehead and jaw are similar in width.
Let me rephrase it. What does “related to diamond mean exactly? ” I looked over the
diamond hairstyles all of which haven’t suited in the past. Hoped to have clarification.
Also I meant regarding fashion styles is there a link on your own site?
I read your ‘seven secrets’ still don’t see any pattern I recognise. I’m fashion savvy but
don’t have one clear style as is often intimated by stylists. I jumped in and asked because I
others free advice.
you have a slightly narrower forehead and jaw, and the cheekbones of a diamond, but your face is softer and not as angular as a diamond, so also relates to a more curved face shapes.
Meant to read: saw others getting good advice
Yes! This explains why I stick with my shag cut and perm, a side part, and curly fringe which I’ve modified a bit over the years. Straight hair is considered more elegant, and others try to talk me into going back to it but I’ve refused. Every time I iron my hair straight, it highlights my wrinkles and bags. It also makes my jaw droopy and my face even longer. I’m never going back to straight hair. I had long, straight center parted hair up to age 20 before I got rid of it. It wasn’t so good then, and it is out of the question now at age 55.
I have an oblong face, but the extra length is all in my chin. My forehead, eyes, nose and lips are all proportionately spaced on the vertical axis, but the distance from my lips to my chin is quite long.
Because of this, fringe somehow makes me look worse. Any suggestions for drawing attention away from a long chin?
Have longer layers of hair around your jawline and down your neck. Avoid really short haircuts
I, too, have an oblong oval face and my take on it is slightly different. My length is mostly in the center of the face (not in forehead or chin), and maybe this affects some things. I seem to do great with a center part or a side part and long, straight hair–even without fringe! I wonder if things like profile, prominent features, placement of length and overall body proportions also affect our best hairstyles? I can do the general recs for this face shape, but they often seem to diminish the overall Wow! factor. (Sarah Jessica Parker is an example of the rule-breaking center part.) Ideas on this, Imogen? Maybe it’s a gestalt thing we need to keep in mind?