Aimzster
Dianna GShort Hairstyles to suit your Face Shape
December 11th 2007 02:06
I once made a mistake of getting a chin-length bob with a central part, imagining a chic, sophisticated woman stepping out of a hair salon. Instead, a self-conscious woman stumbled out with a cut that made me look like a Halloween Jack-o-Lantern with black hair. See, I have a round face shape and if someone (pointing specifically at the hairdresser who should have known better) had told me one-length chin bob was a huge no-no for round face-shaped gals like moi, I would have used the $50 on something more useful – like a second-hand sewing machine or something.
So first things first, know your face shop. If you don’t know, you need to measure the following :
- across the top of your cheekbones
- across the widest points of your jawline
- across the widest points of your forehead
- length from bottom of chin to top of hairline
Heart-shaped
You have a heart-shaped face if you have a wide forehead and cheeks that taper down to a noticeably narrow, pointed chin. So if you have your hair tied back in a ponytail, the attention is usually focused on your chin – think Christina Ricci. The key is to draw more attention to your eyes and cheekbones. Katie Holmes with her (enviably) new hair style does just this, with the heavy fringe drawing your attention to her sultry eyes. The sleek bob also succeeds in making the upper part of her face slimmer. Another great short hairstyle is a cut that creates volume at the bottom of your face, roughly from the ears down to give the illusion of a wider chin and jawline. Check out Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama with the wispy, bottom ends flicked out, detracting the attention away from her pointed chin and creating a more ‘balanced’ look.
Avoid too much volume and height at the crown as this will only make your chin longer and/or narrower. Also, try and stay away from slicked back styles, but if you’re the type to pull their hair back in a ponytail, try and add a side-swept fringe.
Oval-shaped
You have an oval-shaped face if the length of your face is roughly 1.5 times longer than the widest point of your face. The width of your temples are slightly wider than your jawline and your hairline is softly rounded. To have this face shape means you can pretty much work any short hairstyle and all face shapes try to adopt hairstyles to create the illusion of having an oval face. In short, your face shape is the supermodel of all face shapes.
Because you don’t really need to do much (you lucky thing), the key really is to just show off your perfect symmetry so try not to opt for hairstyles that cover up too much of your face like long heavy bangs or styles that bring the hair forward. Any short hairstyles will look great on you, from a spiked bob, a cropped layered bob or a more sedate longer bob complete with a flicked side-swept fringe like Jessica Alba’s.
Round-shaped
If you have a round face, the width and length of your face have the same measurements but with rounded edges, with your cheeks and ears being the widest points of your face. The goal is to minimise the width of the face. Like me, the wrong cut can make you look like a pumpkin or a lollipop.
Styles to avoid are one-length bobs that fall at the chin, central parts (especially without a fringe), big curls and flat hair. Instead, go for wispy layered ends that go below your chin and complement this with a long side-swept fringe like Kelly Clarkson’s and Drew Barrymore’s. If you have curly hair and your hairdresser tries to convince you to cut it short, run as fast as you can. Curls on round faces may have look good when you were 2 but not when you’re supposedly a woman of the noughties. Also, avoid layers that end at your ears/cheeks as this will only create a volume to the already widest part of your face. You should also try adding some volume to your crown to make your face look longer.
Square-shaped
Like the round shape face, if you have a square shape face, the width and length of your face would have similar measurements but the edges are more angular. The key is to minimise your strong, angular features and opt for a short style that softens the face.
Try adding some rounded height to the crown like Gwyneth Paltrow’s with a few wispy bangs across the forehead. This creates a more balanced look, making your features ‘softer’. This goes for short, layered curls that frame the face like Minnie Driver’s. Again, like with round faces, avoid one-length, chin bobs and blunt-cut fringes.
So, before you go ga-ga over a celebrity’s latest hairstyle and rush off to your nearest hair salon to get the exact cut, make sure you determine that it suits your face shape because hair grows painstakingly slow when you have a bad haircut. From this research, I’ve gathered that side-swept fringes complement any face shape so I plan never to go without one ever again.
So first things first, know your face shop. If you don’t know, you need to measure the following :
- across the widest points of your jawline
- across the widest points of your forehead
- length from bottom of chin to top of hairline
Heart-shaped
Katie Holmes
Reese Witherspoon
Avoid too much volume and height at the crown as this will only make your chin longer and/or narrower. Also, try and stay away from slicked back styles, but if you’re the type to pull their hair back in a ponytail, try and add a side-swept fringe.
Oval-shaped
Jessica Alba
Short spiked bob
You have an oval-shaped face if the length of your face is roughly 1.5 times longer than the widest point of your face. The width of your temples are slightly wider than your jawline and your hairline is softly rounded. To have this face shape means you can pretty much work any short hairstyle and all face shapes try to adopt hairstyles to create the illusion of having an oval face. In short, your face shape is the supermodel of all face shapes.
Because you don’t really need to do much (you lucky thing), the key really is to just show off your perfect symmetry so try not to opt for hairstyles that cover up too much of your face like long heavy bangs or styles that bring the hair forward. Any short hairstyles will look great on you, from a spiked bob, a cropped layered bob or a more sedate longer bob complete with a flicked side-swept fringe like Jessica Alba’s.
Round-shaped
Kelly Clarkson
Drew Barrymore
If you have a round face, the width and length of your face have the same measurements but with rounded edges, with your cheeks and ears being the widest points of your face. The goal is to minimise the width of the face. Like me, the wrong cut can make you look like a pumpkin or a lollipop.
Styles to avoid are one-length bobs that fall at the chin, central parts (especially without a fringe), big curls and flat hair. Instead, go for wispy layered ends that go below your chin and complement this with a long side-swept fringe like Kelly Clarkson’s and Drew Barrymore’s. If you have curly hair and your hairdresser tries to convince you to cut it short, run as fast as you can. Curls on round faces may have look good when you were 2 but not when you’re supposedly a woman of the noughties. Also, avoid layers that end at your ears/cheeks as this will only create a volume to the already widest part of your face. You should also try adding some volume to your crown to make your face look longer.
Square-shaped
Gwyneth Paltrow
Minnie Driver
Like the round shape face, if you have a square shape face, the width and length of your face would have similar measurements but the edges are more angular. The key is to minimise your strong, angular features and opt for a short style that softens the face.
Try adding some rounded height to the crown like Gwyneth Paltrow’s with a few wispy bangs across the forehead. This creates a more balanced look, making your features ‘softer’. This goes for short, layered curls that frame the face like Minnie Driver’s. Again, like with round faces, avoid one-length, chin bobs and blunt-cut fringes.
So, before you go ga-ga over a celebrity’s latest hairstyle and rush off to your nearest hair salon to get the exact cut, make sure you determine that it suits your face shape because hair grows painstakingly slow when you have a bad haircut. From this research, I’ve gathered that side-swept fringes complement any face shape so I plan never to go without one ever again.
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Comment by katyzzz
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Michaelie
Comment by Lilla
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I did the same thing once when I was 14 - never again!
I'm with Minnie and Gwenneth these days, much better.
Lilla ...
Comment by Aimzster
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Michaelie, thanks. No one would ever accuse me of never learning from my mistakes!
Lilla, I love Gwyneth's bob, don't you? Unfortunately, I cannot get away with it.
Comment by KylieW
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I'm a fan of the bob. Basically every hairstyle I've ever had has eventually become a bob!!!
Comment by Aimzster
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Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Mrs M
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I've got a square face. I tried to do the Gwyneth thing a few years ago but it just wouldn't sit for me. I have never been able to control my hair.
Finally after all these years I have found a hair dresser who takes the time to give me tips. Bless her.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
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