Could super-duper-model Joan Smalls be any more gorgeous!? She’s a
prime example of someone with an oblong face shape. When it comes to
this shape, the goal is to wear it proud if you’re happy with it or to
widen the face to make it appear less long. If a client of mine comes in
and has an oblong face shape, I usually suggest a long bang or layers
that hit just below the eyes when the hair is dry– that will draw out
the width of your face. I also explain that if you don’t have natural
waves, the hair will need to be styled regularly to acheive the widening
effect. Super straight hair on an oblong face will make it appear even
longer. You want to make sure you are letting the cheekbones be clear
and visible with an oblong shape. Here are some great ideas for all of
you beautiful oblong girls!
- RETRO-LIKE CURLS-
Set the hair and give it some real bounce. The softness of a retro curl
can make everything feel more “round” and less long even when it’s not.
Curls are an amazing way to add width to your silhouette but always
keep in mind you want width, not height with oblong!
- SIDE SWEEP-
As crazy as this sounds– ears help you gain width. Sweep all the hair
over your shoulder and make sure you show an ear when there’s a lot of
curl or texture going on. In the main photo above, if you cover Joans
ears, the face appears much more narrow. When you see the ears it tricks
your eye into thinking the face is a teeny bit wider than it actually
is. Notice that Joan shows ear in just about every photo and that’s
because her hair is cleared away from the face and that allows the
cheekbones to come through!
- WEAR EARRINGS-
I know this isn’t a hair trick but it’s still a trick. Earrings that
dangle near the sides of your face (especially ones that are close to
your skins own tone) help to draw out the overall silhouette. Try
lighter golds for pale skin and bronzy colors for darker skin. Sounds
crazy but it works!!
- WIDE WIDE WAVES-
This may be where you need to learn how to flat iron curl. You can
create a great wave pattern around your face with more control over
where the waves hit when you use a beveled flat iron to do it. Hmmm…
tutorial?? You want the widest part of the curls to hit right at your
cheekbones. The hair should almost mimic the cheekbone, but be wider. If
you look at the bottom right photo of Joan, you see that the widest
part of the wave around here face is right around her cheekbone/ear
area. Make that happen! You may have to spend a little time figuring out
how to wrap the hair around a curling iron but it’s worth spending the
time.
- BLOWOUTS-
Again, you’re seeking width, so set the hair however you like but keep
it off the face. Give it a good warm burst of air around your face at
the end and lightly hit your hairline with hairspray. Do what you can to
keep the hair from hugging your face.
- HAIRCUTS-
Honestly, you’re not that limited on haircuts with an oblong face
shape. The only thing you should really steer clear of is hard bobs that
make you appear longer and really long sleek straight hair with no
layers or movement. Everything else can be styled accordingly to create
the illusion of a wider face.
- CURLY GIRLS- As Carrie Bradshaw proved to the world, curly girls with oblong face shapes are the chic-est. Let those curls be
if you have them! Allow them to be loose + wild + off your face to
widen the overall sillhouette. You of course need a great haircut to
manage major curls, but once you have that, you’re all set. Curly hair
for an oblong face is ideal because of the horizontal volume it gets
naturally.
Are you an “Oblong” girl? Please share your stories about it below.
What are your favorite and least favorite things about this face shape?
