At a glance
- Face shape
- Oblong
- Hair type
- Wavy
- What wavy hair adds
- soft movement and a little width at the sides
- Aim for
- Width at the sides and a fringe, no extra height
- Styling tip
- cut it dry or with the wave in mind, or the length springs up shorter than planned
- Top picks
- Curtain bangs, Side-swept bangs, Textured bob
| Style | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Curtain bangs | Good | It covers part of the forehead, which shortens the visible face. |
| Side-swept bangs | Good | It covers part of the forehead, which shortens the visible face. |
| Textured bob | Good | It adds width at the sides, which balances a long outline. |
| Shag | Good | It covers part of the forehead, which shortens the visible face. Watch one thing: it adds height on top, and this face is already long. |
| Wolf cut | Good | It covers part of the forehead, which shortens the visible face. Watch one thing: it adds height on top, and this face is already long. |
| Blunt bob | Good | It adds width at the sides, which balances a long outline. |
| Soft waves | Neutral | It adds width at the sides, which balances a long outline, but it also adds length to an outline that is already long. |
| Butterfly cut | Neutral | It adds width at the sides, which balances a long outline, but it also adds height on top, and this face is already long. |
| Lob | With a tweak | It adds length to an outline that is already long. On the plus side it adds soft, broken-up lines that take the edge off a strong jaw. |
| Long layers | With a tweak | It adds length to an outline that is already long. On the plus side it adds soft, broken-up lines that take the edge off a strong jaw. |
| Pixie | With a tweak | It exposes the full outline, which puts its width on show. |
| Braids | With a tweak | It exposes the full outline, which puts its width on show. |
| Sleek straight | With a tweak | It adds length to an outline that is already long. |
| High ponytail | With a tweak | It adds height on top, and this face is already long. |
Choose between bangs and a bob
An oblong face is clearly longer than it is wide, and its sides run fairly straight. Curtain bangs leave an opening in the middle while covering the forehead on either side. Side-swept bangs cross the forehead at an angle. Both make less of your face visible from hairline to chin.
A textured bob and a blunt bob both add width at the sides. You can pair either with a fringe if you want cheek-level fullness and some forehead coverage without adding height on top.
Set the fringe length where the wave falls dry
Show your stylist where you want the ends of your bangs to sit once they're dry. Ask for a dry cut or for the stylist to allow for the bend in your wave. If they judge the length with the hair pulled straight, the fringe can spring up shorter than you planned.
Bring a reference with waves that fall like yours. If you like the forehead coverage in a straight-haired cut, ask for that detail. Relying on product to force your waves into the same shape misses what you liked about the fringe.
Keep the width when you wear your hair longer
Soft waves add width, but long ends can still draw the eye down. A lob or long layers can soften a strong jaw by breaking up the lines beside it. To keep that length, ask for some fullness beside your cheeks. A sleek, straight finish makes the vertical lines more obvious.
A shag or wolf cut gives you forehead coverage, though either can add height at the crown. A butterfly cut has a similar tradeoff between width at the sides and lift on top. Tell your stylist which part of the cut you'd like to keep full.
Check face shape and texture separately
The free face-shape finder matches one selfie to the closest face-shape prototype on your device. It doesn't read hair type. For that, go by how your hair dries naturally.
Questions people ask
- Can I wear my waves in a high ponytail?
- You can, though a high ponytail adds height above an already long face. Set the ponytail lower if you want less height, or leave your fringe forward for forehead coverage.
- How do a pixie and braids compare with bangs on an oblong face?
- A pixie or braids that leave your forehead clear show the full length and width of your face. If you prefer the shorter outline you get with bangs, keep a section across your forehead.
Written from the measurements and ingredient facts on this site, then checked for the usual mistakes. Not medical advice.
Related pages
The closest pages in this section, picked by topic rather than by date.
- women's hairstyles for an oblong face with curly hairCompare women's hairstyles for an oblong face with curly hair, from shags to side-swept bangs, with tips on width and crown height.
- women's hairstyles for an oblong face with thick hairExplore women's hairstyles for an oblong face with thick hair, from curtain bangs to textured bobs, with tips for side width and less bulk.
- women's hairstyles for an oblong face with thin hairExplore women's hairstyles for an oblong face with thin hair, including bobs and bangs that add side width without relying on density.
- Women's hairstyles for an oval face with wavy hairCompare women's hairstyles for an oval face with wavy hair, from soft waves to a pixie. Choose where you want the ends to sit once your hair
- Women's hairstyles for a round face with wavy hairCompare women's hairstyles for a round face with wavy hair. See how a high ponytail, long layers and a lob change where your waves add width