An oblong face, also called a long face, is clearly longer than it is wide, and its forehead, cheekbones and jaw are close in width, so the sides run nearly parallel. In numbers: a length at least 1.50 times the cheekbone width, with forehead and jaw at roughly 85 to 100 percent of it. The Face Shape Calculator checks both from four measurements.
Like the other six outlines in the face shape chart, oblong is a styling category, not an anatomical type. It describes how the face reads at a glance, which is what styling can change.
How to tell if you have an oblong face
Take forehead (A), cheekbones (B), jaw (C) and length (D) as described in the measuring guide, then divide each by B.
| Ratio | Oblong: most typical range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| A/B (forehead) | 0.90–1.02 | Forehead about as wide as the cheekbones |
| C/B (jaw) | 0.85–1.00 | Jaw close to the cheekbone width |
| D/B (length) | 1.50–1.75 | Face clearly longer than it is wide |
Length first. For this shape the length-to-width ratio is the defining number. Above about 1.50 a face reads long, and the higher it goes, the more vertical the impression. Measure from the center of your natural hairline to the bottom of the chin, with your head level.
Widest point: nowhere in particular. The three widths are close, so the outline does not taper much in either direction. That is what separates oblong from a long oval.
A typical oblong face: forehead 13 cm, cheekbones 13.5 cm, jaw 12.5 cm, length 22 cm. The ratios are 0.96, 0.93 and 1.63, and the calculator scores it 100 for oblong and 55 for square.
Oblong, oval, square or rectangle?
- Oval is the most common mix-up. Both are longer than wide, but an oval face is a little shorter (D/B typically 1.30 to 1.50) and tapers to a jaw clearly narrower than the cheekbones. Oval vs oblong settles it with the same two checks.
- Square has the same even widths but a short face, with D/B between 1.10 and 1.30. A strong jaw can make an oblong face look square in a photo, but the length ratio settles it.
- Rectangle is a name some charts use for an oblong face with a defined jaw angle. The calculator measures widths, not angles, so it files rectangle under oblong. Check the corner by tracing your jaw with a finger: if it turns sharply below the ear, the square advice about keeping lines off the jaw applies to you as well.
Hair for an oblong face
The aim is width at the sides and a break in the vertical. Volume belongs around the cheekbones and ears, not on top of the head, where it adds to the length. Bangs are the most effective single tool, because they cover part of the forehead and shorten the face from the top. Long, straight, flat hair does the opposite: it draws two long vertical lines down the sides of an already long face.
Hairstyles for a long face explains where layers should start and which lengths work. For the two specific cuts, see bangs by face shape and where a bob should end.
Glasses for an oblong face
Frames are the second place to add width and interrupt length. Deeper lenses cover more of the face vertically, a strong top line draws a horizontal across it, and frames about as wide as the cheekbones, or slightly wider, add width at the temples. Small, narrow frames leave a lot of face above and below them and make it look longer.
Glasses for a long face covers lens height, bridge position and temple details, and glasses frame size shows how to read the width numbers on a frame.
Earrings, necklines and brows
Earrings with width, such as hoops, studs with some size or clusters, add a horizontal note beside the face, while long, thin drops repeat its length; earrings for your face shape goes through the options. Wide, horizontal necklines like boat and square necks help more than deep V-necks, and necklines for your face shape adds neck length and bust to the choice.
A flatter, straighter brow with the tail extended a little adds width across the top third. The brow shape guide shows how to map yours.