We all know that it’s important to find the right hairstyles for your face shape, but what about fringes? They’re a great way to transform your hairstyle, but how do you know what’s going to suit you? Just like hairstyles, fringes don’t look the same on everybody; your friend’s blunt fringe may be giving you serious hair envy, but the same cut won’t necessarily fall in the same way on another face; it all depends on face shape. Fringes have the ability to frame your face and accentuate your best features, but they can also do the opposite. Before getting yours cut in, you need to work out which fringe is going to work best for you – and that’s where we come in (you’re welcome!).
Best Fringes for a Round Face
Is your face widest at the cheeks? If the answer’s yes, you probably have a round face shape. Round faces don’t have any hard angles; they narrow slightly at the forehead and chin, but these are also rounded. Your fringe should balance out your face shape by making it appear longer (i.e. more oval-shaped).
Ginnifer Goodwin’s side-sweeping bangs work perfectly with her round face shape; the angle of the fringe has a lengthening affect, which makes it look more oval-shaped. And the textured finish adds height to the top, which also helps to elongate the face.
Best Fringes for an Oval Face
Those who have an oval-shaped face can largely get away with any style. These faces are slightly longer than they are wide, though they’re also widest at the cheekbones. Those with an oval face will have a rounded jaw and forehead; the sides of the face will be slightly curved too.
Since oval face shapes have the versatility to suit most styles, there are few don’ts – you’re free to experiment! And if you’re looking to update your look, getting a fringe is a simple way to do it. We love Dakota Johnson’s wispy fringe; it accentuates her features without dominating them. And since it’s a bit choppy, she can wear it parted in a curtain fringe too (who doesn’t love a few good styling options?!).
Best Fringes for a Square Face
If you’ve got a squared jawline and minimal curves to your face, it’s likely that your face shape is (surprise, surprise!) square. Your forehead, cheekbones and jaw will be equal in width (or thereabouts). Your fringe (and hairstyle) should soften the jawline; don’t get bangs that cut straight across the face. Micro or blunt, heavy fringes tend to make square faces appear more angular, which is exactly what you’re trying to avoid.
Textured, side-sweeping fringes can soften square faces – especially when they’re a little longer. If you’re looking for something a little more dramatic though, take inspiration from Holly wood actress Olivia Wilde. Her choppy bangs and face-framing tendrils work to soften her face; the length of her fringe brings out her eyes too!
Best Fringes for Long (or Oblong) Faces
If your face is longer than it is wide, you probably have a long or oblong-shaped face. Your forehead, cheeks and jawline are probably about the same width across too. It’s usual for those with long faces to have high foreheads, so fringes can be a real asset. Since they fall at the middle of your face, fringes also help to create a horizontal line that makes long faces appear wider.
Liv Tyler’s blunt, full fringe works perfectly on her. The fact that it’s not too heavy makes this cut all the more flattering; if the fringe were any heavier, it’d overbear her eyes – the weight of it here emphasises them instead.
Best Fringes for Heart-Shaped Faces
Heart-shaped faces are narrow at the chin; the forehead or cheekbones are the widest part. It’s quite common for those with heart-shaped faces to have a widow’s peak (though not everyone with a widow’s peak will have a heart-shaped face, and vice versa).
Reese Witherspoon’s side-sweeping bangs draw attention up towards her cheekbones and eyes, which detracts from her smaller chin.
Best Fringe for Diamond-Shaped Faces
Diamond-shaped faces are narrow at the forehead and chin (these are usually about the same width); the cheekbones are the widest part of the face. Since the forehead is narrower, the hairline tends to be too. As such, fringes can be tricky to pull off; you have to be careful not to close off the face with too much hair – heavier bangs probably won’t work for you if you’ve got a diamond-shaped face.
Halle Berry’s pixie cut is perfectly framed with her baby bangs. By keeping her micro fringe soft and textured, the overall finish isn’t too harsh – it’s short and chic instead!