These Are the Most Flattering Hairstyles & Cuts for Square Faces

E! Illustration/Getty Images

What are the best haircuts for square faces?

Keeping her main piece of advice in mind, the LA-based stylist has a few suggestions those of us with square faces, and exactly how to ask your stylist for the most flattering cut:

The Layered Lob

TerraRose called this her "favorite universally flattering option," explaining: "the hair shouldn’t stop at the widest point of the jaw. A little length past the chin creates a more elongated, fluid silhouette."

Tell your stylist this: "I want a collarbone lob with soft, blended face-framing layers that start below my jaw. I want movement rather than a really blunt perimeter."

Curtain Bangs

One of TerraRose's "favorite fring options for a square face," she explains that these "create a vertical opening in the center of the face and blend naturally into face-framing layers."

Tell your stylist this: "Ask for longer, wispy curtain bangs rather than a thick, straight-across fringe. Other good options include side-swept or wispy bangs."

Soft, Rounded Bob

Don't be afraid of a bob, you just have to be "strategic" about it! "A rounded bob with movement through the ends can actually soften the angularity beautifully."

"The curved shape can soften the jaw and draw attention toward the cheekbones. I’d favor chin-to-just-below-chin length over an extremely sharp jaw-length geometric bob," TerraRose adds.

The Shag

For the fashion-forward, cool girl, the layers of a shag "break up the strong horizontal lines of a square face."

Tell your stylist this: "Go for soft, blended, face-framing layers rather than super-choppy layers that create a lot of width directly at the jaw."

Long Layers & Face-Framing

If you don't want to lose length, go for "long, blended layers." Especially if you love doing a "blowout, loose waves, or a big round-brush bend," TerraRose says this is a flattering look.

Tell your stylist this: "Keep the majority of the length below the shoulders and add face-framing pieces that curve away from the jaw."

Square Face Celebrities for Inspiration

Look to the stars for inspiration before your next trip to the salon! One of TerraRose's "favorite square-face references" is Keira Knightley, whose "tousled, below-chin bob is a great lesson in using movement to soften the jaw."

If you prefer longer locks, Demi Moore is "a fantastic example of how long, straight hair can work on a square face when the proportions and styling are right."

Looking for something with a little edge? Cara Delevingne is a "great reference if you want something edgier, particularly shaggy/wolf-cut variations."

Haircut Mistakes for Square Faces

TerraRose offered a few mistakes that you might want to avoid or keep in mind when you're in the salon chair, starting with what she says is the biggest mistake: "thinking “square face = make everything rounded.” You don’t need to erase the bone structure. You want to create contrast."

• Avoid a super-blnt jaw-length bob: "A perfectly straight, one-length bob that hits exactly at the widest part of the jaw can visually reinforce the horizontal line you’re trying to soften. A blunt bob isn’t forbidden. It’s all about where it hits and how it’s styled. A slightly longer or rounded version works beautifully."
• Be careful with heavy, blunt bangs: "A thick, straight-across fringe creates another strong horizontal line across the forehead and can make the face feel more compact. I generally favor softer fringe, curtain, side-swept, wispy or blended bangs for square faces."
• Don't put all your hair volume directly at the jaw: "If your haircut has a ton of fullness right at the jawline and then suddenly becomes narrow above and below, you’re essentially drawing a frame around the square. I’d rather see volume at the crown and through the mid-lengths, with the hair tapering softly around the jaw."
• Don't over-layer fine hair: "There’s a difference between movement and removing too much density. If someone has fine hair, I’d keep the perimeter relatively full and use subtle internal/face-framing layers rather than tons of short layers."
• Don't assume you need to avoid short hair: "Square faces can absolutely wear short hair. Pixies, bixies and short textured cuts can be gorgeous because they expose and celebrate the bone structure. The current trend toward highly personalized short cuts makes this particularly relevant."

How to Style a Square Face at Home

TerraRose's favorite rule? Create movement, not perfection! "A little bend through the hair is usually more flattering than completely flat, pin-straight hair because it creates curves against the angularity of the face," she says.

TerraRose shared a few of her favorite ways to style, with product recommendations and tips so you can flawlessly recreate the looks at home.

The "Expensive" Blowout

1. Apply a lightweight leave-in/heat protectant to damp hair.
2. Add volume product at the roots.
3. Blow-dry with a round brush, lifting the roots.
4. Create a slight bend away from the face around the cheekbones and jaw.
5. Once dry, use a large barrel iron to add loose waves only where needed.
6. Brush everything out.
7. Finish with a lightweight oil on the ends.

Half-Up, Half-Down

"I’d keep the crown slightly lifted and leave two soft pieces around the face rather than pulling everything tightly away from the face. Think Margot Robbie rather than cheerleader ponytail," TerraRose suggests.

Keep It Sleek

"Square faces can look incredible with sleek hair; you just don’t necessarily want every style to be soft and romantic," TerraRose shares. "For a slicked-back bun or ponytail, I’d make the part slightly off-center and leave a tiny bit of softness around the temples."

Second-Day Hair

"This is where dry shampoo becomes a styling product rather than simply a cleansing product," says TerraRose. "Spray it into the roots, let it sit for a minute, massage it in, then flip your head upside down and blast the roots with a dryer. You’ll get volume + grip + texture, which is perfect for a messy pony, half-up style or loose waves."

Best Haircut Lengths for Square Faces

There's no one-size-fits-all, even across every square face. Instead, TerraRose suggests thinking about things in three different lengths:

• Short: pixie/bixie with softness and texture
• Medium: below-chin bob, collarbone lob
• Long: below-the-shoulder layers with face framing

"The collarbone/mid-length zone is probably the safest sweet spot because it gives you enough length to elongate the face while still allowing movement," she adds. "Long hair is also gorgeous. Particularly when styled with waves or layers. Longer styles and shoulder-length waves are flattering because they visually elongate the face."

How We Choose