The right short cut can make an oblong face look wider and more balanced. The guiding rule is simple: add volume at the sides, keep the crown flat, and let bangs do the work of shortening a high forehead. Every idea below follows that rule, so you can pick a short style without guessing.
First, a quick distinction. An oval face is balanced, with the length about one and a half times the width. An oblong face is noticeably longer than it is wide, usually with a higher forehead and a longer chin. If your face reads long rather than egg-shaped, these 11 short cuts were chosen for you.
Quick takeaways:
- Width at the sides is the goal. Side volume, waves and curved-under ends all make an oblong face read wider.
- Bangs shorten a long face. Full, curtain or side-swept fringe all work; the choice depends on how much forehead coverage you want.
- Keep crown volume low. Height on top adds length, which is the one thing an oblong face does not need.
- Chin to jaw-length cuts are the sweet spot for short hair on oblong faces.
- Always use a heat protectant before styling with a curling iron or flat iron.
1. Blunt Chin-Length Bob with Full Bangs
A blunt bob that ends right at the chin builds a solid horizontal line exactly where an oblong face needs width. Full bangs cut straight across the brow shorten the forehead and break the face into more balanced thirds. Ask your stylist to keep the ends blunt rather than feathered, since feathering removes the widening effect. On straight or slightly wavy hair, this cut air-dries with almost no effort. The common mistake is letting the bob grow past the jawline, which starts to drag the face down again. Trim every 6 to 8 weeks to keep the line crisp.
Try this: blow-dry the bangs down and forward with a flat brush for a clean, even fringe.
Difficulty: Easy | Cost: $40-$80 at a salon
2. Textured Piecey Pixie
Short does not mean off-limits. A pixie with choppy, piecey texture on top and fullness through the sides gives an oblong face width without length. Keep crown layers short and directed outward rather than spiked up, so the silhouette stays wide. Work a pea-sized amount of matte styling paste through dry hair to separate the pieces and stop the cut from looking flat. This is a strong choice for thick hair, which holds the texture on its own. Fine hair may need a texturizing spray for the same effect. If you want more pixie variations, this collection of short shaggy pixie haircuts shows how texture changes the whole look.
Try this: rub a tiny amount of paste between your palms and pinch the ends to define the pieces.
Difficulty: Easy | Cost: $30-$60 at a salon
3. Pixie with Side-Swept Bangs
This pixie keeps the top short but leaves the fringe long enough to sweep diagonally across the forehead. The diagonal line breaks up the face length, and the sideways direction of the bangs pulls the eye outward. Tell your stylist the bangs should cover at least half the forehead; too-short fringe loses the shortening effect. The sides should stay full around the ears rather than buzzed tight. Style by blow-drying the bangs to one side with a small round brush, then locking the shape with a light-hold spray. Grow-out is easy, since the bangs simply get longer and still work.
Try this: part the bangs on the opposite side from your natural part for extra lift at the roots.
Difficulty: Easy | Cost: $30-$60 at a salon
4. Rounded Bouncy Bob
A bob with curved-under ends and volume through the sides wraps an oblong face in softness. The round shape mirrors the goal: more width, less visible length. Ask for light layers through the mid-lengths so the cut moves instead of sitting like a helmet. A round brush and blow-dryer do the heavy lifting here; roll the ends under as you dry. On fine hair, a volumizing mousse at the roots keeps the sides from collapsing by midday. This cut pairs well with or without bangs, so it suits women who are still deciding on a fringe. Schedule a trim every 6 to 8 weeks to keep the curve.
Try this: finish with a cool shot from the dryer to set the curved-under ends.
Difficulty: Moderate | Cost: $45-$85 at a salon
5. Asymmetrical Bob
An asymmetrical bob, longer on one side and shorter on the other, distracts from face length with its diagonal line. The longer side draws attention across the face instead of down it, which reads as width. Keep the difference between the sides obvious, about 2 to 3 inches, or the cut just looks uneven by accident. Sleek styling shows off the asymmetry best, so a flat iron works well here. The shorter side can be tucked behind the ear to show off earrings. Avoid adding a deep middle part, since symmetry lets the eye travel straight down the face again.
Try this: wear it with a deep side part on the shorter side to sharpen the diagonal.
Difficulty: Moderate | Cost: $50-$90 at a salon
6. Wavy Textured Bob
Waves push hair outward, and outward is exactly where an oblong face wants its volume. A chin-to-jaw bob with loose, tousled waves looks wider from every angle. Ask your stylist for point-cut ends and a few shorter layers around the cheekbones to start the wave pattern. At home, a 1-inch curling iron on medium heat makes quick waves; alternate the direction of each section for a natural finish. Remember the heat protectant before any hot tool. This cut is forgiving between trims, since the texture hides growth. For more curly-bob inspiration, these cute layered bob haircuts for curly hair show how layers boost the shape.
Try this: scrunch a salt spray into damp hair and let it air-dry for beachy texture.
Difficulty: Easy | Cost: $45-$85 at a salon
7. Short Curly Shag
Natural curls are an oblong face’s best friend, and a short shag makes the most of them. Choppy layers from crown to ends let curls stack, which builds serious side volume. A wispy fringe or short curtain bangs across the forehead finishes the balancing act. Ask for a dry cut, since curls shrink and a wet cut can end up much shorter than planned. Style with a curl cream and a diffuser on low heat. If your hair is straight, this cut still works with a perm or daily heat styling. More short shag styles are covered in this guide to short shag hairstyles for women.
Try this: flip your head upside down while diffusing to build root volume at the sides.
Difficulty: Moderate | Cost: $55-$95 at a salon
8. Blunt Bob with Curtain Bangs
This pairs a sharp, blunt bob with curtain bangs that part in the middle and sweep outward toward the cheekbones. The blunt ends add weight and width at the jawline, while the curtain fringe shortens the forehead without the commitment of full bangs. Ask for the bangs to start at the cheekbones and blend into the bob’s front layers. Style the fringe by blow-drying it away from the face with a round brush for that open curtain shape. This is a good middle ground for women who find full bangs too heavy. curtain bangs short hair shows more ways to wear this fringe.
Try this: tuck the curtain bangs behind your ears on casual days for a different look.
Difficulty: Easy | Cost: $40-$80 at a salon
9. Bixie with Side Volume
The bixie sits between a pixie and a bob, a length that suits oblong faces. It stays short at the back of the neck while leaving enough length through the sides to build width around the cheeks. Ask your stylist to keep the top layers textured and directed sideways, not lifted. A bixie needs a trim every 5 to 7 weeks, since the shape grows out faster than a classic bob. On thick hair the cut holds its own shape; on fine hair a root-lifting spray adds the side fullness this style depends on.
Try this: blow-dry the sides forward and outward for maximum cheekbone width.
Difficulty: Moderate | Cost: $50-$90 at a salon
10. Stacked Inverted Bob
A stacked inverted bob is shorter and layered at the back of the head and longer toward the front, with the front pieces hitting the jawline. The stacked layers at the nape push volume outward through the sides, and the longer front pieces add width exactly where an oblong face needs it. Ask for a gentle graduation rather than an extreme wedge, since a severe stack can look dated. The front pieces can be worn straight or with a slight bend. This cut works on straight, wavy and thick hair. Keep the back trimmed regularly, or the stacked shape collapses and the width disappears.
Try this: run a flat iron over just the front pieces for a sleek finish against textured sides.
Difficulty: Moderate | Cost: $50-$95 at a salon
11. Deep Side-Part Bob
A deep side part is one of the simplest ways to make an oblong face look wider. The off-center line breaks the face’s symmetry, and the sweep of hair across the forehead shortens it visually. Pair the part with a chin-length bob and a few face-framing layers that flick outward at the cheeks. Style by blow-drying the longer side over with a round brush for a smooth, full sweep. This is also a no-commitment trick: if you are growing out bangs, a deep side part does the same job while you wait. Avoid pairing it with a tall, teased crown, which adds the length you are trying to hide.
Try this: set the part with a light-hold hairspray so it survives the whole day.
Difficulty: Easy | Cost: $40-$75 at a salon
What to Avoid with an Oblong Face
Some short styles work against a long face. Skip cuts that are flat and straight at the sides with no layers, since they emphasize the face’s narrowness. Avoid piling volume on top of the head; a tall crown makes the face read longer. A center part with no bangs or layers has the same lengthening effect, so add a fringe or side part if you like a middle part. Very long faces should also skip ultra-slicked styles that press the hair flat against the head. When in doubt, ask your stylist to cut for width at the cheeks and keep the top controlled.
Short Oblong-Face Cuts at a Glance
| Hairstyle | Best for | Maintenance | Width effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blunt chin-length bob with full bangs | Straight or slightly wavy hair | Low | Strong horizontal line at the chin |
| Textured piecey pixie | Thick hair | Low | Side fullness from choppy layers |
| Pixie with side-swept bangs | Fine to medium hair | Low | Diagonal fringe pulls the eye outward |
| Rounded bouncy bob | Fine hair needing body | Medium | Curved-under ends widen the lower face |
| Asymmetrical bob | Straight hair | Medium | Diagonal line distracts from length |
| Wavy textured bob | Wavy or heat-styled hair | Low | Waves push volume outward |
| Short curly shag | Natural curls | Medium | Layered curls build serious side width |
| Blunt bob with curtain bangs | Medium to thick hair | Low | Jawline weight plus a shorter forehead |
| Bixie with side volume | Thick or fine hair | Medium | Side length widens the cheek area |
| Stacked inverted bob | Straight or thick hair | Medium | Stacked nape layers fan outward |
| Deep side-part bob | All hair types | Low | Off-center part breaks face symmetry |
FAQs
Can you have short hair with an oblong face?
Yes. Short hair suits oblong faces as long as the cut adds width at the sides and keeps crown volume low. Chin-to-jaw bobs, textured pixies and short shags all do this well. The styles to be careful with are flat, one-length cuts with no layers and tall, voluminous crowns, since both emphasize length.
Do bangs make an oblong face look shorter?
Yes. Bangs cover part of the forehead, which shortens the face visually and balances the proportions. Full straight-across bangs give the most coverage, curtain bangs are a softer middle ground, and side-swept bangs add a diagonal line that also pulls the eye outward.
What is the difference between an oval face and an oblong face?
An oval face is balanced, with its length roughly one and a half times its width and softly rounded edges. An oblong face is noticeably longer than it is wide, often with a higher forehead and a longer chin. Oblong is sometimes described as a stretched-out oval.
What short styles should women with oblong faces avoid?
Avoid cuts that are flat at the sides with no layers, tall volume piled on the crown, center parts with no bangs, and ultra-slicked styles pressed flat to the head. Each of these either narrows the sides or adds height, and both make a long face look longer.
Which short cut adds the most width to an oblong face?
The short curly shag adds the most width, because stacked layers of curls build volume through the sides. If your hair is straight, the wavy textured bob or the rounded bouncy bob gives a similar widening effect with heat styling.
Final Thoughts
An oblong face does not limit you to long hair. Pick a short cut that builds width at the sides, covers the forehead with some kind of fringe, and keeps the top controlled, and the face reads balanced. Bring one of these ideas to your stylist, and ask them to cut for width first. The right short cut will do the rest.
