A square face shape is defined by strong, angular lines — a broad forehead, prominent angular jaw, and face width and height that are close to equal. Square faces convey strength and structure. The styling challenge is not to hide these qualities but to soften the angles where softness helps, creating a face that reads as strong and beautiful rather than heavy.
What Makes a Square Face Shape
The defining features of a square face:
- ✦Forehead, cheekbones, and jaw are all approximately equal in width
- ✦Jawline has clearly defined, angular corners — not curved
- ✦Face is roughly as wide as it is long
- ✦Strong, flat chin rather than a pointed or rounded one
The distinction between square and round: both have roughly equal width and height, but the square has sharp jaw corners where the round has curves. The distinction between square and rectangular: both have angular jaws, but the rectangular face is notably longer than it is wide.
Celebrity Example
Angelina Jolie is one of the most cited square face shape examples — a strong jawline with angular corners, a broad forehead, and well-defined bone structure. Her consistent use of soft frames, round glasses, and layered hair demonstrates how softening works with the square without undermining its inherent strength.
Best Glasses for Square Faces
The goal with glasses for square faces is to soften and contrast the angular jaw. Frames that add curves and roundness balance the face's strong lines.
Best choices:
Oval frames are the ideal contrast — their rounded, elongated shape directly softens the square jaw's angularity.
Rimless frames add minimal visual weight and don't reinforce the angular structure of the face.
Round frames soften the jaw beautifully, though they work best when sized proportionally — slightly smaller or medium-sized rather than dramatically oversized.
What to avoid:
Geometric or angular frames — square, rectangular, or strongly angular shapes reinforce the jaw's angularity rather than balancing it.
Square frames are the clearest example: they match the face's existing shape and offer no contrast. The face looks heavier and the angles more pronounced.
→ Best glasses for all face shapes
Best Blusher Placement for Square Faces
Blusher for square faces aims to soften the jaw's angularity and create the impression of a slightly more oval silhouette.
Do: Apply blusher from the apples of the cheeks upward and outward in a diagonal, blending toward the temples. Keeping blush in the upper half of the face draws attention away from the jaw and toward the cheekbones.
Avoid: Applying blusher low on the face near the jaw, which draws the eye to the angular corners and makes the jaw appear wider and heavier. Keep all colour in the upper-cheek zone.
→ Best blusher placement for all face shapes
Best Hairstyles for Square Faces
Hairstyles that soften the jaw and add length work best. Volume at the top and softer sides create the impression of an oval proportion.
Do:
- ✦Long layers that soften the jaw and add length overall
- ✦Soft waves and curls that break up the angular silhouette
- ✦Side-swept fringes that break the strong horizontal of the forehead
- ✦Volume at the crown to add height and length
- ✦Long styles that fall below the jaw, drawing the eye downward past the angular corners
Avoid:
- ✦Blunt bobs that end at the jaw — this draws the eye directly to the jaw's width and angularity
- ✦Very straight, flat styles with no movement — these emphasise the strong angles
- ✦Very short styles with volume at the sides, which add width to an already wide jaw
→ Best hairstyles for all face shapes
The Square Face's Strength
Square faces are inherently striking. The angular jaw that stylists work to soften is the same quality that makes square-faced women memorable. The goal of any styling choice is not to disguise the face but to create balance — and a well-chosen frame or haircut achieves this without sacrificing what makes a square face distinctive.
Find your face shape at inmycolors.com.