Maybe you have decided long hair is too high-maintenance, or you are just looking to switch up your hairstyle. Either way, you're probably wondering if you can pull off a bob haircut. We have researched what face shape is best for a bob and many other questions related to the topic at hand.
Oval faces tend to look best with the classic bob haircut. However, there are lots of different styles of bob cuts, so most people can pull it off. When you're considering what style of bob to go for, it's important to consider what your face shape is, how long the style you want is, and what texture the haircut is going to have.
In this post, we will describe how to tell what face shape you have and what bob haircut will be the best for certain face shapes. We will also cover whether you can pull it off with fine hair and how to tell if you would look good with short hair. So without further ado, let's get to it!
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How To Tell What Face Shape You Have
There are 5 common face shapes. These are heart, square, oval, rectangle (diamond), and round. To determine what shape you have, look at the cheekbones, jawline, forehead, length, and width of your face. It is possible to have a combination of the different shapes, or not quite fit into any of the categories.
There are a couple of different methods for determining face shape. One of them is simply to look in the mirror and use key features to tell what face shape you have. The other requires taking a selfie and laying a piece of thin paper over it, then tracing your face.
Mirror Method
For this method, simply look at yourself straight-on in the mirror and pay attention to your facial features.
Heart-shaped faces have a narrow jaw, a pointy chin, a wide forehead, and wide cheekbones. People with square faces have strong jawlines, square chins, broad foreheads, and their faces are equally wide and long.
Round faces do not have a lot of angles. This face shape comes with a full rounded jawline, full and wide cheeks, and the face tends to be fairly equal in length and width.
Oval faces are evenly proportioned with a rounded jawline. The cheekbones are the widest part of the face and the forehead is slightly wider than the jawline. People with rectangle-shaped faces have a square jaw, high forehead, and it's longer than it is wide.
Selfie Method
Take a forward-facing picture of yourself and print it out. Get thin paper, like wax paper, and lay it over the top of the picture. If you have long hair, pull it back when you take the picture to make the lines of your face more visible.
Now, either completely trace the shape of your face or put dots in key areas (your temples, chin, jawline, hairline, cheekbones, etc.). Then connect those dots. Whatever shape appears is, well, your face shape.
This method is probably a little more accurate, even though it takes longer. If the shape that appears doesn't look exactly like one face shape, you could be a combination of shapes.
Bob Cuts By Face Shape
Oval Face
This face shape is the most well-suited for bob cuts because this face shape is very evenly proportioned. In fact, oval faces can pull off almost any hairstyle. The only thing to avoid with an oval face is thick fringed bangs or other hairstyles that put a lot of hair onto the face.
If you want a hairstyle that will make your face look thinner, go with a grown-out pixie cut that has added waves. A side-swept wavy bob and a stacked inverted bob are also really flattering for oval faces. It is recommended to style these cuts by doing a blowout, which will make your hair look voluminous and make your face look slightly more rounded.
Round Face
If you have a round face, you don't want to cut your hair too short. Avoid any cuts that end at or above your chin, along with full bangs or center parts, because they will make your face look fuller.
While short bobs are not suitable for rounder faces, you can still pull off an A-line bob or an angled bob. Any bob that is slightly longer than your chin will make your face look thinner, as long as you stay away from thick bangs. You can also try out a wavy bob.
When you style your bob, you will want to add volume to it. The extra volume is necessary to add to the slimming effect.
Square Face
If you have a square face, you want to avoid blunt or boxy bobs because they will make you look masculine. When you have a square face shape, you want to get your hair cut in a way that will soften your features.
Some bob cuts that do this are the asymmetrical bob and the long, angled bob. This cut rests right at or slightly above your shoulders. Stick with a middle part or a side-part because they add additional softness.
To style this cut, you want to use a serum that will make your hair smooth and shiny. Do a straight blowout or straighten your hair with a straightener to achieve a really shiny, smooth look that will be extremely flattering.
Rectangle Face
If you have a long face, you will want to avoid long hair. The longer your hair, the longer your face will seem. So, you will want to stick to shorter styles because they will make your face look a little wider and a bit less long.
Chin length bobs are best for this facial shape. You can choose a textured chin-length bob or a blunt bob with a fringe. A chin-length bob will look good on you, no matter how you style it.
Heart Face
You want to avoid any cuts that elongate the head, like chin length and extra short bobs. These cuts will enhance the short forehead heart-shaped faces have, which isn't flattering.
For heart-shaped faces, the best bobs are shoulder length, such as the textured lob. You can also pull off the chunky layered bob, which comes to right below the chin. You also may want to try swooping bangs and layers to really accentuate your heart-shaped face.
To style your hair, try doing beach waves or side-swept bangs.
Can You Have A Bob Hairstyle If You Have Fine Hair?
Yes, you can get a bob hairstyle with fine hair. In fact, short and medium bob hairstyles look really good if you have fine, thin hair. To make your hair look thicker, consider shaggy cuts with lots of layering.
When styling your cut, add wispy curls, angled cuts, and asymmetrical cuts. For medium cuts, try adding waves to your hair to add volume and body.
How Can You Tell If You Would Look Good With Short Hair?
The best way to know if you can pull it off is simply to get the haircut you want. However, this can seem a bit frightening to attempt, especially if your hair grows slowly. So, you can download an app that will let you try on different hairstyles or you can try this measurement system that hair expert John Frieda came up with while studying facial structures:
A John Frieda hairstylist said that the angle of your jawbone matters more than the overall face shape, which is why this method works. To use John Frieda's measurement system, called the 2.25-inch rule, you will need a mirror, a pencil, and a ruler.
To start, you stand in front of the mirror so you can see the side of your face. Next, hold the pencil horizontally under your chin and the ruler under your ear vertically. Then you measure the distance from your ear to your jawbone. If it's less than 2.25 inches, you can pull off short hair. Measuring more than that means you should probably stick to longer styles.
How Do You Choose Your Hairstyle?
When choosing a hairstyle, you need to consider your face shape. You also need to consider the texture of your hair, the length of your neck, and the upkeep needed for the style you choose. If you want, there are also apps to help you experiment with different styles.
Thicker hair should have fewer layers than thinner hair. If you have curls, it is better to go with layers. If you have a shorter neck, go with shorter styles as they will make your neck look longer.
The shorter the haircut, the more it takes to maintain. If you don't plan on seeing your stylist at least every 3-4 months, you probably should avoid really short styles. You also need to consider what hair products you are willing to use to maintain your look.
What Are Some Flattering Bob Hairstyles For Everyone?
If you aren't sure about what your face shape is, here are a few bob styles that look good on almost everyone.
Blunt Bangs And Shoulder Length Hair
This cut is very simple. It involves blunt bangs and hair that is cut to your shoulders. Most people will find this style flattering.
Collarbone Bob
A collarbone bob works for people who don't want to cut their hair too short. It is curled slightly at the collarbone level.
Sliced Bob
Sliced bobs are a bit longer than your chin and work to frame your face.
Quick Recap
We've covered a lot in this post. Now you'll know how to determine your face shape, what bob style fits your face shape best, and what length bob you should go for. If you liked this post, check out these related posts:
