Oblike obraza in frizure

Styles to suit your face shape
by Donna Chapman

Oval face shapes are the most perfectly proportioned of all, but if you are not lucky enough to have one, take a tip from the celebs and use your hair to disguise and flatter less-than-perfect features.

Oval
Lucky you, your locks don t need to act as camouflage to create the illusion of a perfect oval - you ve got the raw material already. Oval face shapes are perfectly in proportion, with features nicely balanced: a narrow forehead, wide cheekbones and a small chin. Be as daring as you wish: short, long, layered, one length, even shaved - any style should suit you.

Celebrity inspiration: Kate Moss. The UK s trendiest model mum has grown out her crop and gone all tousled and feathery, as the fashion for 60s dolly-bird gets into gear for autumn.
Other celebrity ovals

Heart shapes
Similar to the oval, but the face narrows below the cheekbones, reaching a defined pointy chin. Styles that are fuller around the ends will widen the appearance of the chin and jawbone, thus making the face appear better proportioned and basically oval.

Celebrity inspiration: Jennifer Aniston. Gorgeous and appealing Jen realises that a short cut will not flatter a strong jawline and a prominent chin. She avoids fringes, prefers off-centre partings and uses her hair to slim the widest parts of her face. She doesn t often tuck her hair behind her ears or wear it up because she looks her best when it s long and loose ? whether straight or surfer-babe wavy. Subtly graduated long layers at the front create movement and again deflect attention from her chin.
Other celebrity hearts

Round
Your face is full-cheeked and circular. Keep hair sleek at the sides and you can lengthen the face by choosing a hairdo with plenty of volume on top. Newly fashionable 60s-influenced styles with a bit of backcombing at the roots are ideal. Avoid round or geometric styles because they ll only accentuate the roundness. Also avoid hard lines and wide block fringes that sit above the eyebrows and opt instead for a micro fringe, which can help lengthen the face. Feathered or layered hair falling on to the face will help create sleeker proportions. Keep curly hair all one length and ideally long, to avoid bulk. Full curls accentuate roundness, but scraped-back styles, high pony tails and updos with loose tendrils around the hairline are very flattering.

Celebrity inspiration: Christina Ricci. She has lost some of that baby-faced roundness lately, but layering around the face and a cut with volume on top help show her slimmed-down proportions more advantageously.
Other celebrity rounds

Square
A broad forehead and a strong square jawline dominate your face, so don t hop on the 80s-revival bandwagon with a geometric wedge cut - you ll only regret it when you resemble a Cubist-period Picasso. Slim those broad cheekbones with chin-length layers and, if you want a fringe, opt for a long wispy one. A graduated or classic bob makes an ideal shorter style because it hugs the face. Curls falling onto the cheeks will slim down the widest points of the face and help rebalance it.

Celebrity inspiration: Minnie Driver. Tumbling Pre-Raphaelite curls produces a more desirable heart shape, but you ve got to hand it to Minnie - she revels in her striking appearance and will wear her hair off her face in regal updos.
Other celebrity squares

Long
Characteristically, this shape includes a high forehead, narrow bone structure and long, well-defined chin. Avoid one-length straight hair, which will mirror your bone structure and make you look a bit like a mule. Break up the length with layers at eye and cheekbone level to create texture. A curly bob or long style will shorten the length of the face. A side parting will create an illusion of roundness. If your hair has a slight wave, use a diffuser with your hairdryer to emphasise the curls.

Celebrity inspiration: Sarah Jessica Parker. SJP s pre-Raphaelite look flatters her, as her long, narrow face is softened and balanced by the most gorgeous curls in the business. Tall, scraped-back topknots can be risky even for SJP, elongating her head and making her look like a pony, albeit a well-groomed one. She s glamorous and canny enough with her make-up to wear her hair shoulder-length and sleek, introducing a side parting to lower her expanse of forehead and create an illusion of roundness. Fringes, curls and flick-outs will all minimise a long face.
Other celebrity longs

Angular diamond shape
A fusion of square and heart proportions. Chin-length bobs and feathered shoulder-length styles will emphasise those dramatic angular planes, while rounding out the chin. Heavy fringes are a good look, as are flicks or a mane of dishevelled curls.

Celebrity inspiration: Reese Witherspoon. Reese s mid-length layered style is very versatile - worn straight or wavy with or without a fringe - and can look cute or sassy, depending on how it s styled. It can be texturised with mousse or wax or blow-dried straight to create a kicked-out shape.