Long hair and Long face

[Guenhwyvar]

Sorry this is a bit of a rant, its that emotional time and I'm a bit low.

I have always had and loved long hair but I also have a long face. I always thought I should get it cut to a bob, but I loved long hair so much.

Arwen has a long face and looks great with long hair...

This made me feel better, till I saw some photos of myself. I always think I look terrible in photos, they always really depress me. I dont even think I look like that in the mirror. Im trying to socialise and let people take pictures, but I always get upset when I see them.

I have had bangs, but they didn't sit right (always went to the sides and separated - I had them till last year).

I would love curly hair but mine is dead straight.

What do people think of long straight hair and long faces?

[duchesswannabe]

I am in the strict wear-it-the-way-you-what-you-want-it camp because you should have enjoyment in your life because God knows others try to take it from you. I think long hair is fine on long faces because it provides a balance. May I suggest a side part?

[tigereye]

I have a long face too, which is why some of my friends like to pester me to get it chopped up to BSL, and have layers around my face. Personally it would annoy me not to have bits of hair layering at that point. I do have longer layers at the moment, although for the first time, but they still all fit into a bun. I love having long hair. But I do find it can not look particularly nice if it's all straight and down my face. I have a side part which definitely helps, and wispy bangs which are basically the slow-growing hairs at the front of my head which fall out of my ponytail/braid/bun. I tuck them behind my ears, but they still soften up the whole long face thing.
Also, Half-ups are good for me, because you can leave the majority of the hair down, but you have it away from your face. In fact any hairstyle which keeps the hair at the front out of your face. I find if you can see my whole face up to the ears, it looks wider and more oval-shaped. Even just twisting the front section down and back, and tucking or pinning behind your ear helps. Otherwise I just use my fingers to push the front sections back and over the top of the other hair. It only works on my hair a day or so before wash day though, because otherwise there's too much slip for it to stay there.

[Violettwin]

I hate the way I look in photos, I have a long face & waist length hair, I have a side part & layers to add width to my face. But when it comes down to it long hair makes me feel good so I don't care what other people think!
Be kind to yourself & less critical, your hair is lovely by the way xxx

[Fethenwen]

:waving: I have a long face too.

Personally I hardly ever go without bangs because it really exaggerates my long features even more, I do have a cowlick and sometimes that makes my bangs also separate. But having a good cut helps a lot to keep them in place, I have layered bangs that are sort of face framing. Blunt bangs are harder to keep in place. Also using a straightener and some styling product helps, but I don't really use those myself anymore, it's not really the end of the world if bangs look a bit unkept.

So at least what helps for me is as I mentioned face framing bangs and then also some layers in front softens the look a lot. And I really prefer long hair now instead of short, long hair is possible with a "horseface" like mine :p

Waves help a lot to soften the look, my hair is mostly straight but I get bun and braid waves quite easily. If possible try get some curl if you are going to wear it down.

Sarah Jessica Parker (hate to have her as an example but) is also a good example of a person with a long face but she still can pull it off and even without bangs:
http://topnews.in/files/sarah-jessica.jpg Notice the soft waves.

Also putting some effort on your eyebrows can create an illusion of rounder features, I'm not really sure on how to do that but at least for me it looks like in that picture S.Parker really has the right shape to her brows, they are also quite thick. But hey, never mind that...


Don't be to hard on yourself, we are all beautiful in our own ways, try not to compare yourself to other people :flower: I'm sure there are people with really poofy round cheeks who would wish for your features and etc. The grass is always greener on the other side.

I also don't like the way I look in photos, but nowadays I have learned to laugh it off. What does it really matter, in the end looks are nothing but looks, it's what you do with your life that matters so don't put too much effort in worrying about how you look, ok? :)

I'm just gonna add that if you love long hair and feel it's your thing then don't listen to all those stylist "experts" jabbing about how you should conform and wear a hairstyle that suits your face. :poot:

[Nev]

I also have a long face but i'm still determined to grow my hair long. There are people who have long faces and long hair and look gorgeous :) ...although me on the other hand needs bangs and face framing layers.

[insomniac-uk]

I have a long face too, I have layers and a long side bang now but I did have it one length which I liked to. I think you just need to get a lot of volume, when i straightened my hair it still looked good as long as it was not too flat (use a hairdryer, not flat irons). Like Fethenwen said waves look good too.

[ladyfey]

I have a long face too. I do have bangs, but my hair is just past knee length. It is always up, so that helps with the look of it. I also photograph horribly, always have. Am totally with you on that, I find looking at pics of myself depressing, I don't think they look like I look in the mirror and I just don't think that I'm THAT ugly. :) So I totally feel you. If you feel that the long hair, long face bit is a problem - wear your hair up, problem solved!

[missmelaniem]

I dont have a long face but I have a suggestion! I do have hair in front only (maybe about the depth of an inch and a half or so) cut to about an inch below my chin to frame my face. I personally, on me, dont like the look of all one length hair, and having those pieces cut in front frames my face a bit and I just think looks a little better on me. Since you think a bob would look better on you, maybe that would be a nice compromise to try? If you dont like it, it'll grow with minimal pain. :)

[marzipanthecat]

Ah. I have a really, really round face, so my hair makes my head look even more like a football if I wear it down (which I do quite a lot).

However, I was going to ask if maybe you just aren't too happy with looking at photos of yourself no matter how you look? I'm kind of funny (meaning: really upset with how I look!) when I see any photos of myself. But I like my hair how it is, and frankly I can't get too worked up about my appearance (I am just too lazy!).

I think straight hair and a long face is just fine - maybe you could try putting your parting in a different place each day and see if that alters your opinion, if you are not happy?

[Kapri]

Thank you for starting this thread.

I have fine thin hair and a long face and all these tips are valuable for me.

I spend my whole time with people either encouraging me to grow it or get it cut to compensate for face shape and or hair texture. It makes me xxxx depressed sometimes.

I currently have a fringe and a shoulder length, very subtley inverted bob. This is because I felt ugly when it grew down to collar bone length. I am growing the fringe down to create more thickness and hair coming on to the face and will have whispy bits in the centre of the fringe so that I can push them to the side or back.


I look really nice with a half up-do too. It reveals my cheek bones.

I may stick with shoulder length for reasons of thickness. Will see.

Thanks again for starting this!

[going gray]

I too have a long face, & been told by every salon "expert" that my hair should be short. So, me, the woman that can't think for herself at 64, (way old enough to know better) cut it short AGAIN last May!

DON'T cut your hair, wear it exactly like you prefer & enjoy it!

[Kapri]

Dear Going gray,

How sweet of you to be so honest!

And I relate totally, aged 51!!

Kapri

[HuggyBear]

I have long, straight hair and my face is not really long but can look it when my face framing layers get too long. I think some face framing layers and/or soft side swept bangs look great on those with longer shaped faces.

[Kapri]

'I have long, straight hair and my face is not really long but can look it when my face framing layers get too long. I think some face framing layers and/or soft side swept bangs look great on those with longer shaped faces.'

Great advice.My hairdresser gave me a fringe recently and it is either too long or too short and too blocky relative to my face length. I think the softening effect of the side swept fringe is unbeatable and that a few strategic layers are required for width. I reckon I might be able to get longer with the help of layers and look nice if only the hair were not so thin..

Sorry to hijack thread..but I have struggled with this dilemma for ages ...

[Kapri]

and what frustrates me..is that you follow the directives of the hairdresser and pop in the next week for a chat with a friend ..and no-one compliments you on the way they have cut your xxxx hair!!! Perhaps you did know best all along...

having a hair break down!

[slz]

.................

[Rocket22]

I too have a long face and sometimes struggle with what is most flattering for my face shape. I do know one thing short hair looks terrible on me. I had bangs for years and years and just a couple of years ago grew them out. I'm still not sure what looks the very best on me.

[Jinglelocks]

Aww Guenhwyvar I'm sorry you're feeling so down about your hair right now. I think that long hair on a long face can look just fine. Fashion magazines discourage having long hair with a long face but I think it can definitely work - especially if long hair is what you love. The only reason they say that is because long hair has a vertical pull to it that enhances the vertical of the face (which is why long hair is spectacular on people with round faces). If you like long hair but are worried that it's drawing too much attention to your long face, consider getting small chin-length layers in the front, just enough to break up the line of hair on either side of your face directly. You can still do all the styles you like if you get super small layers.

Your hair is beautiful and so are you! Like MarzipantheCat said, maybe parting your hair in different ways will help. A center part is flattering on NO ONE, especially not someone with a long face to begin with - maybe experimenting with different kinds of parts will help. Good luck!

[Kapri]

Fab post Jingelocks

One point of disagreement. A centre parting is fab for those of us with longer noses. It is also very flattering in the sense that it evens out the thickness of hair on either side of the parting and when worn with a well cut, long fringe (ie with bangs) works well on a long face.

[Ginny Mae]

If it makes you feel any better, my mother and my old hairdresser have repeatedly told me that my face is "too small" to have long hair! (I have quite a pointy heart-shaped face). So you really can't win! And anyway it would be a crime to cut that pretty hair off.

[WaitingSoLong]

Too many replies to read through them all now but I will add mine:

I don't have a long face (I don't think?) but some ways I do my hair make it appear that way.

I like to do a zigzag part off to one side. This really stops the line that tends to draw people's gaze to the verticle. The wider the zig zag, the better it erases this effect.

As I don't wear fringe anymore, I also like to take just the front part of my hair (ears forward) and pull it straight up in a barette on the top of my head. This takes away the part completely and I think this compliments my face the best.

I would agree that face framing layers are good for longer faces (just observing other people).

I would also agree that I tend not to like the way I look in ANY style as I am very self critical no matter what.

[Kapri]

Waitingsolong,

The way you wear your hair really suits you. You look fab! I am not even a super committed long hair either!

Kapri

[Unofficial_Rose]

I wouldn't worry about photos. Some of the most attractive people I have met take an awful photo, and some quite plain people seem to look gorgeous in photos. It is most odd, this business of being photogenic or not. You'd think it would be a case of what you see is what you get, but so often that is not the case.

[WinterButterfly]

I also have a long face. But bangs irritate me. I found that half dos are awesome. I look nice with high pig tails and 2 high buns. This makes the top portion of my head look wider and rounder. The truth is though that if you like long hair then you don't need to worry about your face looking a little long. Do what you like. I look better with bangs. But I don't have them because I don't like dealing with them. I suppose you could get some sort of clip in bangs though.

[KwaveT]

You are always hearing that those with long face need to have bangs. It isn't going to stop me from doing it. I have an oblong face with high forehead. I am going to grow out my bangs along with my hair. I hate dealing with bangs especially with my wavy hair. They tend to take on a life of their own rather than what I want them to do. I will be glad when I don't have them anymore. You have to do what you feel comfortable with rather than what everybody thinks you are suppose to do.

[going gray]

and what frustrates me..is that you follow the directives of the hairdresser and pop in the next week for a chat with a friend ..and no-one compliments you on the way they have cut your xxxx hair!!! Perhaps you did know best all along...

having a hair break down!

Oh you have no idea idea how right you are. Yes, we DO know best Kapri. How about we trust our own instincts from now on.

And what has been said SO many times on the site "DO WHAT PLEASES YOU" I admit a hard lesson to learn. But this time I actually got it!

[amantha]

I also have a long/thin face and a small head so I hear you on this. I've found that having long hair makes my small head seem more proportional to my body shape, since I have wide hips....if that makes sense. However I do have a side part and I think that helps quite a bit. I also have layers in my hair, the shortest ones to about the middle of my neck.

About the photos, my friend once told me she learned in one of her classes that people tend to make the same look when they look at themselves in the mirror (angle their head a certain way, etc.)....typically a look that they think makes them look the most attractive. So when you picture yourself, you think of what you see in the mirror. Obviously photographs don't capture that. So when you see yourself from another view in a photo..your brain is like WTF I don't look like this! And then jumps to conclusions and makes you think you're ugly or something. This would make a lot more sense if I had a mirror and could demonstrate. Anyway what I'm trying to say is that your brain is playing tricks on you when everyone else thinks you look fine. :)

[MissManda]

I think the combination of long, straight hair and an oblong face is quite pretty, actually. Very elven and elegant. If you are happy with your long hair, then don't cut it or get a fringe or face-framing layers as previously suggested. :)

I have an oval-shaped face, but it can look oblong sometimes, so I like to part my hair in such a way so that it aligns with the arch of my eyebrow. I find this sort of parting very flattering on different face shapes.

I found this picture (http://www.hairthursday.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/tertia_before.jpg) while doing a random Google search and I think this woman looks gorgeous in the photo on the right. :D Seeing that picture actually made me wish my face was a little longer. :p

[MaryRose]

I have read somewhere that long slim faces look better with long hair. So I say to grow your hair long if you want to. Have confidence to wear the hair the way you like. You will look great!

[Elia]

I have a long face, and I've had short hair, and I do NOT not not not look better with short hair no matter what other beauty advice "experts" are saying. :) Just do what you think looks best.

[Teamouse]

I think hair can really change the appearence of face shape. I often feel like I have a long face, but if I pull my hair right back off face it's just a generic oval shape. I've had really short hair layered aroud my face which made my head look really round.
I do have a high forhead though. Which I absolutely hate. I also have a cowlick which means a straight fringe will never work for me.
A side part and a side swept frige is the only thing that really works for me.

Also, don't knock the thick eyebrows. They are much more youthful. They are totally back in fasion and the straighter they are the more they shorten a long face. Usually.
Personally I much prefer my thicker, natural looking eyebrows then the overplucked pencil thin eyebrows I had in highschool.

[Kapri]

Going Gray thanks for the encouragement to be confident in this matter!

I think we could start a whole new thread on the way our self-confidence gets affected by the beauty industry ..the directives in magazines which change with the seasons, the hairdressing industry etc

One thing re long faces and long hair that makes me laugh is that they frequently use the following celebs to illustrate the long face: Sarah Jessica Parker, lyv Tyler, Nikki Taylor, Gwyneth Paultrow (forgive spelling on any of these it is early), the woman who played Phoebe in friends, Salma Hayek ... and they ALL have long hair. Admittedly it is styled and waved to give it width. Gwyneth has a centre parting!!

[Kapri]

oh and another thing ..friends!!!

I have one friend who nagged me for years to grow it longer. Then a hairdresser chopped it into a layered cut to grow it down with a different shape and this friend loved it short.

I began to grow it down and UNBIDDEN she would tell me how much she liked it short.

Now that it is growing down, she tells me that she likes it in a 8 out of 10 kind of way ...still hoping I will get it cut short (a very short layered bob).

My mum, sister etc all want me to have short hair. We are a female short hair family.

I go home some holidays and there is silent disappointment that it is not cut.

Thankfully, my sis in law, who has fabulous hair, a little like Ultrabella's but finer, and wears it long, aged 50 looking sooo young, is encouraging me.

I am finding this thread really cathartic!!!

xx

[Kapri]

I used to go with the friend who gives advice to the same hairdresser. I go somewhere else now. He would say to her when her amazing, thick brunette hair (long and awavy) was being styled ..you look very glamorous. When my hair, that he wanted to cut into a chin grazing bob was dusted (It was very layered and shoulder length), he would say 'that's better'.

I always felt like my hair, my face shape was a problem project.

The same, of course, happens when you go to a cosmetics counter and they shine a light onto your skin and tell you all the hitherto unseen problems that their products are going to solve.

They create the problem in your head and provide a solution.

Women are very vulnerable in the area of beauty.

[Athena's Owl]

I have a diamond shaped face. this is an unusual face shape. all the hairstyle advice = bangs.

I have curly hair. bangs are a never-gonna-happen thing, and that's the end.

i find that *wide* hair helps. when I was growing out and wearing it straight, one of the stunts I would pull with my hair was to rock the "nancy Drew" style, side parted and shy down one side of my face, the ends curled to "flip" upward. it was slightly ridiculous how cute this style was, but it was so much work.

my diamond shape is exactly why I would go mad and cut it short again, because when I got the fullness of my hair right around my cheekbones it was just awful. much better when the fullness was lower than my jaw.

[Jinglelocks]

@Kapri: Thanks! That’s true, actually, I was envisioning hair sans bangs. But you’re right, a center part with bangs I’m sure is way more successful than just a plain center part. ”A centre parting is fab for those of us with longer noses.”Does it help make longer noses look shorter somehow, out of curiosity? I learn something every day.

@WaitingSoLong: Those are superb suggestions. Also, I just wanted to say that I think you’re gorgeous (judging by your signature pic and avvie!) even if you are feeling self critical about your styles!

@Teamouse: AMEN! I love thick brows, they’re so fresh and youthful!

@Athena’s Owl: A side note, the picture in your avatar is really cool I love the shapes your hair is making.

[Orangerthanred]

I'd love to have long, straight hair and a long face. Just middle part it and keep volume at the sides.

I have rather short, curly hair and a round face. It's x10 worse.

[Demetrue]

People used to tell me I had a long face (so I should cut off my long hair because it dragged my face down) - now I am thinking, "LONG as opposed to what? A football field? My face is about one or two inches longer than what is considered average - SO WHAT?? one or two inches is NOTHING in the entire scope of life and the natural world. WHO CARES that my face is longer than theirs? And if they care so much about it, what does that tell you about them? Something is seriously wrong in a world where any deviation from absolutely average must be snipped and cut and cropped so that we will all look exactly alike - that is just CRAZY!"

End of rant - bottom line - do NOT cut your hair :)

[scorpion-queen]

I have a long face, and I've always had long hair. The only person who ever thought anything negitave about it was me, after reading online guides about face shapes and hair lengths and obbsessing over what could make my face appear as short and round as possible. Back in high school a group of girls would make fun of my face shape, but they only wished they looked more like me when it really came down to it, and I know that now, crazy as it sounds. No man has ever said anything but positive words over my looks, and everyone seems to think I look great with either short, or long hair. But short hair is so difficult for me to manage, and my long hair just flows so much prettier in the breeze I think ;)
It's shoulder length now, and I'm trying to grow it out to at least waist length again after a super-short cut I rocked for a year or so.

[Kapri]

Jinglelocks,

Hi..the centre parting long nose connection is a mystery to me but I was given this feedback by the lovely Julyne Derek (spellt? argh) who does About Beauty a fun and informative mailing. She has a prominent forehead and has decided to accept it and grow out her fringe and focus on width. She has a shoulder length, swingy style. I also noticed a very pretty style on a girl at the supermarket and she goes to a great cutter who had given her a centre parting (she didn't have a long face so there were no bangs) and it did seem to balance things out....

In the end tho' you can go nuts with all the helpful tips to make your face look wider or whatever ..I have a long face, squareish jawline, prominent nose and very fine hair ..and the official advice is slightly different for each 'challenge' ... the moral being you do have to follow your instincts.

My instincts are telling me. One length, no fringe or long side swept fringe and half up dos. I will remain at just below shoulder length until the layers catch up.

[Jinglelocks]

@Kapri: Oh I see. I guess it's all in the magic of a good style!

[BlueMuse]

I understand about photos. I am just, not at all photogenic (but hey, it made it easy not to buy the "tour picture" when my husband and I went on a cave walk. Ten dollars to look like gollum, no thank you.) If you think it looks good on you when you look at yourself that is all that matters. We are far more fluid and expressive when not in a still frame, and that helps a lot. Odds are very, very good that you look far better in real life than in pictures. That is true of almost everyone who is not photogenic.

[Ashenputtel]

A lot of people with long faces look better with long hair (like Celine Dion)

I have a round face, and some hairdresser think I should keep layers to frame my face, but I don't.

I hate when people try to apply their morphology courses on me. Let me be.

I'm sure you look great with your long hair. Don't worry, some people don't photograph well.

[Kapri]

Jinglelocks,

I just googled centre parts and long noses and most people seem to disagree with the advice Julyne gave me. So perhaps best to disregard that. She does go to an excellent NY hairdresser so perhaps that's where she got the advice. It just goes to show that even at the level of face shape and hair advice there is disagreement!

[Kapri]

I'll try emailing her newsletter when I get a break... I'm interested now. Certainly with a fab bangs (fringe), cut to the right thickness and length (bangs) a centre parting can look fab and I suited one the last time it was cut like that. It's just become a bit irritatating since...

[Guenhwyvar]

Thanks for the replies, I do feel so much better :) I am growing out my bangs and I do love chin-length bangs as face framing. They will be that length soon.

I am afraid of layers as my hair was once longer than this and someone convinced me to get layers. First time I loved it, but second time most of my hair ended up shoulder length with one very thin layer almost tail bone! :'(

Also thinking about it I didnt like photos when my hair was shorter....

I am glad everyone here is happy with long hair no matter what people say. You all look stunning.

[Kapri]

Guenhwyvar,

Thanks again for starting the thread. Super helpful to have the discussion and I;m glad it helped you too.

[archel]

K, Sarah Jessica Parker has a long face and has always had long hair. The one time she hacked it off she just looked WRONG. Ya know? Wear what you love!

[Kapri]

Thank you Archel and, btw, I so agree re SJP ..it looked hacked off didn't it.
x

[archel]

Yeah, I had the same reaction when SJP cut her hair that I did when the gal on Felicity cut hers. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

[Kapri]

:) Nooooooooooooo

love it. I also felt the same when Jennifer Aniston did her post long hair shorter bob. Apparently she hated it too ..and took loads of hair vits etc etc

[archel]

Another timeless beauty who had a long face and long hair - Veronica Lake!

[Kapri]

Archel,

Her style with the long sweeping side part ..is what I am inspired by. !!!

Naomi Watts (I think) has a version of that sometimes and her hair is fine.

[<3OnHerSleeve]

My aunt and her daughter both have long faces and have the most remarkable beautiful hair. Everybody in our family tells them NO when they even mention cutting their hair because it REALLY suits them. I personally think that people with long faces suit long hair but that of course is my opinion. If you like your hair long then don't let anything discourage you!!!

[desertgirl]

I have a long face too, and I also cut my hair into a rather short bob to give it more width (as per a hair stylist's advice). My head looked fine, but my nearly 6' frame looked a little odd with so short of hair!

Now I'm forgetting about what long hair does to my face (I wear it up most of the time anyways) and considering what it can do for my overall figure (when I wear it down, of course). I think that longer hair draws attention to and flatters a woman's figure.

[Lize]

I have straight hair and a long face, and I look quite good in bangs. But I have chosen not to have bangs anyway. I want my hair long and blunt with no layers and no bangs. I always wear a side part though, since it looks better with my face shape. I know there are other hair styles that would be more complimentary with my face, but I want my hair to go with the whole me. Body and mind too. ;) I don't care much about the face shape thing. :)

[Sooze]

Another long face here. I also used to have a fringe but it became messy as I have surly hair, and straightening my fringe when a henna head was no longer a viable option for me. I've now grown it out into a side parting. I'm getting used to my long face. I wouldn't say I love it, but I'm learning to live with it, and I so know what you mean about not seeing yoursefl the way you look in other people's pictures. ((hug)) The important thing is that you change what you can (if you want), learn to be happy with what you can't change, and don't let others set the pace for what they think is "acceptable" or "unacceptable" for you.

I know from unhappy experience that letting others tell me how I should be wearing my hair has ended in unhappiness for me two or three times. Now I care much less what others think, and am more intent on pleasing myself about my appearance.

Lize sums it up beautifully.

[Kapri]

Sooze, great email.

I think Hilary Swank would be described as having a long face ..perhaps hers is an oval...
anyway she wears it with and without a fringe etc etc She does go for a well blow dried style though. She goes for fullness. I much prefer her with long hair to her shorter hair days. She is so much more glamorous like that.