19 Hairstyles for Square Faces That Soften Angles

Understanding Your Square Face Shape

Before diving into the styles, let’s confirm your face shape. A square face typically has a forehead, cheekbones, and jawline that are similar in width. The jawline is the key identifier—it’s strong and angular, often appearing nearly horizontal at the chin. The sides of your face are fairly straight. Hairstyling for square faces revolves around one core concept: creating contrast. We use softness, curves, and movement to contrast the natural angles, resulting in a harmonious and balanced appearance.

The Golden Rules for Square Face Hairstyles

Keep these principles in mind, whether you’re at the salon or styling at home. Seek asymmetry: A deep side part or uneven layers instantly break up symmetry. Embrace layers: They are your best friend, especially those that start at the jawline or below to frame the face. Add volume on top: Height at the crown lengthens the face. Avoid harsh, straight lines: Blunt bobs that end exactly at the jaw can emphasize its width. Instead, opt for texture and movement.

Short Hairstyles for Square Faces

Short hair can be incredibly liberating and chic for square faces. The key is to keep it soft and textured.

1. The Textured Pixie: Avoid boxy, geometric pixies. Instead, ask for a pixie with lots of choppy texture, longer pieces around the crown for volume, and wispy, side-swept bangs. This keeps the look playful and soft.

2. The Asymmetrical Bob: A bob cut several inches below the chin that is longer on one side than the other creates a stunning, face-framing effect. It draws the eye diagonally, softening the jawline.

3. The Shaggy Lob (Long Bob): The lob is universally flattering. For square faces, ask for a shaggy version with feathered, face-framing layers that start around the mouth or chin. The internal texture adds incredible movement.

4. The Side-Parted Short Crop: A sleek, side-parted crop with a tapered back and sides keeps the focus high on the cheekbones. The deep part breaks up the forehead’s width.

Medium-Length Hairstyles for Square Faces

Medium hair offers the perfect canvas for versatile styling and is ideal for creating those crucial softening layers.

5. Long, Side-Swept Bangs: Perhaps the single most effective trick. Long, side-swept bangs that blend into the rest of your hair create a diagonal line that obscures the corner of the forehead and jaw, adding instant softness.

6. Face-Framing Layers: Ask your stylist for layers that begin at the chin or just below, specifically cut to curve around your face. These layers should be cut on an angle, not straight across.

7. Soft, Wavy Shag: The modern shag is a layered masterpiece for square faces. With its curtain bangs, choppy layers, and overall texture, it distributes volume throughout, creating a perfectly balanced, cool-girl aesthetic.

8. Voluminous Waves: Big, soft waves that start at mid-length add width and curve around the jawline. Use a large-barrel curling iron and brush out the curls for a seamless, romantic look.

9. The Blunt Cut with Curved Ends: If you love a blunt cut, ensure it ends below the jawbone. Ask your stylist to cut the ends with a slight inward curve (under-cutting) to guide the eye downward.

Long Hairstyles for Square Faces

Long hair provides ample opportunity to create balance through length, layers, and styling.

10. Long, Layered Waves: The ultimate softening style. Long, cascading layers that start between the chin and shoulders, combined with loose waves, create a flowing, feminine look that distracts from angularity.

11. Off-Center Part with Soft Curls: Ditch the center part. An off-center part immediately creates asymmetry. Add loose, spiral curls throughout the length for a soft, romantic effect.

12. Feathered, 70s-Inspired Layers: Long, feathered layers that are shorter around the face and gradually lengthen toward the back add tremendous movement and frame the face beautifully.

13. Half-Up, Half-Down with Volume: Pulling the top section of your hair up adds height at the crown. Tease gently at the roots for volume and leave face-framing pieces down to soften the sides.

Bangs for Square Faces

Bangs can be a game-changer, but the type matters immensely.

14. Curtain Bangs: The holy grail for square faces. These parted-in-the-middle, face-framing bangs are longer at the sides, creating a flattering, V-shaped frame that draws the eye inward and downward.

15. Wispy, Piecey Bangs: Avoid thick, heavy, straight-across bangs. Instead, opt for bangs that are broken up, textured, and slightly uneven. They provide coverage without adding a hard horizontal line.

16. Angled Side Bangs: Bangs that are cut on a sharp diagonal from short at one temple to longer past the opposite cheekbone are incredibly dynamic and softening.

Styling Tricks & Finishing Touches

It’s not just the cut—it’s how you style it.

17. The “Root Lift” Blowout: When blow-drying, focus on lifting the roots at the crown for height. Use a round brush to curl the ends under or outward, away from the face, to avoid adding width at the jaw.

18. Braids as Face Framers: Incorporate a loose, side-swept braid (like a French braid starting at the temple) into your hairstyle. It pulls hair away from the face in a soft, diagonal line.

19. Accessorize Strategically: Headbands worn back on the head (not tight across the forehead), or clips that pull hair back at the sides, can help create a longer, more oval appearance.

Embrace Your Angles with Confidence

Your square jawline is a signature of strength and beauty. These 19 hairstyles are tools to enhance what you already have, not to mask it. The most important tip is to wear your hair with confidence. When you feel good, you look good. Bring these ideas to a trusted stylist who understands face shapes, and collaborate on a cut that reflects your personal style while honoring the unique architecture of your face. Softening angles is about creating balance, and with these styles in your arsenal, you’re ready to achieve just that.

Ready for your transformation? Book a consultation with a skilled stylist and bring this guide with you. Your most flattering look awaits.