When you're searching for event hair ideas for a big occasion, it's easy to get overwhelmed by countless photos of intricate updos and glamorous curls. But the secret to finding your most flattering hairstyles isn’t just copying the latest trend. It’s choosing a style that suits your unique face shape. Whether it’s a wedding or a black-tie gala, you want to look and feel your best with a hairstyle that complements your features. In this guide, we’ll walk through the best hairstyles by face shape so you can confidently pick a fantastic look tailored to you. From red-carpet updos to romantic waves, the goal is to find formal hairstyles for women that highlight their natural beauty.
Identifying Your Face Shape
Before we match hairstyles to face shapes, take a moment to determine your actual face shape. Pull your hair back from your face and examine your facial outline in the mirror. Generally, most people fall into a few categories of face shapes:
- Oval Face: Slightly longer than it is wide, with balanced proportions. The jaw is a bit narrower than the forehead, and there are no sharp angles.
- Round Face: Approximately as wide as it is long, with full cheeks and a softly curved jaw and chin.
- Square Face: About equal in length and width, but with a strong, angular jawline and a broad forehead. The face has more straight lines than curves.
- Heart Face: Wider forehead and cheekbones that taper down to a narrower, pointed chin. Often, a widow’s peak hairline is present.
- Long (Oblong) Face: Noticeably longer than it is wide, with a straight cheek line. The forehead, cheeks, and jaw are roughly the same width.
- Diamond Face: Narrow at the forehead and chin, widest at the cheekbones. High cheekbones are a hallmark.
Once you know your face shape, you’re ready to find styles that will flatter it.
Round Face Shape: Add Height and Structure
When considering hairstyles for round faces, the goal is usually to introduce height and a bit of angularity to balance out the face’s natural width. Round faces have gentle features and equal proportions in length and width, so that the right hairstyle can create the illusion of a longer, more oval face. Styles with volume at the crown or top of the head work wonders for round faces because they draw the eye upward. A high bun or top knot is a classic choice that adds length to your face. Even a dramatic high ponytail can elongate your face and give you a sleek look for formal events. Height in your hairstyle helps slim and lengthen the appearance of a round face. For example, a voluminous bouffant updo or a half-up style with teased crown can create that vertical emphasis.
Side-swept hairstyles are very flattering on round faces. A deep side part breaks the symmetry and adds an angle across the face. Consider sweeping your bangs or front pieces to one side. Soft, side-swept waves cascading over one shoulder can add a touch of Old Hollywood glam while also giving the face more definition. Layered haircuts that hit below the chin help reduce the appearance of width by adding vertical lines. Curls or waves that begin below the cheeks will also help slim the face.
There’s a misconception that a round face can’t do short hair, but the right short hair for a round face can look amazing. The key is to incorporate volume or texture that creates angles. A short pixie cut with extra height on top can be incredibly chic for a round face. Even a daring cropped cut can flatter you if styled properly. If a pixie feels too bold, try a trendy lob (long bob) that falls just above the shoulders with a deep side part; it’s short yet elongating. Short hair can absolutely be one of the flattering hairstyles for round faces when it’s cut and styled to add some height or angle.
Oval Face Shape: Versatility at Its Best
This shape is often considered the “ideal” for hairstyles because of its balanced proportions. An oval face is slightly longer than it is wide, with no major sharp angles, making it suitable for a wide variety of styles. Oval face shapes are known as the most adaptable, and you can experiment with almost any look. You don’t necessarily need to balance anything out, so you can choose a hairstyle that highlights what you love most. Have great eyes? Try elegant hairstyles with a sleek center part and hair tucked behind the ears to draw attention upward. Proud of your jawline? A smooth high ponytail or a ballerina bun pulls hair off the face to showcase those balanced bone structures. Because an oval face can handle hair being off the face, feel free to slick it back or pin one side up for a chic look.
Long Face Shape (Oblong): Create Width and Balance
The trick for hairstyles for long faces is to add width and avoid styles that further lengthen the face. In other words, we want to visually "widen" the face a bit and not add extra height on top. To counteract vertical length, think horizontal lines in your hairstyle. Curls and waves are your best friends here because they add softness and width on the sides. Big bouncy curls, beachy waves, or even a stylish blowout with ends curled outward can all add volume around the cheekbones and jaw, which helps broaden the appearance of your face. Wearing your hair in loose, side-swept waves or adding waves from the mid-length down creates a horizontal flow that makes your face look more proportional.
Very long, pin-straight hair tends to emphasize a long face shape. If your hair is past mid-back, you might consider an event style that involves pinning some of it up or creating waves to avoid a “curtain” that pulls the face downward. Medium lengths or at least styling long hair with layers and texture will serve you well. Layered hair can create the illusion of width by having pieces that hit at different points, subtly widening those areas. If your hair is naturally straight and you want to wear it down, try a deep side part with the ends of your hair flicked outwards or in waves. Another trick is to tuck hair behind the ears; showing a bit of ear can actually add horizontal interest, especially if paired with statement earrings at a formal event.
Square Face Shape: Soften and Sooth the Angles
Square faces are characterized by a strong jawline and a broad forehead, with the width of the face nearly equal at the forehead, cheeks, and jaw. This face shape has a particular strength and elegance. Think along the lines of Angelina Jolie or square-faced runway models, but the goal with a hairstyle is often to soften the angular features for a harmonious look. For events, you’ll want styles that add softness, curves, or movement around the face. Curls, waves, and flowing textures are fantastic for square faces because they introduce gentle curves to counteract the straight lines of your jaw and forehead. Loose curls that frame the face can literally “soften” the outline of a square face. For instance, wearing your hair in big, loose waves or tousled curls at a formal event can help visually soften the corners of your face. If you opt for an updo, consider leaving some curly tendrils or face-framing pieces out in front. A textured low bun or a curly side-swept updo can look very feminine on a square face, as the curls soften the perimeter of your face shape.
Heart Face Shape: Balance the Forehead and Chin
Heart-shaped faces are beautiful and somewhat delicate, characterized by a broader forehead and cheekbones that taper down to a narrow, sometimes pointy chin. This shape often gives a very cute or pixie-like appearance. When choosing a hairstyle for a heart face, the aim is typically to balance the wider top of the face with the narrower bottom.
Because a heart face is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, adding a bit of width lower down helps create a more balanced silhouette. One great way to do this is through curls or outward waves in the lower half of your hair. If you wear your hair down to an event, you might curl the ends of your hair or do a bouncy blowout that flips out at the shoulders. This creates the illusion of more fullness near your chin.
Heart-shaped faces often have a lovely but sometimes pronounced forehead. A side-swept hairstyle can break up the width of the forehead and direct attention to the center of your face. Try a deep side part with your hair swept across the forehead, which can visually "cut" the broad forehead and also looks stylish. Side-swept bangs or long fringe angled to the side are incredibly flattering on heart faces. They cover part of the forehead and blend into the rest of the hair around the eyes or cheekbones, creating a nice balance. For an event, you could do a glamorous side-swept Hollywood wave. Another idea is a side-parted low ponytail or side bun, where the hair is parted deeply and gathered low on one side. This adds volume around your neck and looks very elegant.
Diamond Face Shape: Highlight Those Cheekbones
A side-swept fringe that hits around the brow line can make the forehead area appear a touch wider and also draw attention horizontally across the face, which is flattering. Moreover, side bangs will merge nicely into the rest of your hair, highlighting the cheekbones. So for an event, consider styling your hair with a deep side part and allowing some strands to sweep across your forehead. If you wear a bun or half-up style, leave a side fringe out. If you wear your hair down, definitely try a side part with some wave or curl starting near the cheeks to accentuate that area.
Timeless Styles that Flatter Any Face Shape
These are the classic go-to looks that tend to suit most people, regardless of face shape, because they strike a nice balance and aren’t extreme in any one dimension. If you’re ever in doubt or want a fail-safe option, consider one of these approaches:
- Soft Waves and Volume: Arguably, one of the most universally beloved event hairstyles is simply wearing the hair in soft, voluminous waves. There’s a reason you see this style on red carpets over and over. It looks glamorous and complements nearly everyone. The gentle wave adds a bit of width, the volume adds a bit of length, and the overall softness is flattering to square and heart shapes alike. Voluminous waves are a universally flattering and slimming style. Big waves that frame the face provide an outstanding balance of glamour and approachability.
- Half-Up, Half-Down Styles: The half-updo is a true chameleon. It can be adapted to suit any face shape because you control how much hair is up versus down. This style gives you a bit of lift at the crown and the security of an updo, while still allowing hair to flow and soften your look. For round faces, you might do a half-up with extra height at the crown. For long faces, a half-up with the sides pulled back horizontally can add width. For square and heart faces, a half-up style with some face-framing waves works perfectly. It’s all about tweaking it, but the general concept of half-up, half-down is nearly always a winner for special occasions.
- Classic Low Bun or Chignon: A low bun at the nape of the neck is a timeless hairstyle that screams sophistication. The reason it works for everyone is that it doesn’t add unflattering height or width; it sits at the base and simply gathers the hair neatly. By adjusting the styling of the front, a low bun can suit any face shape.
- Braided Details: If you want something beyond the standard curls and buns, consider incorporating braids in a polished way. Braids can be adapted for any face shape and add an interesting texture to your hairstyle. For example, professional braids styled as a loose fishtail down one side can elongate and slim or simply provide a romantic vibe. A braided crown or braided updo adds volume around the head, which could benefit long faces or just serve as a beautiful boho touch to any look.
These “timeless” styles work across the board because they strike a balance, neither overly voluminous nor extremely flat, and neither too edgy nor too fussy. They also allow your face to be seen and shine, which is exactly what you want at a big event.
Working with a Professional Stylist for the Perfect Look
After considering all these hairstyle tips for events and face shapes, you might decide that you’d like some expert help to achieve the ideal style. Professional hairstylists bring experience and an objective eye to tailor a look specifically for you. While knowing your face shape is a great starting point, an experienced stylist will consider your whole vision. They’ll factor in your dress, the event vibe, your personal style, and more to design a cohesive look that flatters you from head to toe. If you’re attending a really important occasion, it can be worth booking a pro to ensure your hair is flawless and stress-free on the day.
One convenient option is to book event hairstylist services through an on-demand beauty provider. For instance, Glamsquad is a popular platform that lets you schedule a vetted stylist to come to your home or venue, so you can get ready comfortably. Using such hairstyle services, you can discuss with the stylist ahead of time about your face shape and what styles you’re considering. They can then recommend and execute a look that meets your criteria while also being optimized for your face shape and hair type. The result will be a polished, professional hairstyle that not only looks stunning in person but also holds up through hours of dancing, photos, and hugs.
Another advantage of having a pro stylist is the confidence boost. You won’t have to worry if your curls are even or if that braid is going to unravel. This lets you focus on enjoying the event itself. And if it’s a truly big life event like your wedding day, hiring a hairstylist for wedding events is almost always a wise investment. They’ve styled countless brides and attendants, so they know how to create a hairstyle that looks beautiful from every angle, feels secure through hours of celebration, and coordinates with things like veils or hairpieces if you’re using them.
Choosing an event hairstyle is a fun opportunity to express your style and enhance your natural features. By considering your face shape, you can select a look that truly complements you rather than fighting against your proportions. The perfect hairstyle is one that makes you feel confident and beautiful. With a bit of experimentation, you’ll discover what works best for you. So the next time you’re preparing for a special occasion, you can skip the panic and know exactly what kind of style to request or try.
Sources
- Byrdie – 35 Hairstyles That Slim and Sculpt Your Face Like Magicbyrdie.com
