Face Shape Men: Find Yours, and the Collar, Beard and Hair That Suit It
Men's faces fall into seven shapes: oval, round, square, oblong, heart, diamond and triangle. Find yours by comparing forehead, cheekbone and jaw width with face length. Then balance it: add length to round faces, width to long ones, and softness to angular ones, through your collar, beard and haircut.
Use a mirror, pull your hair back, and look straight on. Four questions.
How to find your face shape
Pull your hair back and look straight into a mirror or a photo taken at eye level. Compare four things: the width of your forehead, your cheekbones and your jaw, and the length of your face from hairline to chin. Your shape is mostly about which of these is widest, and whether the face is longer than it is wide. The quiz above does this in a few taps.
The 7 face shapes for men
| Shape | How to tell | Collar | Beard | Hair | Glasses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oval | Longer than wide, cheekbones widest, gently rounded jaw | Almost any; a point collar is ideal | Any, from clean-shaven to full | Almost any cut | Most frames |
| Round | Length and width similar, soft jaw, full cheeks | Point or narrow spread, to add length | Longer at the chin, short on the sides | Height on top, short sides | Rectangular, angular frames |
| Square | Forehead, cheeks and jaw similar width, strong angled jaw | Point or semi-spread | Short and rounded, or stubble | Textured crop, side part | Round or oval frames |
| Oblong | Clearly longer than wide, straight sides | Spread or semi-spread, to add width | Fuller on the sides, short at the chin | Fringe or side volume, avoid tall tops | Deep, wide frames |
| Heart | Wide forehead, narrow pointed chin | Spread or semi-spread | Fuller beard to add width at the jaw | Medium length, softer top | Bottom-heavy or rimless |
| Diamond | Wide cheekbones, narrow forehead and jaw | Point or semi-spread | Full chin beard to broaden the jaw | Fringe or fullness at the forehead | Oval or browline |
| Triangle | Jaw wider than the forehead | Point collar | Light, close beard; avoid width at the jaw | Volume on top and sides | Top-heavy, browline |
The rule behind all of it
Balance. Add length to a round or wide face, width to a long or narrow one, and softness to a strongly angled one. Your collar points work like lines on your face: a long point collar draws the eye down, a spread collar draws it across.
Collars on mtsya shirts
Every mtsya shirt has a soft point collar, which suits oval, round, square, diamond and triangle faces. Oblong and heart faces can wear it too; leave the top button open to widen the neckline. See Manu White, Deluge or Deep Water, each with the Matsya fish stitched small at the chest.
Next, find your colours with the skin tone quiz, or your size with the size finder. Even Manu needed the fish to show him the shape of the way ahead.
Shop the shirts
Questions, answered
How do I know my face shape as a man?
Pull your hair back and compare the width of your forehead, cheekbones and jaw with the length of your face. If length and width are similar and soft, you are round; if equal and angular, square; if long, oblong; if the cheekbones are widest, oval or diamond.
What is the most common face shape for men?
Oval and square are among the most common. Many men are a mix of two shapes, so go with the one that best describes your jawline and length.
Which collar suits a round face?
A point collar or narrow spread suits a round face because the points draw the eye downward and add length. Avoid very wide cutaway collars.
Which beard suits a round face?
Keep the sides short and let the beard grow a little longer at the chin. This adds length and gives the jaw more definition.
What haircut suits an oblong face?
Avoid tall styles. Choose a fringe or side volume to add width and shorten the face visually.
The fitting room
Read next:What colours suit me ·Style profile quiz ·The fitting room