The 6 Best Haircuts for Square Faces

A mono-length bob (think Uma Thurman's character in Pulp Fiction) can be a little severe on square face shapes. Ask your stylist for Keira Knightley's take on the look—an angled cut with long pieces in front that gradually get shorter toward the back. "They elongate rather than widen the face," says Teddi Cranford, hairstylist at Sally Hershberger Downtown Salon in New York City.

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"Keeping hair close to your face will soften a strong jawline," says New York hairstylist Peter Butler, who works with Claire Danes. This doesn't mean you should hide behind your hair—the best way to showcase your face without accentuating squareness is by cutting the shortest layer even with your chin. Define the layers with a styling cream like Oribe Creme for Style.

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Gisele Bundchen's textured waves are her signature for a reason: Her ultralong layers are just plain sexy. Her secret? "They're not perfectly even on both sides," says Cranford. "No one's face is totally symmetrical, so matching up your layers exactly can actually have a hardening effect." For Bundchen's beachy look, spritz a texturizer like Kevin Murphy Hair Resort Spray onto damp hair and let it air dry.

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Rosario Dawson's bob is a flattering illusion—her long hair is actually pinned under—but it gives her the same effect as the cut. "These soft, loose waves around the face have a diffusing effect," says Butler, who has worked with Dawson.

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Too-short layers can make a square face shape seem flat or wide. Gwyneth Paltrow's soft long layers are ideal because "they spotlight her face without creating any breaks or distracting sections," says Butler. For a smooth finish, work a frizz-taming straightening balm onto damp hair before you blow-dry. We like Fekkai Coiff Contrôle Ironless Straightening Balm.

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Avoid too-blunt bangs, which accentuate square jaws. Breezy, sideswept bangs like Olivia Wilde's take the edge off angular lines. "These bangs have a softer drape that immediately draws attention to the eye level," Butler adds.