A few years ago, I was tasked to make a presentation to a group of girls and I 

decided to explain the connection between face shapes and hairstyles.  It is interesting working with children because sometimes you cannot tell if they understand what you are saying right away.  I thought they did not care much for what was said until their mothers cornered me in the hallways!

The moms who were not at the presentation were curious to know exactly what I told them.  It seems a few of my little attendees protested certain hairstyles their mothers normally did on them.  They eloquently informed them that because of this and that reason, that style was not suitable.  I was so proud.  My little converts were taking a stand and their mothers could not overturn it!

I have read articles on the best styles for your face shape but what if you want to try one that is not suitable for it?  Do you cancel it or do you make simple modifications?  If you understand the connection between face shapes and hairstyles, you definitely can.  In this article, I speak about women.  A lot of barbers need to understand this connection but I will discuss that another time.  What changes have to be done to wear a style not suited to your face shape would depend on how close you are to the classic shapes.

Throughout my career, I have found that there are exceptions to rules.  While some say you cannot do a certain hairstyle because it fits an oval-shaped face, for example, you could make a slight change and get a pleasing result.  Some face shapes look more striking with short hair e.g. Halle Berry or Charlize Theron.  Others, like BeyoncĂ©, or Giselle, just look fabulous with longer tresses.  Many women want a hairstyle on their fave celebrity without considering if they have the same face shape.

In my presentation to those girls, I gave them the task of identifying the face shapes under various hairstyles.   Face shapes, like body shapes, are able to be changed to meet your stylings needs once you understand the connection between face shapes and hairstyles.  A ton of makeup is now the trendy way to do this, but what if you had none?

By Paula Barker, Silkie Locks Hair Design

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