These Are the Best Bangs for Every Face Shape, According to Hairstylists

I've had bangs since I was three-years-old, so when people tell me that they wish they could pull them off the way I do, I'm always a little surprised. Being that I've been rocking this look since I was a toddler, it hardly seems risky to me. Still, it's a common-enough comment that now I understand that the idea of cutting face-framing fringe is an intimidating one.

According to celebrity stylist Jonathan Antin, however, anyone can "pull off" bangs, just like I've been saying. "Any bang looks great on anyone if it's cut properly," he explains. "Like a great dress, if it's tailored in the right way, it'll work." The most versatile across all face shapes? The long bang, which flows into face-framing layers that can be swept to the side.

If you're picturing something different or want to architect a look specifically tailored to your features, Mane Addicts stylist Dom Seeley suggests you start by gathering inspiration from Instagram to bring to your stylist. To aid you in narrowing this search, here, he shares his tips for finding the most flattering fringe style based on your face shape.

Keep reading to learn how not to regret cutting bangs.

Oval

According to Seeley, oval shapes are easy, as nearly all bang styles flatter. "Blunt, straight-across bangs work great as they pack a strong style punch but can also be softened," he says. You can even take them micro (AKA super-short), as this style is easier to pull off on oval face shapes than on any others.

If the blunt approach seems a bit severe, however, he says you can "introduce" your fringe by tapering it at the sides. "A great way to do this is by layering the bang around the face so that it blends into the haircut," he explains. "This keeps it soft and makes it easier to grow out."

Heart-shaped

Since heart-shaped faces are slightly wider from the top of the cheekbone up to the peak of the forehead, Seeley says side-swept bangs are the best option. "Start the sweep just on or to the middle of the brow," he says, keeping the length of the bangs falling around the corner of the eye. "It will be feminine and pretty, yet balance the width of the face above the cheekbones to help soften the overall look."

Square

According to Seeley, those with square-shaped faces will want to avoid blunt lines and rely instead on face-framing texture. "Think of a Bardot-style bang," he suggests, which is more about creating movement than snipping a straight line. "You want it to look tousled, so keep in mind that by wearing it slightly wavy or curly, [you'll enhance the overall look]," he says. "It's best to see a bit of skin on the face as it will soften all the features and open up the face in the right areas."

Round

Round face shapes, Seeley says, pair best with curtain bangs or tapered hair that falls to the chin. "Part the hair just off-center, which creates a diagonal line to draw the eyes away from the roundness and make the face appear more oval." The bangs themselves, he says, should reach to the chin or below in order to lengthen the face shape by covering the cheekbones, which tend to be the widest part of a round face shape.

Oblong

The easiest way to wear a bang if you're oblong, Seeley says, is to have a slight A-line bang. "This will open up in the middle of your face and end mid-eye-level to create angles," he says. According to him, it's also best to wear these with texture, which helps to optically shorten the length of the face and add slight width to further even out the proportions.

Pear / Triangular

A heavy rounded bang, Seeley advises, is great for this shape as it balances the proportions by adding width at the top of the face to match the bottom. "You can keep them straight across, but I think they are more flattering with the slight roundness and curvature to them," he says. If you want to wear them longer, he suggests going longer than your brows. "I like for them to be just past the eyes," he explains. "But soft with not too much hair added in."

Speaking of face shapes, here's where to part your hair in order to best flatter yours. Plus, this is exactly how often you should be seeing your stylist, bangs or not.