The Square Face Shape

Four observations define the square face in the conventional system. Length and width are close to each other. The width barely changes down the face: forehead, cheekbones and jaw measure much the same. The jawline is angular, with a clear corner below the ear. And because forehead and jaw are similar in width, the outline holds its even, four-cornered look from top to bottom.

None of these settles it on its own; the round face also keeps length and width close, and what differs in the convention is the jawline and how evenly the width holds. The finder weighs all six of its observations before naming anything.

Glasses: the conventional pairings

Frame styles conventionally paired with the square face:

• Round frames
• Oval frames
• Aviators

Conventionally avoided:

• Square frames

These are conventional pairings, not guarantees: the shortlist you try first, not a rule that overrides the fitting mirror.

Hair: the conventional logic

The conventional styling logic works by contrast. Soft layers and a little texture around the face are used to soften the angular jaw, while blunt cuts that finish at jaw length are avoided.

Between categories

Very few jaws are drawn with a ruler. A face can hold an even width with a softer corner, or an angular jaw on a longer outline, and it then sits between categories rather than inside one. The finder shows its full point spread for exactly this reason, and calls a near-tie a boundary between two shapes.