How to Choose the Perfect Crew Cut for Your Face Shape

Choosing a haircut can feel like a gamble. You walk into the barbershop with a photo on your phone, sit in the chair, and hope for the best. But here’s the thing: the haircut that looks amazing on your friend might not work the same way on you. And it’s not about the barber’s skill. It’s about face shape.

The crew cut is one of the most versatile hairstyles out there. But “versatile” doesn’t mean “one-size-fits-all.” The magic happens when you match the right variation of the crew cut to your specific face shape. Get that right, and you’re not just getting a haircut, you’re getting a style that highlights your best features.

Let’s break down which crew cut styles work best for different face shapes.

Why Face Shape Matters

Before we dive into the styles, let’s talk about why face shape matters in the first place.

A good haircut creates balance. If you have a round face, you want something that adds angles and length. If you have a square face, you want something that softens those strong lines without losing the structure. The right crew cut works with your natural bone structure, not against it.

Most men fall into one of six face shapes: oval, round, square, rectangular, diamond, or heart-shaped. Let’s look at each one.

Oval Face Shape: The Lucky One

If you have an oval face, congratulations—you’ve won the genetic lottery. Your face is well-balanced, with slightly wider cheekbones and a gentle taper to your forehead and jaw. Almost any haircut works on you.

Best crew cut styles for oval faces:

You can wear pretty much anything, but here are some standout options:

• Classic Crew Cut: The proportions of an oval face match perfectly with the balanced look of a classic crew cut. It’s simple, clean, and highlights your natural symmetry.

• Textured Crew Cut: Oval faces can handle extra volume on top without looking unbalanced. The textured crew cut adds interest and movement while keeping things professional.

• Side Swept Crew Cut: The side sweep works beautifully with an oval face, drawing attention across your features rather than up and down.

What to avoid: Nothing really. You’re in a good place.

Barber tip: Ask your barber to keep some length on top so you can experiment with different styling options. With an oval face, variety is your friend.

Round Face Shape: Add Height and Angles

Round faces have softer angles with the width and height roughly equal. The cheekbones are usually full, and the jawline is rounded rather than sharp. The goal here is to create the illusion of length and structure.

Best crew cut styles for round faces:

• Spiky Crew Cut: This is your best friend. The upward spikes add vertical height, which elongates your face and creates a more oval appearance. Keep the spikes soft and natural—you’re going for height, not hedgehog.

• Crew Cut with Height: Any version that keeps extra length on top works well. Ask your barber to leave enough hair to style upward, and keep the sides relatively short to maintain that vertical emphasis.

• Textured Crew Cut: The texture adds dimension without width. A matte product will help create that natural, piece-y look that draws the eye upward.

What to avoid: Stay away from styles that add width to the sides. Very full sides will make your face look rounder. Also avoid extremely short crops that remove all vertical height.

Barber tip: Ask for a high fade or high taper. This keeps the sides extra short and emphasizes the length on top, creating that elongating effect you want.

Square Face Shape: Soften the Angles

Square faces are strong and masculine. Your jawline is prominent, your forehead is broad, and your cheekbones are wide. The proportions are similar to a round face—roughly equal width and height—but with sharper angles.

The goal here isn’t to hide those angles. Strong jawlines are attractive. You just want to soften them slightly so the overall look is balanced rather than boxy.

Best crew cut styles for square faces:

• Classic Crew Cut: The timeless version works well here. It’s structured enough to complement your strong features but soft enough to keep things balanced.

• Textured Crew Cut: Texture softens the overall look. The slight messiness on top draws attention away from the angular jawline and creates a more relaxed appearance.

• Side Swept Crew Cut: Sweeping the hair to the side breaks up the horizontal lines of your face and adds a touch of softness. It’s a great choice for professional settings.

• Crew Cut with Beard: If you can grow facial hair, this combination is powerful. A well-groomed beard adds length to your face and balances the width of your jaw. Keep the beard trimmed short and neat.

What to avoid: Very short, buzzed styles can emphasize the squareness by removing all softness. Also avoid anything with harsh, geometric lines unless you’re deliberately going for an ultra-sharp look.

Barber tip: Ask your barber to keep the edges slightly softer rather than shaving them into razor-sharp lines. A little softness around the hairline helps balance a strong jaw.

Rectangular/Oblong Face Shape: Keep It Proportional

Rectangular faces are longer than they are wide. You have a high forehead, a long nose, and a strong jawline. The challenge here is to avoid making your face look even longer.

Best crew cut styles for rectangular faces:

• Classic Crew Cut: The balanced proportions of a classic crew cut work well because they don’t add extra height. Keeping things relatively even helps maintain proportion.

• Crew Cut with Taper: A low or medium taper keeps some width on the sides, which helps balance the length of your face. You want to avoid anything that makes your face look longer.

• Crew Cut with Fringe: If you keep a little extra length in front, you can style it forward slightly to shorten the appearance of your forehead. This is a clever trick that works well for longer faces.

What to avoid: Steer clear of styles with excessive height on top. Very tall spikes or high-volume textures will make your face look even longer. Also avoid very high fades that remove side width entirely.

Barber tip: Ask your barber to leave a little more weight on the sides. This creates the illusion of width and balances out the length of your face.

Diamond Face Shape: Highlight Your Cheekbones

Diamond faces are rare and distinctive. Your cheekbones are the widest part of your face, with a narrower forehead and jawline. It’s a striking look, and the right haircut will highlight those amazing cheekbones.

Best crew cut styles for diamond faces:

• Classic Crew Cut: The simplicity of a classic crew cut lets your bone structure do the talking. It’s understated and elegant.

• Crew Cut with Taper: A taper that keeps some fullness around the temples helps balance the width of your cheekbones. You want the sides to have just enough weight to complement your face shape.

• Side Swept Crew Cut: Sweeping the hair to one side draws attention across your features and softens the angles of a diamond face.

What to avoid: Avoid styles that are very short on the sides with extreme height on top. This can exaggerate the width of your cheekbones. Also, avoid anything that adds bulk right at the cheekbone level.

Barber tip: Talk to your barber about keeping some length around the temples. This helps balance the proportions between your forehead, cheekbones, and jaw.

Heart Face Shape: Balance the Forehead

Heart-shaped faces have a wider forehead and a narrower chin. The goal is to add some width and fullness to the lower part of your face to create balance.

Best crew cut styles for heart faces:

• Classic Crew Cut: The classic version works well because it doesn’t add extra bulk to the forehead area. Keeping things neat and proportional helps balance your features.

• Crew Cut with Texture: Slight texture on top adds interest without increasing forehead width. Keep the texture soft and natural.

• Crew Cut with Beard: If you can grow facial hair, this is an excellent option. A short, well-groomed beard adds fullness to your chin area, balancing the width of your forehead.

What to avoid: Avoid styles with a lot of volume or height at the front. This draws attention to the forehead, which is already the widest part of your face. Also, avoid very short sides that make the forehead appear even wider by contrast.

Barber tip: Ask your barber to keep a little extra length on the sides near your temples. This helps balance the proportions between your forehead and chin.

Quick Reference Table

How to Determine Your Face Shape

Not sure what your face shape is? Here’s a simple way to find out:

1. Pull your hair back so your entire hairline is visible

2. Look straight into a mirror with good lighting

3. Use a washable marker or lipstick to trace the outline of your face on the mirror (or just visualize it)

4. Measure these areas:

   • Forehead width (at the widest point)

   • Cheekbone width (across your cheekbones)

   • Jawline width (at the widest point)

   • Face length (from hairline to chin)

Compare your measurements:

• If length > width and jaw/forehead/cheekbones are similar: Oval

• If length and width are similar with soft angles: Round

• If length and width are similar with sharp angles: Square

• If length > width with straight sides: Rectangular

• If cheekbones > forehead and jaw: Diamond

• If forehead > jaw with pointed chin: Heart

Final Thoughts

Your face shape isn’t something to hide, it’s something to work with. The right crew cut doesn’t change your face; it enhances what you already have. It creates balance, highlights your strengths, and gives you a look that feels natural and intentional.

The beauty of the crew cut is its versatility. Whether you need height, width, softness, or structure, there’s a version that fits. Take the time to figure out your face shape, show these guidelines to your barber, and walk out with a haircut that actually works for you.

Remember: the best hairstyle isn’t the most fashionable one. It’s the one that makes you look like the best version of yourself.