The Byrdie Boy's Guide to the Best Haircuts for Square Faces (2023)

• Alejandro Ulloa is a hairdresser at Rudy’s Barbershop.
• Jesse Taylor is director of education at Rudy's Barbershop.

Full Shave

Barry Jenkins shows how a bald head looks terrific with sharp, square bone structure. Ulloa suggests that bald guys still spray some tonic spray (like Rudy's Tonic Spray, $18) to tone the scalp and prevent flaking. He also adds that Jenkins' round glasses are pulling a lot of weight, too, in terms of adding geometric contrast to his sharp angles.

Bare-Guard Buzz

"Christopher Jackson's head shape is taller and pointy," notes Ulloa (as opposed to Jenkins' head in the previous shot). For this, Ulloa says that the high-fade skins on the sides provide subtle gradation, all the way to the top outline of his hairline. While Jackson's structure might technically teeter into rectangle territory, the fading lessons are applicable for any square-shaped faces that have pointier domes.

Line-Up Buzz

Any kind of clean, uniform buzz will flatter a square-shaped face, but a line-up also has the benefit of utilizing geometry and clean lines on the interior of the cut. Paired with the roundness of Pooch Hall's head, it creates a more thoughtful cut than any DIY at-home buzz. Ulloa says to clean it up every two weeks in order to keep looking fresh.

Receded Buzz

The barber on Liev Schreiber's cut transitioned cleanly from the sides to the top, Ulloa says. This keeps his head looking round rather than poofing and widening at the sides.

Buzz and Fuller Beard Combo

Y'lan Noel has a sharp jaw under all that beard hair, which he utilizes to create an oval effect for his overall face shape. "The timeless fade compliments the beard with great detail," Ulloa says. It even allows Noel to wear a short, boxy style atop the fade since it's not competing with his sharp jawline.

Close-Cropped Curls

Notice that Michael Ealy's curls go slightly taller than they do wide. That's the classic rule of "flattering" hairstyles: Create an oval effect if you want a guaranteed hit. As for styling, his strands are on the finer side, says Ulloa, so use a curl cream (like Bevel's Curl Creme, $12) and apply with fingers.

Modern Flat Top

Ulloa likes the detail at the front of John Cena's hair—a cowlick that creates a natural part. Here's one example of a square cut up top that doesn't contrast inversely with the square bone structure, simply because of the high fade on the sides that keeps the cut narrow and tall.

Undercut

Brad Pitt has entire roundups dedicated to his hairstyle archives, and rightfully so. But one of his most famous looks was the undercut, which spawned an entire hairstyle trend in the mid-2010s. This is a shorter execution of the look, as many guys wear the undercut with longer lengths up top. It borders on high-and-tight territory, Ulloa says, before the length shift at the top sides of the crown. He estimates that Pitt has 4 inches brushed back on top in this particular look.

Dyed Flat Top

Here, Francis Ngannou lets his upper sides have a little growth, too, blended from a lower fade. "The top is fuller in this one, compared to the last look," Ulloa says. This is a good thing since the sides have more weight in this cut. "The color creates a [visual] disconnection, too," he adds. Even without the dye, this style would work thanks to the added height, but that flourish of color makes it even more friendly to the squareness of Ngannou's face.

Gentleman's Cut

Call Colton Haynes' cut a quiff, a gentleman's cut, or any name you please. Regardless, the effect is the same: "The progression from short to long on the sides to the top is perfect, creating a focal point on top," Ulloa says.

Squared Quiff

"This gives Henry Golding a squared style that compliments his jawline," Taylor says. After all, a quiff emphasizes height, so it's bound to work well for square faces. Taylor says it would be best styled with a pomade—classic or matte. Try Rudy's Matte Pomade ($22).

Modern Caesar/Crop

"This longer crop haircut on Josh Hutcherson helps create a solid square shape silhouette," Taylor says. "Wearing the front down on his forehead closes the top part of his face, making your eyes focus on his jawline."

Modern Combover

Note that the forward swoop on Elijah Wood's style is helping to hide some recession, Taylor says. It's probably styled with a medium-hold cream or balm, too. Try Kevin Murphy's Free Hold Paste ($30).

Curly Gentleman's Cut

"Henry Cavill's take on the classic dapper haircut works perfectly to give him volume," Taylor says. The scruff also frames his jawline, which emphasizes his leading man bone structure.

Curly Pompadour

Taylor notes that Miguel's curly pompadour gives volume and movement while the tapered sides help keep the face shape lean. "It's best styled by applying a curl cream to damp hair. Use a blow-dry diffuser on low to bring out the curls." (Again, we like Bevel's Curl Creme, $12.)

Disconnected Dollop

Nick Lachey proves that height complements a square face with this dollop that is disconnected from the buzzed sides. Something like this requires a blow-dryer to lock it into place, says Taylor. "It will help create the volume, and shape your style in the most effective way."

Grown-Out Modern Combover

Robert Pattinson is probably the king of artful dishevelment. To mimic his sweeps and swoops, "style your hair back off the face with a soft moldable product, and keep your sideburns trimmed in front of the ears," Taylor advises. Try Rudy's Perfect Cream ($18).

High Curly Quiff

Voluminous curls like Eliot Glazer's make it easy to gain height. "Use lighter styling products that are cream- or oil-based to give separation with movement," Taylor says. We like Odele's Air Dry Styler, $12.

Grown-Out Gentleman's Cut

We're going out on a limb with this one, because those sides are getting dangerously close to the same bulk as the height. But, Sebastian Stan's hairstyle is just tall enough to pass the test, and the subtle five o'clock shadow is helping to define his squared jawline.

Swept Pompadour

"Creating balance between your hair and face isn't always easy, but Kumail Nanjiani makes it look so effortless here by keeping a longer sideburn and a little volume on the top of his cut," Taylor notes. It's an alternate take on Sebastian Stan's approach, with more emphasis given to the quiff/pompadour in front, as opposed to one uniform sweeping-back.

Longer Slick Back

Of course, we have to end with a Daniel Dae Kim style: He might have the most famous bone structure in Hollywood. "Longer hair doesn't mean you have to sacrifice a square shape on your cuts," Taylor says. "This haircut gives a longer, leaner shape by just keeping length in the back behind the ear. By styling it back off his face, it allows us to concentrate on his bone structure and jawline."