Matthew Morris is a fashion consultant in Brooklyn, NY. He has the perfect haircut for his face, and receives many compliments. In his free time, he runs a website that helps people get started in barber school .



   A GOOD haircut is like a new start.

   Film lovers may remember a classic and heartwarming scene from the movie Rushmore : Bill Murray enters the barber shop belonging to Max Fisher's father, and does so as a broken man. He is being sued for divorce, his children hate him, and he has just blown a ton of money - millions of dollars, in fact -on an aquarium that he doesn't care about.

   And yet - after some friendly small talk and a shave and a haircut, he emerges a new man. Ready to save his company, take ownership of his past, and get the girl.

   A haircut is important. It's revitalizing. It's a masculine ritual that is both comfortable and invigorating. A haircut is ALWAYS a good thing - right?...

   ...Sadly, no - there is the right haircut for your face, and there is the wrong haircut for your face.

   The contours and curves of a man's face are incredibly unique. The width of the cheekbone, the angle of the jawbone, the shape of the crown - each measurement is unlike any other person. The wrong haircut can make you look twenty pounds heavier, years older - or at worst, ashen and ill. It's worth discovering the style that suits you.

   I've spent a lot of time helping men figure out the right cut for their face, and here's what I've found: Men's faces usually fall into a few reliable shapes: round, long, triangular, oval, and square. The way we style our hair - both on our head and on our faces - and enhance or detract from your looks. If you've ever seen one man with dirty hair and a goatee who looked great , and then same style on another man looks ridiculous, you've come to understand who personalized a haircut should be. You need to determine your facial shape, and then work with what you've got.




   There aren't too many barbering websites, but Craig the Barber is ahead of the rest. On his site he details an excellent way to determine the shape of your noggin. It's very simple:

   Grab a bar of soap, and stand in front of your bathroom mirror. Wet your hair with gel or water and comb it back so that it lies as close to your scalp as possible. Then use the bar of soap to trace the outline of your head. Start with the top of your head, past your forehead, down to your jaw, under your chin, and then back up your jaw and temple, so that you finish tracing at the point you started.

   Are you done with the tracing? Look at you, you're beautiful! Hopefully, your head will be one of the following shapes:



Oval:

Description: A subtly rounded jawline, that gently rises towards the ear; the temples above the ear gradually invert for further north you go. You know what an oval is.

Your Ideal Haircut: You're in luck! You've won the haircut jackpot. Men with oval faces can usually utilize any style of haircut and make it look decent, and don't need to do the same kind of work that men with rounded or long faces do. Just, please---be civil about it.

Some Notes About Facial Hair: For men who have rounded face but wish to create the illusion of a strong jawline, a "sharp" beard can do the trick. Goatees also work well with rounded faces, and a goatee with a point can create the appearance of a diamond-shaped face (which is very common among male models). Oval faces are very common among celebrities (both male and female). So, if you find yourself in ownership of an oval head, congratulations! You've got that going for you.


Triangular:

Description: Another common facial shape among models, the triangular-shaped face will display wide cheekbones that veer down into a pointed chin.

Your Ideal Haircut: Many men with triangular-shaped faces choose to use their hair to cover their foreheads (a look that Johnny Deep often uses). Others crop their hair close to the scalp, which makes the jawline appear more defined.

Some Notes About Facial Hair: A full or bushy beard can make men with pointed chins seem more masculine. Goatees are a toss-up, and some men look great with pointed goatees, while others look unfortunately devilish.



Round:

Description: A face that is equally broad as it is tall; the chin, jawline, cheekbones, and temples appear almost circular.

Your Ideal Haircut: Men with rounder faces do well to have short hair on the sides of their head, with the hair on the top of the styled high. Another option is to use a "square-ish" style on top, that creates the illusion of a diamond-shaped face. Other men find they using an off-center part with hair pulled off the forehead creates a slimming look. Some men do well with longer hair .

Some Notes About Facial Hair: Men with round faces often choose to use their facial hair to make their chins look more chiseled. Others use a pointy beard or goatee to make the head appear more diamond- or oval-shaped. Beards and goatees are both great options; regular scruff, however, should be avoided, as that only accentuates the "rounded" look.


Long:

Description: A face where the temples, cheekbones, and jawbone are roughly the same width; men with oval or rounded faces have a gradual curve to their faces, whereas men with long faces do not exhibit such a curve.

Your Ideal Haircut: Men with long faces do well with hairstyles that include long hair at their temples, as the length of the hair creates an "oval-ing" of the face. Many men look great with their hair resting casually over their foreheads, as that too creates a more oval look. Parts down the middle are to be avoided, as they may the face appear longer, as are "high" cuts where the hair is pulled over the top of the head. Of course, some men can defy the rules and still look pretty good.

Some Notes About Facial Hair: For some men with long faces, a pointed goatee can created a more triangular or diamond-shaped appearance; for other men, the look further elongates the face and should be avoided. Best to try out a view different looks to make the right decision about facial hair.



Square:

Description: A wide jaw-line that concludes at an angle of 45 to 90 degree, along with temples that are vertical (instead of being rounded). Similar to a long face, the temples, cheekbones, and jawbone are about the same width.

Your Ideal Haircut: Hair on the sides of the head should be short, with the hair above the head free to be longer, or styled up and back. A close-cropped look also works for men with a square-shaped head.

Some Notes About Facial Hair: As square jaws are seen as innately masculine, you might want to forego facial hair! Stubble is always a welcome addition, and a sharply-shaped goatee or beard will also work.


Conclusion

 Men with an interest in fashion tend to worry more about clothes, and forget that others---after briefly noticing whatever you're wearing---will spend the rest of an interaction looking at your face. The right haircut can accentuate your best features. Why not use what you've got so that your face looks sharper, learner, and more masculine? No matter who you are, you've got your best look---you just need to find it.