There were many roadblocks I hit trying to find jewelry that suited me consistently. I tried long dangling earrings, petite studs, big hoops. I tried chokers, long bulky necklaces, bright-colored pendants. 

Sometimes it looked great, sometimes it just looked weird??? What was going on? How could I make it work every time?

So what to do? You guessed it, there is a magic website with the answers to every question… yep, Google. 

After hours of research, I discovered that I hadn’t understood that there are unchanging natural laws - our eyes and brain always look for proportion and balance in everything we see. We are encoded to be drawn to visually balanced images. 

Knowing this you can follow some simple principles that will help you become more visually well proportioned, beginning with understanding your face shape. 

But why bother going to this effort; how does applying these principles benefit you?

1. Use the knowledge of how humans visually process images to ensure you always make positive first impressions.
2. Feel confident, knowing you look your best.
3. Enjoy the compliments and appreciation from friends and colleagues.
4. Avoid the stress of not knowing if you are dressing in the best way to suit your outfit and physical characteristics.
5. Save money - no more buying jewelry that doesn't suit you.
6. Save time and effort each morning, knowing which pieces of jewelry best suit your outfit... leaving more time to enjoy your morning coffee.

There are many different classification systems for defining face shapes, but the most commonly used and most straightforward to apply are as follows:

1. Round
2. Oval
3. Square
4. Rectangle
5. Heart 
6. Diamond

To work out which one most closely represents your face shape, first tie back your hair so you can see your whole face. Then either:

1. Look in the mirror and decide what you see, or
2. Take a photo of your face looking directly at the camera, then measure or draw a straight line on the picture at each of these points:
1. Forehead Width: the distance across your forehead at the widest point, from hairline to hairline.
2. Cheekbone Width: From your hairline above your cheekbone, measure the distance across your face.
3. Jawline Width: Start at the base of your jaw. Measure the distance across your face at this point
4. Face Length: measure from the center of your hairline down to the tip of your chin.
3. Compare your photo and measurements to the shapes below to find your closest matching shape: 

Round Face Shape

@selenagomez

• Forehead: rounded at the hairline
• Cheekbone: width of the face is more or less the same as the length
• Jawline: rounded with very subtle angles
• Face: length of the face is about the same size as the width

Oval Face Shape

@badgalriri

• Forehead: the width of the forehead is smaller than the width of the cheekbones. A “tall” forehead.
• Cheekbone: the widest part of the face
• Jawline: no sharp angles on the jaw or chin
• Face: longer than it is wide

Square Face Shape

Via Pinterest

• Forehead: hairline follows a straight line. The forehead is about the same width as the jaw.
• Cheekbone: Minimal curves in the cheekbones. The sides of your face follow a straight line from your jaw to your forehead. The width of the cheekbones are about the same as the width of your forehead and jaw.
• Jawline: Strong, squared jawline. The sides of your face follow a straight line from your jaw to your forehead.
• Face: is about as long as it is wide.

Rectangular Face Shape

@oliviawilde

• Forehead: Hairline follows a straight line—forehead about the same width as the jaw. Usually have a “tall” forehead.
• Cheekbone: minimal curves to the cheekbones. The sides of the face follow a straight line from jaw to forehead. The width of the cheekbones are about the same as the width of the forehead and jaw.
• Jawline: Strong, square jawline. Sides of the face follow a straight line from jaw to forehead.
• Face: Face twice as long as it is wide. The face has a square resemblance but appears slightly longer.

Heart Face Shape

 

@kourtneykardash

• Forehead: forehead is wider than the jawline. The hairline is rounded or may have a widow’s peak.
• Cheekbone: about the same width as the forehead width. Both are wider than your jawline.
• Jawline: Narrow jawline. Chin has a strong point.
• Face: slightly longer than it is wide

Diamond Face Shape

@ashleygreene

• Forehead: The width of your forehead is narrower than the width of your cheekbones
• Cheekbone: cheekbones are significantly wider than the forehead. Cheekbones are also wider than the jawline.
• Jawline: Narrow chin, often with a strong point. 
• Face: the length of your face is about the same as the width

Cool, so now you know your face shape, what’s next? 

In tomorrow’s post, we’ll look at how you can create flattering proportions that are pleasing to the eye, using different jewelry shapes, sizes, and styles.