Square and Rectangle faces are among the pairs most commonly confused with each other, usually because one or two measurements land close together even though the overall proportions differ.
Square Face Shape
Square: Forehead, cheekbone, and jaw widths are nearly equal; face length is close to face width. A square face has a broad, angular forehead and a jaw with a defined, often 90-degree-adjacent corner at the hinge. Width stays consistent from temple to jaw rather than tapering, and the chin is flat or minimally curved rather than pointed.
Rectangle Face Shape
Rectangle: Face length is noticeably greater than width (often 1.7x or more); forehead, cheek, and jaw widths are similar. Also called oblong, this shape shares the square's consistent width from forehead to jaw but stretches significantly longer, often with a tall forehead and elongated cheeks. The jaw can be squared or slightly rounded, but the defining trait is verticality rather than angularity.
The Key Difference
The key difference: A square face has a jaw that "the defining feature — strong, straight, with a visible corner at the angle," while a rectangle face's jaw "squared or gently rounded, similar in width to the forehead." That single measurement — jaw width relative to forehead and cheekbones — is usually the fastest way to tell the two apart when they're otherwise close.
Why It Matters for Styling
Why it matters for styling: Square faces are best served by soften the jaw's hard corner and add movement at the temples and chin, while rectangle faces need introduce visual width and interrupt the vertical line — horizontal volume at the sides, fringe or bangs that shorten the forehead, and frames or hairlines with a strong horizontal emphasis all work against excess length rather than adding to it — confirming which category you actually fall into before choosing a cut, frame, or beard style matters, since the two shapes' styling advice can point in different directions.