Triangle Face Shape

A triangle face shape (also called a pear face shape) is widest at the jawline and narrows toward the forehead, making it a bottom-heavy silhouette. Its mirror image, the inverted triangle, is widest at the forehead and narrows toward the jaw, covered in its own section below. Triangle and inverted triangle are less common shapes, so our AI face shape detector (which covers the five most common shapes (oval, round, square, oblong, and heart)) doesn't classify them; use the manual four-measurement method below to confirm which applies to you.

What defines a triangle (pear) face shape?

• Length vs. width: Face length is generally greater than width.
• Widest point: The jawline, clearly wider than the forehead.
• Forehead: Narrower than the jaw, sometimes noticeably so.
• Jaw and chin: Wide and often the face's most prominent feature.
• Cheek line: Widens from the temples down toward the jaw, the opposite pattern from oval or heart.

Inverted triangle face shape

An inverted triangle face shape is the mirror opposite: the forehead is the widest point, and the face narrows toward a smaller jaw and chin, visually similar in concept to a heart shape, but typically with a straighter (not sharply pointed) jawline rather than a heart's tapered point.

• Widest point: The forehead.
• Jaw and chin: Narrower than the forehead, often with a straighter (less pointed) chin than heart.
• Cheek line: Narrows from temples down to the jaw.

How to tell if you have a triangle or inverted triangle face

Measure with a soft tape:

1. Forehead width: the widest point, roughly midway between eyebrows and hairline.
2. Cheekbone width, straight across from the top of one cheekbone to the other.
3. Jawline width, from below one ear to the chin tip, doubled.
4. Face length, center of the hairline to the bottom of the chin.

If your jaw measures clearly wider than your forehead, you have a triangle (pear) face. If the reverse is true (forehead clearly wider than jaw) you have an inverted triangle face (1-800 Contacts measurement guide). Average two measurements per dimension for accuracy.

Our detector covers the five most common shapes; to confirm a triangle or inverted triangle face, use the manual method above or our guide to determining your face shape →.

Triangle and inverted triangle face shape celebrities

Often cited with a triangle (pear) face shape: Kelly Osbourne and Minnie Driver are sometimes referenced for a jaw that's wider than the forehead. These attributions are used sparingly and only where widely published, since triangle is a less commonly discussed category in celebrity styling coverage.

Inverted triangle is frequently discussed alongside heart-shaped celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Gosling, since the two shapes share a wide-top, narrow-bottom silhouette.

Best hairstyles for a triangle face

For a triangle (pear) face (For women: Volume at the crown is the most effective correction) a high pony, voluminous curls, or a bob with lift on top adds width where the face is narrowest. Statement bangs can also add fullness across the forehead.

For a triangle (pear) face, For men: A quiff or textured volume on top balances a narrow forehead against a wide jaw; keep the sides shorter to avoid adding further width at the jawline.

For an inverted triangle face, For women and men: Layers and bangs positioned at or below the cheekbones add body to the lower face; a chin-length bob or beard (for men) that adds width at the jaw helps balance a wider forehead.

Full guides with images: best hairstyles for a triangle face →

Best glasses for a triangle face

For a triangle (pear) face: Both rounded and angular frames work well, since a narrow forehead and prominent jaw offer flexibility. Browline frames and wayfarers add definition to the forehead and strengthen the upper face.

For an inverted triangle face: Oval and round frames draw the eye downward and soften an angular upper face. Browline frames (with a bold upper rim and minimal lower rim) also work well, highlighting the eyes and cheekbones while keeping a narrower jaw from being overwhelmed.

Avoid frames that are noticeably narrower than your widest point in either variant. Full details: best glasses for a triangle face →

Styling tips for a triangle face

For women (triangle/pear): Contour to add subtle width at the temples and forehead, and keep jaw contouring minimal since the jaw is already the face's strongest feature. Statement earrings or hair volume near the crown pull visual weight upward.

For men (triangle/pear): Keep beard growth trimmed close along the jawline to avoid adding further width there; a well-groomed mustache or slight volume near the temples in the haircut helps balance the face.

For inverted triangle (all genders): Add fullness at the jaw through a beard (for men) or a chin-length hairstyle and jaw-level makeup contour (for women) to balance a wider forehead.

Triangle vs. other face shapes

Triangle vs. inverted triangle: These are true mirror images. Triangle is widest at the jaw and narrow at the forehead; inverted triangle is widest at the forehead and narrow at the jaw.

Triangle vs. square: Both can have a strong jaw, but a square face's forehead is close in width to the jaw, while a triangle face's forehead is clearly narrower than the jaw.

Inverted triangle vs. heart: Both are widest at the top, but heart typically tapers to a sharply pointed chin, while inverted triangle usually keeps a straighter, less pointed jawline.

Compare all seven on the face shapes pillar page →, or jump to: oval, round, square, oblong, heart, diamond.