In 2020, Gen Z TikTok decided that parting your hair to the side aka the “side part” was “tragically Millennial” and needed to stop. Thus, we entered the Era of the Center Part. The side part was one of many things that they judged older generations for. Gen Z has also come for ankle socks, top sheets, skinny jeans, making large purchases on computers, and undereye concealer.
Well, Millennials may have finally snatched one thing back from the Great Fashion Beyond. According to hairstylists, the side part is officially back. Even Hollywood is getting in on the trend thanks to the many celebrities who showed up wearing their hair in a side part to this both year’s Oscars red carpet and Vanity Fair’s after-party. Real Simple has a good piece on the Side Part Revival, the ‘dos merits, and why hairstylists are happy to see its return.
The Side Part Revival Is Real
If it feels like Y2K trends are everywhere right now—from claw clips to velour tracksuits—you’re not imagining it, and the side part is the latest to make its return. “The side part is definitely back,” says Siobhan Quinlán, a colorist at Salon Benjamin in West Hollywood, California. “We’ve been seeing so many amazing looks with a side part this award season.”That red-carpet influence is helping usher in a shift away from ultra-casual styling, toward something more polished. “Y2K is back, baby!” adds Stephanie Angelone, a hair extension specialist at RPZL in New York City. “Effortless is out—classy, blown-out styles are in.” Think big, voluminous blowouts, glossy finishes, and yes, a deep side part to tie it all together. Personally, I couldn’t be more excited to get back to glam.
Why Stylists Love the Side Part
Beyond the trend cycle, there’s a reason so many pros are happy to see the side part return: it’s genuinely flattering and practical. It helps balance your features. “So few people’s faces are perfectly symmetrical—so why would everyone’s hair be?” asks Quinlán. “A side part can soften and balance your features in a way a strict middle part sometimes can’t.”Another bonus: It adds instant volume. A side part is also one of the easiest ways to boost fullness, especially for fine hair. “It’s an instant volume booster,” says Quinlán. “We all know that feeling of flipping your part midday and getting that extra hit of bounce.”
Another plus I haven’t had to think about until recently: It can help disguise grays. “You can part your hair in a less gray area and flip it over to cover a more concentrated section,” Quinlán explains—making it a subtle way to extend time between color appointments. My side part covers the handful of white coils starting to pop out of my hairline.
Last but not least, a side part looks polished and glam. While middle parts tend to read more casual, a side part screams classic. “There’s something very sleek and sexy about smooth hair with a side part,” says Quinlán, pointing to Gwyneth Paltrow’s recent Oscars look as “expensive, classic Hollywood perfection.”
How to Wear a Side Part Now
The key to making a side part feel modern—not dated—is all in the styling. “Big, voluminous blowouts with a side part create the most height and volume,” says Angelone. For an extra touch of polish, try adding a deep, side-swept fringe, which “gives all the glam.”In other words: think less 2016 Instagram waves, and more soft movement, lift at the roots, and a glossy, finished feel.
Thoughts on the return of the middle part? I went back and looked at some of the pictures from this year’s Oscars. I hadn’t noticed how many women were rocking one, including Jessie Buckley, Kate Hudson, Emma Stone, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Kim Kardashian wore a messy side part ‘do to Vanity Fair’s after-party.
I don’t hate this comeback at all. Although I rocked a side part when I was growing up, I actually changed to a center part years before Gen Z said it was cool. It just looks better on me! That said, I can’t argue with the merits of the side part. I briefly tried to go back to it a few years ago in an attempt to cover up my gray hair. It definitely helped, but I eventually went back to the comfort of my middle part. I didn’t realize that claw clips and velour tracksuits were also making a comeback. I rocked claw clips when I was younger, so I’m very tempted to buy one and see if I still got it. I’ve always abided by that unofficial rule that everything old will become new again.
photos credit: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon