Remember when the people of TikTok were debating the best way to part your hair? (TLDR: It’s apparently more millennial to wear a side part, whereas Gen Z prefers a center part.)
Well, rather than the year you were born, perhaps there are some more helpful factors to consider when deciding on a part—like your face shape. Depending on what features you want to play up, the placement of your part can help.
Enough talking though, we’ll show you what we mean ahead.
For rounder face shapes, consider a swept over side part like Emma Stone here. Longer pieces that frame your face slim the widest part of your cheeks and provide volume at the roots to create more symmetry.
Honestly, you could part your hair any which way and it would work, which is more of a reason to switch things up from time to time. (Take fellow oval-faced queen Rihanna for example. She’s rocked every style from an angled pixie to slicked back braids.) But if you’re looking for a starting point, you can’t go wrong with a classic center part.
No matter the length or texture of your hair, a deep side part is a flattering option for square shaped faces. Just make sure your ends are tapered so the hair doesn’t look heavy and weighed down (which can draw attention to a stronger jawline).
Side parts can be incredibly versatile. Just look at Reese Witherspoon. Throughout the years, we’ve seen her wear a heavier side bang, long side layers that blend in and a polished side swoop, as shown above. The added fullness to the side helps balance the forehead and chin.
If you have an oblong face, it’s less about the part and more about the bangs: Long, straight across, curtain or shaggy, fringe can bring balance to your features. On that note, a bit of wavy or curly texture adds more width, whereas pin-straight styles can further elongate your face.
While it’s important to factor in your face shape, another helpful indicator is your natural hairline (which seems pretty obvious but is often forgotten). As Rachel Lee, a stylist at Nova Arts Salon explains: “When deciding on where to create a part for a client, I always start by shampooing and conditioning the hair, which resets the cuticle. After rough drying it, I smooth things out using a round brush to blow the hair into a C shape. This will give the hair maximum volume and coaxes it to fall where it wants to, which is how I guide where I cut and part the hair.”
Because as anyone who has ever tried to tame a cowlick knows: You will need to spend extra time styling your hair if your part is in the opposite direction.
