Millennials, Rejoice: Side Bangs Are Back and Middle Parts Are Over

Raise your hand if you remember when getting a side bang was a rite of passage. One trip to the salon and you thought you were hot stuff with one eye mysteriously covered, quoting The Hills with a flat iron in tow. If you were lucky, someone compared you to Lauren Conrad. If you were really lucky (and slightly older) maybe, Aaliyah.

By 2020, Gen Z had officially declared side parts (and, by extension, side bangs) over. TikTok crowned the middle part the only acceptable hairstyle, turning the side part into shorthand for being a millennial. Alas, practically anything with razor-straight center parts ruled our algorithm, coinciding with the rise of the clean girl aesthetic, where sleek center parts and barely there makeup became the default uniform.

But fashion has a funny way of circling back, and suddenly, the middle part, which has dominated the beauty conversation for over half a decade, is beginning to seem, um, basic. Instead, messiness is in, with fashion becoming more lived-in and beauty feeling smudged and wind-swept. Even one of the “clean girl’s” biggest icons, Hailey Bieber, arrived at the 2025 Met Gala wearing a side part, signaling that the taboo hairstyle was back on our radar. In months to come, Olivia Rodrigo donned one at premiers and performances, while Olivia Dean embraced the look with sculptural curls.

And the flirty, little side bang, as worn by Zoë Kravitz and spotted on models across recent runway shows like the Tory Burch Spring/Summer, is the natural next extension, adding movement and giving everything from a slick bun to loose waves a fresh twist. Unlike the thick, heavily layered swoops of the late 2000s, today’s version is lighter and much airier. But like its predecessor, it’s universally flattering, easy to maintain and works even for the widows-peaked among us.

Benjamin Mohapi, founder of BENJAMIN Salon, couldn’t agree more. “The side part has been out of the spotlight for a while, but with fashion ads and editorial shoots nodding to the ‘80s, it’s popping up again on all the cool kids. I wouldn’t be surprised if it starts sweeping through the mainstream soon.” In other words, this isn’t just millennials clinging to nostalgia.

For years, the internet treated hair parts like blood oaths—you were either Team Middle or out of touch. Thankfully, we’ve moved on from that thinking. The best hairstyles now are the ones that flatter your face, not your algorithm.

Just look at Penélope Cruz’s recent boyfriend bob, created by celebrity hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos. “I wanted to keep Penelope’s hair effortless and relaxed,” Giannetos says. “Inspired by the way your hair looks in the morning after you wake up at your boyfriend’s house; tussled and flipped to the side without using a brush!” The flipped-over styling captures the same vibe that’s replacing pin-straight, perfectly centered parts.

And it’s not just celebs. TikTok creator Halley Kate recently posted a video declaring she’s “bringing back the side part,” with commenters chiming in that they’d never given theirs up, or were finally ready to abandon the ubiquitous center line. There’s even a viral older sister side part tutorial, showing newbs how to swap the harsh Y2K swoop for a softer, zigzag line that creates volume.

Of course, this doesn’t mean the middle part is disappearing overnight. It’s simply losing its monopoly. For years, the internet treated hair parts like blood oaths—you were either Team Middle or out of touch. Thankfully, we’ve moved on from that thinking. The best hairstyles now are the ones that flatter your face, not your algorithm.

This shift also solves a problem many people didn’t realize they had: middle parts aren’t universally flattering. Face shape, hairline and natural growth patterns all play a role, and hairstylists have long argued there’s no such thing as a universally perfect part. Yet social media convinced an entire generation otherwise.

So yes, millennials can take a small victory lap. The side bang has officially shed its cheugy reputation and returned with a much cooler attitude. It’s less precious. And unlike its predecessor, it doesn’t require an industrial-strength hairspray routine to survive the day. And that, my friends, is something to celebrate. Preferably with your flat iron tucked safely away next to your Blackberry.