Middle Part Vs. Side Part: What Your Hair Style Says About You

Do you part your hair in the center or on the side? While it recently became a point of contention between Gen Z and Millenials, it's a debate that's raged throughout the ages. According to Town & Country, regardless of trends, history is full of people who chose to go against the grain and part their hair in the middle with some flattering and some less-than-flattering outcomes. You might remember lots of groovy, long, stick-straight styles parted straight down the center from the late 1960s (via Leon Studio One). Then, they popped back up in the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, many of the times in between, side parts remained decidedly on-trend. 

When Gen Z took to TikTok to call out Millenials for their "old" looking side parts, some people took umbrage and valiantly bucked the trends, flaunting their side parts, while others moved their hair over a bit, adopting a once-more cool middle part (via Gotham ). However, regardless of what's in style, where you should part your hair should really be a decision that suits your specific style and face. Read on to find out if you should wear a middle or a side part.

No matter which method of parting hair is stylish, you still need a hairstyle that you love and makes you look terrific. Beauty guru Eva Scrivo of Eva Scrivo Salon discussed how to choose where you part your hair with Gotham : "Whether a side or middle part is best depends more on your face and head shape than your age," she said. 

While you might enjoy using your hair to express yourself, you should consider some surprising mathematical concepts when choosing an outstanding style. "Hair styles are not only a form of self-expression," she said. "They are also about geometry and, when designed correctly, balancing asymmetry in our facial structures." The shape of your face makes a difference, she said; an off-center hair part will make a round or square face look slimmer. "A deep side part can add instant glamor and a 'red carpet' feel," she said, while center parts enhance the features of women with symmetrical faces. "It also has a more casual, relaxed feel to it and perhaps less professional," said Scrivo. "A great pro tip is to blow dry the hair forward when wearing a middle part.

Ultimately, where you part your hair is up to you, but there is some science to it, depending on your face shape. If you have questions, talk to your stylist about which options would best compliment your features.