Read Time: 2 min 50 sec
For a brief moment, the internet was taken by storm because a Gen Z-er claimed that side parts were “out” and middle parts are “in,” along with some other trends (skinny jeans vs. straight and the crying laughing emoji). This claim caused almost the entire Millennial generation to simultaneously lose their minds. TikTok and Instagram flooded with clap-back videos from either generation trying to persuade their followers why their part was superior over the other.
While these videos made for some great content to scroll through, we realized something more while watching. Women were trying something new.
Admit it, when was the last time you really tried something new and out of the box for yourself and your physical appearance? It’s been a while, right?
Changing your part can be a daunting task if you don’t know what you’re doing, and especially if you’ve been wearing your hair the same way for years. BUT IT’S SO WORTH IT! There are a couple of incredible things that can happen when you switch your part up from time to time:
1. You may find your best self.
Just because you’ve done something the same way for years, doesn’t mean it's the best way. Switching your part may give you a new best angle or way to highlight your favorite part of your face.
2. You can keep your hair follicles on their toes!
Don’t underestimate your hair’s capability of adjusting. If you’ve been wearing the same part for years, your hair has learned to grow that way and has adapted to the wear and tear. Switching it up encourages your hair to strengthen and grow in new ways!
We couldn’t help but notice the few videos where a quick change was made without any styling effort and some women just gave up. Here’s our quick guide on how to prep and style both parts, so you can truly see which is best for you.
Side Part to Middle Part
Chances are, if you’re reading this section, you’re a millennial. What’s up Y2K babies?! We get that you’re probably anxious to recreate a not-so-flattering 90’s look, but trust us, you won’t!
Start your transition of the side to the middle part while your hair is wet. Blow-dry the roots of your hair in all different directions until they’re almost completely dry, then make your part. The appeal of a middle part is the ability to frame your face well, so grab your round brush! It’s important that your face-framing pieces collapse against your forehead instead of lifting off. Wrap your hair around the round brush, but pull down while blowdrying instead of up. You want the air to be drying the underside of your hair to help create that perfect wave.
Pro-Tips:
- If you’re missing the volume your side part gave you, add it in other places, like the crown or bulk of your hair!
- Be mindful of how you tussle your hair with this part. Give lift at the crown, but make sure your encouraging collapse with your face-framing pieces and opening those pieces at the cheek or lip.
Middle Part to Side Part
Chances are if you switch your part right now at this moment, you’re going to feel like you have a giant cowlick. Don’t give up though!
The key to switching your part is to do it while your hair is wet. This gives you better control of where your hair ends up. Kind of like our saying “Where hair cools is where it stays” consider this “where hair dries, it stays.” ;) When blowdrying, use a paddle brush to dry your roots in all different directions to break up your hair’s natural tendency.
Opt for a just-off-center part instead of diving into a deep side part. The appeal of a side part for most women is the ability to give their hair volume right around their face, so don't be afraid to use that round brush and give your hair some root lift!
Pro-Tip: We noticed some people don’t like the side of their head that has less hair or volume. If this is the case for you, make your side part a diagonal instead. This will give you some extra hair on that side to build more volume.
