How to Change Your Hair Part, According to Experts

By

Julyne Derrick

Updated on 10/31/23 05:10PM

Reviewed by

Sky Kim

Hairstylist

Fact checked by

Anna Harris

How to Find (and Change) the Part in Your Hair to Switch Up Your Styles — Getty Images / Instagram / Byrdie

As the story with most hairstyles goes, it starts with a trend that catches on and soon enough seemingly everyone is rocking some version of it. When it comes to where we part our hair, millennials grew up with side parts being all the rage whereas Gen Z has deemed the middle part supreme. It goes without saying that where your part your hair doesn't matter as long as you feel comfortable with it, but it can be a lot of fun to switch it up while you find which styles make you feel the most confident.

Where your hair falls naturally is a good place to start when experimenting, but don't feel as if you're stuck with that look. Hair can be trained, so it's all about learning which hair part suits you best.

Of course, that's easier said than done. Factors such as your face shape and hair texture often comes into play when deciding how to best part your hair. So, we tapped three professional hairstylists to share everything you need to know when finding— or switching up— your hair part. Their insights, below.

Meet the Expert

Senada Ceka is a luxury wedding and bridal hairstylist based in New York.
Michelle Cleveland is a hairstylist and owner of the New Jersey-based salon Hair Addicts Salon & Extension Bar.
Devin Toth is a hairstylist at Salon SCK in New York City.

How to Find Your Natural Part

Starting with towel-dried or dry hair, "Comb your hair back away from your face with a wide-toothed comb and then gently push/nudge the hair on top of your head forward, toward your face, using just your hand," hairstylist David Toth instructs. "The hair should split, and voila—there’s your part."

How to Create a Part

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Middle Part

"To create a perfect center part, or any part for that matter, comb all of your hair back away from your face with a wide-tooth comb," says Toth. "In doing so, each of the comb’s teeth actually makes a different hair part for you to choose from. [Simply] pick which part you want, align your comb exactly on top of that part, and comb the hair on each side downward."

To achieve a more natural look with your middle part, try going slightly off-center, about half an inch to the left or the right.

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Side Part

If you know how to make a middle part, you'll definitely catch on to creating a side part. "Creating a side part is very similar to creating a center part," Toth says. "You're still going to comb your hair straight back, away from your face, using a wide-toothed comb." One side-part-specific trick: "Try tilting your head to one side while you're combing your hair back so that the area where you want the part to [form] then becomes the highest point of your head," he instructs.

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Deep Side Part

For a deep side part, start at the outer corner of one of your eyes depending on which side you want to part on. Using the pointed end of a rattail comb, like the Harry Josh Pro Tools Carbon Tail Comb ($20), create a line. Then part the hair on either side.

Factors to Consider When Creating a Part

1. Hair Type

Textured hair: According to hairstylists Senada Ceka and Michelle Cleveland, curly/coily hair looks best when it goes where it naturally wants to. So don't feel like you need to force it and create a part. If you're looking for some direction, though, you have options. "First, there’s a clean deep side part locked into place with a barrette, crossed-hatched bobby pins, or other hair accessories pinned to the side of the head that has less hair," Toth suggests. "[Then there's] a messy almost nonexistent side part where the hair just sort of flows from one side to the other."
Thick hair: For hair with lots of volume, Ceka says a center part looks great, but she advises against centering it precisely in the middle of your head. Instead, you'll want your part off just a tiny bit to allow the thick hair to fall like sheets on both sides of the face.
Thin hair: If your hair is on the thin side, try switching up the sides of your part to add body and oomph at the crown. "The best parts for fine hair are very finely zig-zagged, so you don’t see a lot of your scalp at the part," says Toth. When you switch your hair's part to the other side of your head, the roots will lift and give you more volume. He recommends tucking the hair behind the ear on the side of the head with the least amount of hair.

2. Face Shape

Here are some tips on finding a part that best flatters and enhances your face shape.

Oval: If you have a long or oval face shape, try parting your hair in line with the arch of your eyebrow for a side part. Middle parts are great if you're looking to elongate the face. Don't feel restricted to only these options, though: Cleveland and Ceka say long or oval face shapes look good with any part.
Heart: If you have a heart-shaped face, you can pull off a middle part, which elongates the face. Ceka suggests adding some short, face-framing layers, which can "give the illusion of an oval face." Additionally, Cleveland says that heart-shaped faces can rock a side part. To complete this look, she suggests adding bangs since they "can soften the overall look" of this face shape.
Round: People with round face shapes have a couple of options that work well for different reasons. Cleveland recommends the middle part since it helps sharpen the roundness of a round face. Meanwhile, Toth advises those with this shape to opt for a side part: "It add[s] balance to your face by creating vertical angles over the sides," he says.
Square: For those with square-shaped faces, the experts agree that a side part is ideal. Similar to heart-shaped types, bangs will look great on you, too.