The middle part vs side part has gone into overdrive on social platforms, effectively dividing Millennials and Gen Z down the middle on this arguably crucial style decision. Beyond the trends, choosing between a side part and a middle part can dramatically affect your overall look: amplify facial symmetry, create balanced vibes, and style.

So, let’s break down which part flatters each face shape best and see how AI technology can help you take a step back and find the most flattering look. With our AI hairstyle tool, you can try both a side part and a middle part on yourself, or try different cuts, making it easier to decide how you should style your hair!

Highlights:

•  Experts agree that your face shape plays a significant role in determining whether a middle or side part is more flattering.
•  While face shape is essential, hair growth patterns and texture can influence the best parting style, ensuring it works with your natural flow.
•  New AI technologies help you experiment virtually before committing, helping you make an informed, confident decision.

Ready to try a new look? Use our Hairstyle Try On tool to see how both the middle and side parts would look on you.

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Which Part Suits Your Face Shape?

Most experts agree that the face shape holds the key to determining whether you should part your hair on the side or down the middle.  Here is how to figure out where to part your hair based on your features, with expert styling advice to help you choose the most flattering look.

Round Face

“A side part is typically more flattering for round faces because it creates the illusion of length, balancing the roundness and adding angles,” Sue Tyrrell, a hair specialist and stylist explains. A middle part, by contrast, can draw attention to the width of a round face and may therefore not be suitable for those looking to elongate their face, the stylist adds.

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Ayhan Onluel, hair expert and owner of Hush Academy, is another opponent of choosing a middle part if you have a round face shape. The stylist warns that this will make a face look rounder and can even create the illusion of a larger head structure.

A side part can be also tricky though, as it can make you want to tuck one side behind your ear. This is something you should never do, as this will widen the look of the face.

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Square Face

Square faces love asymmetry, which tends to balance out and soften sharp angles and a strong jawline. Expert hairstylist Tom Smith explains that “it works really well to soften a square face shape by creating curves and angles.” Sue Tyrrell is on board with this, noting that “for square faces, a deep side part works especially well, adding softness to the angular features.”

For those who prefer a middle part, Tom Smith suggests using face-framing layers and keeping the hair length below the jaw.

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Oval Face

An oval face is can usually pull off both middle and side parts. According to Sue, “A middle part tends to highlight the symmetry of an oval face.” It may also widen your face, giving it a rounder look, Ayhan Onluel warns. Still, if you’re after added fullness and volume, a side part is a great choice!

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Heart-Shaped Face

With a broader forehead and narrower chin, a heart-shaped face suits the side part best. As per Sue Tyrrell’s advice, it can create a softer overall look and minimize focus on the forehead. Besides, it “adds volume around the chin area, providing harmony to the facial structure,” the stylist notes. An off-center or a middle part can be a flattering option too, Ayhan Onluen believes, as it helps cover the jowls.

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Some hairstylists believe that deciding on a hair part has little to do with your face shape though. A Boston haircut specialist, Sam Kane, points out that while face shape matters, it’s vital not to buy into the ‘right face shape’ thinking, as hair growth patterns matter here the most. “Sometimes, the hair tells us what it wants,” she says, emphasizing that the right part should work with your natural hair texture and flow.

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Middle Part vs. Side Part: Celebrity Comparisons

Still not convinced that your part matters? Take a cue from celebrities who’ve rocked both styles to see just how a side part or a middle part highlights features, enhances face shapes, and creates a whole new aesthetic.

Selena Gomez

Selena switches parts quite often! A side part usually goes well with loose waves or natural texture, adds a lot of visual volume, and gives a more elongated look to her face shape.

The center part, in its turn, gives a symmetrical, polished effect, it does accentuate a round face shape, more so with an ear tuck.

Zendaya

Zendaya, of course, is one of those who prove that playing with hair parting can absolutely work in tune with the mood she would want to put across, as she looks good with both ideas. An Old Hollywood-inspired swoopy bob with a deep side part looked absolutely stunning on her.

Meanwhile, her extra-long curly hair parted right in the middle is here to win hearts with carefree and natural vibe.

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon has a heart-shaped face, and side-part or bangs hairstyles work very well to balance her wide forehead. If you’re at a crossroads, you might ask, should you get bangs?

Try curtain bangs or layers styled with a perfect middle part look very flattering on a wide forehead too. However, they emphasize another prominent feature of the triangle face shape – a pointed chin. So, while Reese is absolutely congenial with any hairstyle, we vote for a side part for her.

Want to experiment with these styles? Create your own middle part vs side part inspiration board based on your selfie and enjoy some red-carper worthy looks on yourself!

Hairstyle Try On

Virtual Styler: Quick Guide on How to Use

Our Virtual Styler is a great, user-friendly online tool you can use to get an overview of how different partings look on you. Here is a quick guide on how to use it:

•  Upload a clear, front-facing photo of yourself.
•  Select hairstyles to generate: make sure you include options with both middle and side parts showing how a part can influence your appearance. Remember to try a side part on both sides – our faces are naturally asymmetrical, so a part on the left may look entirely different than one on the right.
• Access your results and view how both the middle and side parts look on your face. The tool uses advanced AI technology to create diverse, natural-looking images, so you can easily compare how different parts and styles impact your overall look.