A Look at Side and Middle-Parted Hair Throughout History
TikTok says that side-parts are done, but the jury's still out.
Tensions are mounting on the interwebs these days, with the latest controversy springing from the Gen-Z social commentary hotbed otherwise known as TikTok. The drama: Gen-Z has officially called out the skinny jean and the side part as passé. The latter pronouncement in particular raised eyebrows (to say the very least) among their Millennial counterparts, who have made side-parted tresses their generational calling card.
The first two decades of the aughts were indeed side-part heavy—but we had our reasons. First, a side part can help lift the face and account for slight facial asymmetries, which we all have. Secondly, on some, the severe middle part can be a little... unforgiving. (Alfalfa comes to mind.) Not that the alternative doesn't have its merits: the middle part can also look fresh and, depending on how you like to style your hair, add a touch of youth to the face.
However, while both ways of styling one's hair certainly have their pros and cons, we all seem to be missing one crucial part of the conversation: it's actually bad for your hair to only part it in one way. As any hairstylist will tell you, consistently parting your hair in a single place causes stress to the area and can contribute to thinning and breakage. The best solution? Try to change things up. That doesn't necessarily mean moving all the way from a drastic side part to the middle, or from a clean middle parting to a swoop, but perhaps shifting your part in one direction or another oh so slightly. The goal: not being beholden to a particular part.
To prove our commitment to becoming parting agnostic—and defying any generational hair mandates—here we look at famous parts, from the bad to the very, very good.
Alfalfa
For the uninitiated, Alfalfa's iconic middle parting haunts. Once you see it, it can't be unseen—perhaps an explanation for millennial trepidation towards taking a comb down the middle of our scalps.
Wednesday Addams
Another iconic center parting. Adorable and creepy, yes, but there's still a cartoonish charm.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Inexplicably, the middle part was the hairstyle du jour of teen hearthrobs in the '90s. Yes, Timothée Chalamet sometimes sports this look, so again, this might explain what we see in the mirror when attempting to change things up.
Boticelli's Birth of Venus
We're taking a walk through canon, OK! Yes, Venus is sporting a center part. But can we point your attention to her left to Zephyr and the nymph Chloris, who has a side part? Greek mythology knows no part prejudice.
Jan Van Eyck's Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride
OK, I know that you're thinking "there are no hair partings in this painting," and that's really my point. 1434 was a big year for showing off the forehead and not the hairline, and I guess what I'm getting at here is that maybe we should all appreciate having the ability to show the top of our heads at all.
Portrait of Anne Boleyn
I am relieved to report that by the 16th century, getting a visual on more than the upper quadrant of one's face was back in fashion. Here we have Anne Boleyn, with her regal forehead and padded headpiece, proudly wearing a middle part.
Portrait of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I's reign was known as a golden age for England, but perhaps not so for hair. No discernable parting here, as was the fashion, which just goes to show that trends change, though when it comes to options of parting, there are very few.
Frida Kahlo
An icon in her own right, haver of the killer eyebrows, and signature middle part wearer. Also worth pointing out: the woman Kahlo is painting has a side part.
Josephine Baker
An icon and a gamechanger, Baker was known for many things—including her signature shellacked deep side-part.
Veronica Lake
Legend has it that the movie star wore her golden hair in a deep side part and waves to account for a slight asymmetry in her face. The takeaway: pick a parting that suits your face best, not what the trend dictates, and you may bring a look back into vogue.
Lauren Bacall
Another icon squarely in the camp of the side parting. Bacall was famous for her moody, sultry demeanor and let's face it, a side part comes part and parcel with that. It's essential component to an over-the-shoulder, come hither gaze that beguiles.
Merle Oberon
An actress of the golden age, Oberon wore a deep part and pin curls, as was the standard look of the era.
Merle Oberon
But rest assured, she was not bound to her parting and also wore her hair split down the center, too.
Grace Kelly
Kelly makes clear that it's possible to wear a center part and a headband—and that might be the key to making the hair accessory look sophisticated.
Cher
There is no celebrity more intertwined with a center part than Cher.
Jane Birkin
Namesake of the iconic Hermes tote, Birkin is a fashion icon for the ages. One thing that remained true fairly consistenly: her middle part.
Cher
Still, it must be noted that Cher has also worn her glossy tresses not exactly parted in the middle. If that's not an invitation for us all to change things up, I don't know what is.
Sharon Tate
Tate's blond hair had what I like to call the demi middle part. Parted, but only midway, with tons of bounce at the front.
Goldie Hawn
If there's a word Goldie Hawn could be most associated with it's certainly "effortless." Yes, this is a sidepart, but in that really thoughtlessly cool way. Something for all of us to contemplate.
Ali MacGraw
Another icon who will forever be thought of with a part directly down the middle.
As the deputy digital lifestyle director at Town & Country, Roxanne Adamiyatt covers fashion, beauty, wellness, design and travel.
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