25 Gorgeous Shoulder-Length Side Part Hairstyles You’ll Want to Copy

I have never been a huge fan of the side part hairstyle, but with the rise of the pandemic, the side part was labeled as “over” and I couldn’t bring myself to suggest them anymore. For two years, I found myself repeating the same sentences saying the clients would look like 2018 New York fashion week attendees if they had middle parts. I once had a client with a photo of an influencer and so I told her, “Honey, your cowlick is never going to let that happen.” We did a side part and she ended up crying happy tears.

Haircuts with shoulder length side parts are notorious for being difficult to manage, so I recommend layers to allow the hair to fall where it wants to fall. I’m always searching for that look where the haircut styles itself by the end of the week. That’s really what we should aim for, and it cuts down the need for a weekly trip to the salon to refresh it.

Photos

#1: The One with the Waves That Look Like You Didn’t Try (But You Did, A Little)

Here’s the trim I could do on a Saturday morning. My client wants a style that makes her look put together, but she also wants to be able to leave the salon at noon. The waves are not so much styled as they are coaxed, and I find that this is a distinction I am making a lot these days because over styled waves have this really stiff, pageant look that nobody actually wants to look at up close. The point-cutting through the ends is what really makes this work; it prevents the perimeter from looking too blunt while still giving the waves something to grab. This will be easy to maintain if your hair is medium density and has even a slight natural wave.

#2 Side Part With Curls That Have Actual Personality

I enjoy cutting defined shoulder-length curls because I really enjoy creating cuts that compliment your curl pattern. I love that moment when a client shakes their head and the curls all fall into place. The secret to achieving that moment is to make sure enough weight is left on the sides so the curls won’t spring up too short. I know how it feels to leave the salon and have to cringe at the sight of a wet curl cut that looks chin length. I’m soft cutting some of the face framing pieces that will be added a little extra just to avoid uniformity.

#3 The Lob That’s Doing More Than It Looks Like It’s Doing

For this one, I would like to address the nape graduation, as most people see a photo like this, and think ‘soft lob, nice waves, moving on.’ However, the reason the ends have that little flip rather than just hanging there is because she has done some internal graduations, which most stylists don’t bother with. It’s fiddly, it takes longer, and while the client can’t always see it in the mirror, she definitely feels it every morning as her hair dries into shape without her having to do much. The ends here have been feathered by slide cutting, not point cutting, and that makes all the difference because slide cutting on fine to medium hair means you remove bulk without removing density, which is everything you are trying to protect.

#4 Ash Brown with That Fringe That Everyone Thinks They Can’t Pull Off

I appreciate the ash brown color because it doesn’t clash with the skin tone. It does a nice job of stepping aside and letting the cut shine. The diagonal fringe is a something clients inquire about and when I get the scissors near their face, they tend to chicken out. This one is not that big of a commitment, more of a suggestion. With the collarbone length and soft, inward curves at the ends, plus that fringe swept to the side, it looks very sophisticated. She’ll have to style that fringe every day, but the rest of the hair is pretty low maintenance.

#5 Deep Side Part, Natural Wave, the Kind of Cut That Photographs Well on Day Two

I can see a cowlick on the front, and I can tell the stylist made the decision to leave it alone, and honestly, good. Fighting front cowlicks on deep side parts is a losing battle, and the hair always wins by Wednesday. They actually built the cut around it, and let it create that natural lift at the crown that you’d otherwise have to blow-dry into submission every single morning. The root shadow in the color is doing the same kind of work, making the grow-out feel intentional rather than neglected, and the color works so well with the rest of the cut. I’d use a light texturizing spray on the mid-lengths here and call it done.

#6 The Chocolate Cut with the Inward Curl That Stays Put

I really like the chocolate brown combined with root shadow. This is what I always try to convince my clients to do when they want to go darker all over. The shadow effect on the hair makes the grow-out look more dimensional, and makes it less obvious (and it is important to remember that for my clients who sit in my chair at the 10 week mark thinking, “Do I need to come in again?”). Sometimes the answer is no, and that’s a blessing for everyone! Your cut has nape graduation, which will help with that inward curl, and you won’t even need to round brush it every time. That’s a miracle with fine to medium hair! I’ve also point cut through the ends a bit.

#7 Warm Chestnut, Soft Waves, The Cut I Recommend When Someone Says They Want “Easy”

When the client says easy, she likely means she wants the guilt-free option of air drying. This cut is made for that. The warm chestnut is dynamically beautiful depending on the lighting and keeps it from being flat, which is the risk with an all over color at this depth. The waves here are unconstructed and are a by product of dry fine- medium hair with some product and movement, plus a side part to keep it from shapeless. The color will need maintenance but the cut itself? She can go longer between trims than she thinks.

#8 Subtle Balayage, Soft Layers, and Why This Works Better Than It Has Any Right To

The side part and soft layers convey to me that the cut is something to admire and as a note to self to keep the look going. The balayage is lovely and adds movement, a layered lob can feel a little lifeless with out some color variation. The lighter color placement is perfect, it gives good thickness at the ends which is exactly what you want. The layers are long and blended, soft enough that there isn’t going to be excessive bulk or a triangle shape if the client doesn’t style it perfectly every day.

#9 Soft Waves with That Little Play of Light That’s Hard to Describe and Easy to Love

When there is a side part with some waves, pulling the hair in one direction can create a nice glossy effect. I can’t describe everything about why it looks nice in the picture. Some styles and cuts just look good, and this is one of them. The side part also helps to flatter the shape of the face. I’d suggest changing very few things. Just a bit more of an ‘untidy’ appearance, because that slight clean look is actually the opposite of what you’re aiming for.

#10 Rich Chestnut Curls That I Would Spend Extra Time On in the Chair

I get excited about this color too! It’s warm chestnut brown, and looks great on light to medium skin tones. That is surprisingly a narrow range and a lot of stylists miss it. For this look, the curls are defined but not crunchy, which really isn’t as easy as it sounds. To get that soft, defined, curl cast, good products and technique are a must. With curly hair, I save the side part for last until the hair is all done and dry. Once the curls are set in a certain direction, it’s really difficult for the hair to change its mind.

#11 Highlights That Look Like Light, Not Like Highlights

I’ll repeat myself, but the goal with the highlights should always be that people notice your hair looks good before they realize they are highlights, and this is a case of that done extremely well. The highlights are strategically dimensioned and layered so that the color accumulates and gives the illusion of thickness as it plays through the layers. The ends are blunt with no texture, and the side part does all the lifting when it comes to framing. This is a confident cut, and quite frankly, I like that more than I can put into words.

#12 Loose Natural Waves with That Easy Lived-In Volume

I have done this exact cut nearly 300 times and I’m always a little amazed by how much it comes together. The strategic portions and layers are there to keep the silhouette balanced while adding volume around the face. The end result is meant to be as seamless as possible. The finished variant is a combination of added natural waves, subtle highlights and fine to medium hair gets extra bounce. A light touch is all that is required with maybe some curl cream through the mid-lengths and this practically looks after itself.

#13 Beachy Waves and a Balayage That Earns Its Maintenance Cost

I love seeing how balayage color pops on this hair texture! Balayage gives so much more depth and dimension to the color on the hair than a single color. It is absolutely worth the extra cost and time in the chair. The waves do look effortless and it did take a good amount of time to create that look so it is nice to be on the low maintenance end of the spectrum. For finer hair, creating this look is pretty easy with a salt spray and a diffuser, but for thicker hair it will take a bit more time with a 1.25-inch curling iron. The good news is the result will last for a long time so it will all be worth the effort!

#14 Sun-Kissed Brown That I Would Recommend to Almost Anyone Who Walked In

I love the color you chose! A soft warm brown comes off as classy and expensive, but not as loud as a dark color can. With fine and medium hair, the natural highlights help to brighten your overall look and make you appear more healthy rather than processed. This cut has a soft feel with subtle layers, and her side part is gentle rather than deep. Everything about this is nice and classic. This is a cut I would recommend for a client coming from something a lot more dramatic wanting to tone it down to something that just works. Regular trims are key to this look being intentional as the layers soften quickly – every eight weeks is what I would recommend.

#15 Beachy Waves with Actual Texture, Not Just Product

On the second day, you’ll start to notice how beachy waves differ from a good haircut versus beachy waves from heavy product use, and this is the former. The texture was cut in so the waves have something to hold onto as opposed to just being teased into shape by sea salt spray. Medium density hair holds this kind of cut really well because there is enough weight to hold the wave but not so much that it drags it straight. If you’re thinking about adding subtle highlights to something like this, I’d advise warm over cool, so that the whole thing reads cohesive.

#16 Warm Brown with Volume at the Crown That Doesn’t Require Teasing

This shows how much I value crown volume and how often I have to explain it to clients, particularly during this round of consultations. I liked working with this texture and all the possibilities it offers, but most people have either resigned themselves to not teasing and lifting, or the opposite and tease much more than is needed. For this style, more volume is needed at the crown, which is why I refrained from adding more texture to the mid-lengths. Also, the side part will create volume at the crown that a center part wouldn’t do. A center part would just divide the hair and make it collapse. The warm brown will reflect light and create dimension to the hair. This is medium density hair doing its best work.

#17 Light Blonde Side Part That Actually Has Substance

Lightening super fine hair can be tricky, and some of that natural texture that holds a wave can be lost. More of that wave can be created depending on how the hair is cut. This was done really well! The layers add movement without sacrificing the density you need for the hair to keep its shape. The side part keeps the look from getting too informal, which can happen with light blonde hair if there’s no structure to anchor it. My recommendation is to use volumizing mousse on this to keep it in a certain place when blow drying. Blonde hair needs all of the staying power it can get!

#18 Soft Waves with a Side Part and the Good Kind of Airy

When cut properly, fine to medium hair can appear much fuller, and this cut exemplifies that. The texture added at the ends creates some bounce and it helps retain fullness, which is what transforms fine hair from looking thin to looking rich. I prefer soft waves, like these, that feel a little imperfect; they look so much better than uniform waves. When the waves are too uniform, I find that the hair can look a bit too done. More spontaneous looking waves create a more natural appearance, and that helps the style to continue looking good as the week goes on. This will be easy to live with, and while the side part may look dated, it is subtle enough that it won’t date the style too much.

#19 Loose Waves with Layering That Knows When to Stop

Some types of layering can go too far, leading to the client having a lot of movement without a lot of weight, and the cut does not sit properly after a wash, so this is the type where they left it before that happened. The light layering here creates movement without the over layered, dated look that shoulder-length hair has. Fine hair especially needs that restraint because once you take away too much from the perimeter, there’s no going back until it grows. The waves are effortless, the side part is flattering, and the whole thing has a balance that I find quietly impressive.

#20 Tousled Medium Thickness with a Side Part That’s Working Harder Than It Looks

When it comes to cutting hair, it is not hard to see why cutting hair that is medium to thick is satisfying. For a shoulder length haircut, that hair type leaves enough room to add texture, and the tousled look you see is a product of the way the ends are cut and not just the way the hair is styled. This hair will last a second-day-wash and will still have a lot of personality. The side part with this hair thickness and volume is doing some real work. It adds movement and asymmetry to the hair, which counters the feeling of heaviness. The playful quality in this hair goes beyond just beach spray. It is evidence of a style that has been carefully planned.

#21 The Subtle Highlight Job I Want More Clients to Ask For

I want to be honest with you: when a client comes in and asks for subtle highlights, what she means and what she ultimately asks for are usually two different things, and this photo is the version where we went with the original plan, and it was 100% the right decision. The highlights here are soft enough that they create a natural movement in the hair instead of looking like highlights. Also, on this texture, they really enhance the waves beautifully. The cut is layered throughout the inside to create volume without bulk, the ends are texturized, and the side part pulls it all together to look very intentional without being overdone.

#22 Warm Brown Layers with a Polished Finish That Doesn’t Feel Stiff

I show people this cut when they want to look super polished without spending 45 minutes on their hair. The warm brown shade with the sleek finish looks like effort, even with minimal styling. The longer subtle layers provide movement to fine/medium hair and are active without additional “special” efforts. Side parts, compared to other hairstyles, bring more elegance to the cut than center parts. That smooth finish is from a round brush and a medium hold cream (definitely not any heavy product!). Yes, you want to keep up on regular trims to keep the layers looking fresh, but other than that, this is a surprisingly easy style to maintain.

#23 A Classic Side Part That Has Genuinely Good Bones

Medium density straight hair often takes a backseat to styles with more dimension and waves, but in the right hands can look amazing! This particular style showcases that straight hair can be stunning when paired with the right length and right part. What I see the most is when the soft layers go long enough to create bulk at the cheek, and the side part frames the face in a way that looks natural instead of looking constructed. It can easily be dressed up or down, and my guess is on a weekday that it takes around 10 minutes to style, which is a lot more than most people appreciate when sitting in my chair waiting for something more intricate.

#24 Soft Curls at Shoulder Length with a Side Part That Earns It

Shoulder-length curls can be tricky. This stylist has made it so that no ‘wider’ look is created because her interior ends are weighted. The loose curls look soft because of the cut rather than the tussled or textured look being jarring on the curl. The side part is deliberate here as it does send the weight off to one side, balancing the volume and preventing flat top which can happen with fine hair and too much density in the crown. Effortless. Flowing. Charming.

#25 Loose Waves with Volume and a Side Part for Fine Hair That Actually Works

There are no tricks with this style; the layered volume is real and won’t disappear by noon like most styles. The soft waves add an airy feel to the texture, and the side part is quite flattering. I think the freshness of this look is great on all ages. The cut just needs a styling product to define it, and certainly nothing that will flatten it at the roots. Of the many variations I’ve seen on this style, this one is definitely one of the most practical.