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30 Side Part Haircuts: A Classic Style for Gentlemen

Perfect for both casual and formal situations

written by The Editors

The side part haircut is one of the few styles that has survived the test of time. It dates all the way back to the 1910s (and possibly before), and you can still see it on thousands and thousands of heads today.

Why has it lasted so long? Well, it’s a particularly versatile haircut. It’s nice for both casual and formal situations, and it’s an ideal haircut for an office job or workplace. It also doesn’t take too much to style, and with a little work in the morning, you’ll have a dapper cut ready to go.

What Is The Side Part Haircut?

As its name implies, the side part haircut relies on a side part. But there’s more to it than that. The top and sides are cut in a traditional fashion to give the side part haircut its all-around timeless look. The result is a short, neat style.

The side part works best with thicker hair, though it is possible to style with finer hair. Like the comb over and other short cuts, it best suits square and oval face shapes.

Getting the Side Part Haircut

While the haircut is widely known as the “side part haircut,” many barbers and stylists know it by different names. These include the businessman haircut and a traditional cut with a side part. Because it goes by so many names, we recommend bringing in a picture to show your barber or stylist.

To help further, here are the finer details of the side part haircut so you can specify exactly what you want.

About 2 to 4 inches of hair on top is best for this cut. The longer the hair, the more volume your hair will have. The sides should be clipped with a razor on a setting anywhere from #3 to #6. You’ll also want a taper or fade on the sides as well as a tapered neckline.

If you’d like, you can also ask your barber or stylist to give you a hard part, which is a shaved line that creates a clearly defined part. This makes the hairstyle more noticeable and contrasts the top with the sides.

Styling the Side Part Haircut

The side part requires a good quality pomade. Suavecito Original Hold and Layrite Original are two of our favorites. Apply the product to towel-dried, slightly damp hair. If you want a shiny, slicked-back look, use a generous amount (one quarter-sized scoop with your finger).

Next, choose a point on the back of your head either on the left or right. You’re going to comb all of your hair to this point. To do so, comb your hair away from your part and backward as well. (If your hair is on the shorter side and you have trouble combing it backward, simply comb it away from your part.)

Once you’ve combed all of that hair back, comb the sides downward. If you want, you can use a little hairspray to fix the style in place, and you’re finished styling the side part haircut.

Experiment with different amounts of pomade and different ways to style this cut. The side part is a versatile cut, and you can play around with it to see what suits your personal style best.