Side Parting Haircuts for Men: Classic and Modern Versions

October 15, 2026•6 min read

A side parting haircut is a cut with a defined line on one side of the top, with the hair combed away from it: most over the top, a little down the short side. It works on most face shapes and hair types, and it is one of the few styles equally at home in a boardroom and at a wedding. The classic version keeps the sides tapered with scissors and the top long enough to comb. Modern versions add a fade, more texture or a looser parting. The single biggest factor in whether it looks right is putting the parting where your hair already wants to fall, not where you think it should go.

Find your natural parting first

Most men have a natural parting, determined by the direction the hair grows from the crown. Fight it and the hair will spring back by lunchtime. Work with it and the style holds with very little product.

A simple way to find it:

Wash and towel-dry your hair so it is damp.
Comb everything straight back from the forehead.
Push the hair gently forwards from the crown with the flat of your hand.
Watch where it splits. That line is usually your parting.

Most men have a parting on the left or right roughly in line with the outer corner of an eyebrow. Some have a strong cowlick at the front that forces the choice. If yours is ambiguous, the barber will spot the growth pattern during the assessment that starts every visit at Highgate Cuts. Our post on cowlicks covers the stubborn cases.

Classic and modern versions compared

Version	Sides	Top	Finish
Classic scissor side parting	Scissor taper, ears tidy	5 to 8 cm, combable	Neat, low shine or natural
Short back and sides with parting	Clipper, graduated	3 to 5 cm	Clean, practical, low upkeep
Side parting with fade	Low or mid fade	5 to 8 cm	Sharper contrast, more modern
Textured or soft parting	Scissor or light clipper	6 to 10 cm, point cut	Fingers rather than comb, matt
Hard part	Usually faded	5 to 8 cm	Shaved line in place of a combed one

The classic scissor version suits men over 30 who want something that grows out gracefully over five or six weeks. The faded version looks sharper but needs a visit every three weeks or so to keep the contrast. The textured parting is the most forgiving if you do not want to use a comb every morning. A shaved-in line is a different commitment, covered in our post on the hard part haircut.

How the cut is built

A side parting looks simple, but the cut beneath it does a lot of the work.

The parting side is shorter. Hair on the narrow side of the parting is usually cut a little shorter so it lies flat and does not bulge over the line.
The heavy side carries the length. On the wide side, the barber leaves enough length to sweep over without collapsing, and graduates it so it does not form a wedge above the ear.
The crown is controlled. The crown is where partings fail, because hair there often grows in a swirl. Leaving it slightly longer helps it lie down.
The front is weighted correctly. A little weight at the front gives the sweep its shape. Too much texture here and the hair falls into the face.

Styling a side parting in two minutes

Start with damp hair. Partings set best as the hair dries.
Set the line with a comb. Draw the comb from the front hairline straight back to the crown along your natural parting.
Blow-dry in the direction of the style. A minute on medium heat, directing the heavy side over and slightly back, gives it shape that lasts all day. If you do not blow-dry, comb it into place and leave it to air-dry.
Add product to dry hair. A pea-sized amount, warmed in your palms, worked from the back forwards. Cream or matt paste for a soft look, a water-based pomade for a neater, slightly shiny finish.
Finish with a comb or fingers. Comb for classic, fingers for textured.

The most common mistake is too much product. A side parting that looks wet and stiff by midday nearly always had twice as much as it needed. Our guide to how much hair product to use goes into the amounts.

Who it suits, and when to adjust

Thinning at the front or crown: a deep, low parting with a lot of hair swept over draws attention to the thin area. A shorter top, a softer parting and a matt finish usually look better.
Glasses wearers: a side parting works well with frames, but keep the sides tidy above the arms so they do not push the hair out.
Thick, straight hair: ideal, but needs weight removed on the heavy side or it lifts away from the head.
Curly or very wavy hair: a parting is possible, but it will be softer and less linear. Accept the movement rather than fighting it.
Grey hair: a neat side parting is one of the most flattering cuts for grey, which often looks best kept tidy and slightly shorter.

How to ask for it

Tell the barber which version you want using the table above, and bring a photo if you have one. Then give them three pieces of information: how long you want it to last between visits, whether you will blow-dry or not, and whether you use a comb or your fingers. Those three answers change the cut more than most men expect. You can see the full range of services on our Highgate barber page, or read about what to expect from a visit to our barbers before you email.

Questions we get asked

Which side should my parting be on?

The side your hair naturally splits on. If both work, many men prefer the side that shows more of the face they consider their better side, but growth direction matters more.

Can I switch my parting to the other side?

You can, but it will take a few weeks of training with a comb and blow-dryer, and some hair may never cooperate. It is easier if the barber cuts for the new side.