The Middle Part Is Still at the Center of Summer's Biggest Hair Trends
The hairstyle celebs turn to time and time again.
Select the newsletters you’d like to receive. Then, add your email to sign up.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Marie Claire Daily
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Sent weekly on Saturday
Marie Claire Self Checkout
Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.
Once a week
Maire Claire Face Forward
Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.
Once a week
Livingetc
Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.
Delivered Daily
Homes & Gardens
The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.
It’s one of the greatest debates of our time—a seemingly endless quest for an answer everyone can agree on. So deeply woven into the fabric of society that your choice can make or break your social standing. The question, you might be wondering, is this: which hairstyle reigns supreme—the middle or side part? Hollywood has sent a clear message this week, and the middle part has won the vote.
As evidenced by numerous celebrities lately, middle parts are simply not going anywhere anytime soon. Let’s dive into a few examples, shall we?
Bella Hadid leaving Morley's Chicken Shop after a Chicken Shop interview in Brick Lane before returning to her London Hotel.
Today, May 16, Bella Hadid was spotted in London with her newly blonde hair down, curled, and flowing in the wind as she walked. The style perfectly framed her face thanks to a middle part that created a sort of faux curtain bang.
Barbara Palvin is seen at Hotel Martinez during day four of the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
Over in France, Barbara Palvin is attending the Cannes Film Festival, where she was spotted in a chic updo on her way to the festivities of the day. Her side part mirrored Hadid’s as it also allowed for her bangs to frame her face; however, instead of hers being curled, they were only slightly waved to match her edgy two-piece skirt suit and pointed-toe black heels.
Michelle Williams is seen outside NBC Studios on May 15, 2025 in New York City.
In New York City, singer and Broadway actress Michelle Williams took her side part out for a spin as she paid a visit to the set of Access Hollywood. Similar to Hadid’s, her hair was curled to perfection; however, instead of a buttery blonde, William’s hair was a gorgeous jet black shade, which perfectly complemented the black-and-white polka dot Abbyke Domina dress that she wore.
I personally subscribe to the middle-part narrative, so I’m particularly happy that Hollywood has fallen in line. Still, your preferred hairstyle, like any other part of your beauty and personal-care routine, is just that—uniquely individual to you and varies from person to person.
All of this to say that while the middle part is undoubtedly having a moment right now, there’s no wrong way to do your hair. Take what you want from this trend and leave what you don’t. But if you do want to hop on board, keep reading to see how you can make this simple trend your own.
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
With a style this simple, one of the easiest ways to make your middle part stand out is to have a fun hair color. For me, this means opting for a jet or blue-black á la Williams, so I'll be keeping this box hair dye from Clairol on hand for an easy at-home DIY session.

Ariel Baker is the Beauty Writer at Marie Claire. Previously the associate beauty editor at PS and briefly freelance, she has bylines in InStyle, Forbes Vetted, Women's Health, and more.
Since she started out in the non-profit sector, Ariel enjoys looking at beauty from a sociocultural lens, looking to avenues like politics, music, and the arts, to inform her views on the space. That being said, as a true beauty-product obsessive, testing the latest items to hit the market, keeping up with trends, and meeting industry icons, will always be her favorite part of working in the beauty space.
When she's not working, Ariel can be found hanging out with her fiancé and loving on their two cat daughters: Cow and Chicken.