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From going short to getting bangs or trying new colors, dramatic hair reinventions are expected on the red carpet. A less committal adjustment? Switching up the hair part. While most stars look incredible in both side and center styles, such a small change can really make a surprising difference. Here, Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé, Gwyneth Paltrow, and more demonstrate the transformative power of a new parting.
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1
Rihanna
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She's Rihanna, so of course she looks gorgeous in both styles.
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2
Taylor Swift
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The only time we really see a clear middle part on Swift is when she pushes her bangs aside, like when she opted for this sleek updo at the 2022 VMAs.
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3
Jennifer Lopez
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The side part gives J.Lo a voluminous look, but the center part gives her the cool edge she's known for.
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4
Selena Gomez
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A beauty inspiration since she was a teen, Gomez is no stranger to changing up her hair. She's been spotted with side parts, center parts, and sometimes even no part.
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5
Cardi B
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The rapper brings the style everywhere she goes, but she seems to opt for smooth center parts most often.
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6
Jessica Alba
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Alba has tested out many hairstyles and colors over the years, but the light balayage and center part definitely suits her.
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7
Christina Aguilera
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All it takes for the singer to go from Marilyn Monroe to Xtina is a flip of the hair.
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8
Emily Blunt
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While Blunt's side part adds some extra volume, her flat-ironed middle part looks runway-ready.
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9
Kerry Washington
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When the actress has shorter hair, you can often see her with a side part. After she changes it up for more length, her equally-stylish center part typically makes a return.
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10
Gwyneth Paltrow
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The actress frequently wears her hair slicked back and tucked behind her ears, so it makes sense why she often opts for a simple center part.
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11
Amy Adams
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From her dramatic part and pin-straight hair to her loose curls split down the middle, Adams often mixes up where she sets her part.
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12
Ariana Grande
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It's fairly new seeing Grande with a clearly-defined part at all, after she spent years of career wearing her signature ponytail. Since she let her hair down, she's tried a variety of different styles.
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13
Lizzo
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It's “About Damn Time” the singer tried out a center part, though she looks just as beautiful with a side part.
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14
Hilary Duff
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These days, it's not often that you'll catch Duff rocking a deep side part. Her classic middle part looks trendy and stylish.
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15
Cameron Diaz
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Diaz spent many years with a deep side part, but has changed that up in recent years for centered, face-framing curtain bangs.
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16
Zendaya
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Zendaya is never afraid to take style risks, and they pay off. Whether her hair is combed into a dramatic side part or split right down the middle, the actress always sets the trends.
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17
Julia Roberts
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We've seen plenty of hairstyles from Roberts over the years, but a center part with face-framing highlights is a favorite.
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18
Beyoncé
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Queen Bey has stunned in just about every hairstyle imaginable, but she's favored a chic center part in recent years—on the cover of Renaissance, for example.
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19
Kim Kardashian
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The reality star had Instagram in a frenzy when she debuted a side-parted look in August 2022. Famous friends like Emily Ratajkowski and Tracy Romulus commented on her style, which was a big shakeup from her usual center part.
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20
Vanessa Hudgens
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Hudgens often channels Old Hollywood glam on the red carpet, so it's not uncommon to see her with a sweeping side bang. You'll see her with a more current center part at other events, too.