While for some, a part may seem like the most insignificant part of a hairstyle. However, that’s far from the case, as a part can help enhance certain features or distract from the shape of the head. For some men and their barbers and stylists, each have their own preferences about the parts they like to create and/or wear.
“Parts have come and gone—and changed—in male hair and fashion over the past 100 years,” says Ben Barkworth, owner of JUSTB Salon in Toronto. “Over the past 10 years, barbers and hairstylists have used fades and parts to enhance their male clients’ appearances. When cutting short hair, we tailor the hair around the face shape to enhance the structure and showcase the strongest features of our clients.”
Cutting Short Hair
While consultations are important for all hair lengths, according to Barkworth, they’re even more critical when cutting shorter hair.
“My first question to my client is ‘what is your styling routine?’” he says, “followed by ‘do you wash and wear or do you spend a few minutes styling your hair?’ Then, I ask about lifestyle—if they’re on Zoom meetings all day or if they go to the gym often. Lastly, I ask about products and styling tools. With these answers, I can determine which bespoke haircut and style I can give my short-haired client.”
Side Part
When cutting hair with a side part, Barkworth says it’s important to establish where the part will work best with the hairline and recession point.
“You want to position the part so that it accents the strength in the face shape, but it should never pass the center of the eyebrow on either side,” he says. “A side part can add height and volume to the structure of a haircut and face shape. On the short side of the part, I recommend graduating the cut and squaring it off, not following the head shape. This will build up weight and make the haircut more masculine.”
“As a general guideline, if a client always styles his hair on the side, I’ll start by sectioning the hair with a horseshoe section—working with horizontal sections to build a bit of weight and keep more of a square shape,” adds Yanick Chartrand-Kravitz, owner of Les Brossés hair salon in Montreal. “This can make for a really strong look.”
Middle Part
According to Chartrand-Kravitz, middle parts are back in style (especially with the younger generations) so it’s important to be comfortable with the execution.
“It’s important to analyze the natural fall of the hair, the shape of the head and of the face, the natural volume of the hair and potential tricky areas such as cowlicks, recession or thinning hair,” he says. “If I plan to style the hair [with a middle part] after cutting it, I keep more length on top, so the hair sits at least past the crown area.”
When cutting short hair with a middle part, Barkworth notes that precision and disconnection are important.
“Section out from one recession point to another in a ‘U’ shape. I start with creating an undercut with my clipper or using scissor over comb, making sure I don’t cut past the occipital bone and the round of the head in the side sections,” he says. “On the upper section, divide the section into two in the middle creating the center part and use a horizontal guide to create a stationary guide on either side. I like to use the cheekbone as a point of reference—essentially, the client’s cheekbones will create my stationary guide.”
No Part
When it comes to cutting hair with no part, Chartrand-Kravitz suggests that you should make sure your client is comfortable and knows what they want because “we always tend to put our hair unconsciously on one side or the other.”
“I personally prefer styles worn more towards the face and when I plan this, the top section will be cut with point cutting to bring out maximum texture,” he says.
“When cutting short hair with no part it’s important to know what your desired finished look is,” adds Barkworth. “Having no part can create volume, movement, weight and/or texture.”
Pro tip: Chartrand-Kravitz advises against fading super high and instead to build some weight on the “corners” of the head (depending on the shape of the head/face). He says then you can refine, thin and texturize the area and personalize it so it makes a nice transition from the side to the top. He warns to be careful of cowlicks when cutting through them and use the natural fall of the hair as a guideline, with little to no tension.
Styling Short Hair
According to Chartrand-Kravitz, clients who wear shorter hairstyles tend to prefer looks that are easy to style.
While he aims to make things simple for his clients’ at-home care, he always recommends two styling products for longevity.
“When it comes to styling, I suggest not overthinking,” says Barkworth. “I recommend to every male client to not be afraid of using a blow-dryer and taking a few minutes to style their hair and use one or two products to help assist in completing their look.”
Pro tip: According to Barkworth, the first thing you need to analyze when styling short/men’s hair is the hairline and growth patterns. For example, you wouldn’t want to give a hard side part with a client that has a receding hairline or give a center part to a client that has a deep widow’s peak.
Side Part
When working with a side part, Barkworth suggests blow-drying the short side with zero elevation at low heat. On the heavier side, he recommends creating volume and movement with product.
To get more control over the look you’re trying to achieve, Chartrand-Kravitz suggests working with product and recommends not being afraid to add product on wet hair before styling.
“You can then finish with a styling product on dry hair to bring out either shine, texture or whatever your client’s goal is,” he says.
Middle Part
A clean, super straight middle part can often be a strong look that makes a statement for men and shorter hair.
To execute a clean part, Chartrand-Kravitz recommends doing it on wet hair after applying a styling product such as a strong hold gel with shine for an editorial look or a styling cream for a more natural look.
Since Barkworth says styling short hair with a middle part is about smoothness and not volume, he recommends using a blow-dryer and Denman brush to create a smooth, soft finish.
No Part
Chartrand-Kravitz says he typically follows the same pattern of his cutting sections while drying the hair so “the hair sits where it’s supposed to.”
“Styling with no part is about movement, volume, disconnection and individuality,” notes Barkworth. “This can range from very short hair to a man bun. With short hair, I like to add texture with point cutting and channel cutting [to add texture]. This is your opportunity to create your own flair and signature on a short cut, but do not over-texturize! Create the shape then remove the weight and customize the texture to the client’s hair density and style.”
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