Side business

Fashion ditches the 1970s hippie middle parting for the 1920s Jazz Era side parting that is as glamorous as it is convenient

Side business

Fashion ditches the 1970s hippie middle parting for the 1920s Jazz Era side parting that is as glamorous as it is convenient

The MTV Video Music Awards, popularly referred to as the VMAs, is now recognised as a platform to showcase the wackiest styles.

This year, while Lady Gaga appeared in drag (as her alter ego who she has named Jo Calderone), Nicki Minaj strolled in wearing a dress made from bit-mirrors.

MUMBAI, JULY: Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor on Simi Selects India's Most Desirable show. Her waist-length hair gets character with curlers, and the diamond clips to hold the side parting in place works with the sparkling spiderweb dress she's wearing.

But it was the hair that drew the most attention, with an entire line-up of the famous sweeping their hair to a side in a low-down parting.

Singer Katy Perry sported retro curls with a side parting underneath an atrocious yellow cube that balanced on her head, and so did singers Beyonc ufffd and Demi Lovato.

ITALY, SEPTEMBER: Pop icon Madonna attends the W.E. premiere at the Palazzo Del Cinema during the 68th Venice Film Festival wearing her blonde waves swept to one side, with a back-combed puff. Pic/ Getty Images

British actress Keira Knightley showed off a side-parted bob on the cover of a fashion magazine, while B-Town's Sonam Kapoor made a recent television show appearance looking every bit the 1920s Jazz Era representative.

"Hair, like fashion, often finds inspiration in eras gone by.

LONDON, SEPTEMBER: Singer Kylie Minogue attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards at The Royal Opera House. Her tonged beer tresses fall to the right, deftly camouflaging her broad forehead. Pic/ Getty Images

The side parting with curls is a retro look which was popular in 1920s and '30s in Hollywood," says celebrity hair stylist Adhuna Akhtar, making a reference to audiences also finding inspiration from Mad Men, the hugely popular American television drama set in a fictional 1960s advertising agency on the famous Madison Avenue in New York.

And convenience, we believe, has played a part in popularising the trend. "The side parting is preferred over the middle parting since it can be easily modified into a contemporary or retro look.

LONDON, JULY: Actress Emma Watson at the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Emma's versatile pixie cut allows her to change the side on which she wears her parting. Pic/ Afp

The middle parting tends to inch towards the '70s hippie era," says stylist Sapna Bhavnani, who adds that a dressed up side parting looks best think flower broaches and jewelled hair pins.

Hair, like fashion, often finds inspiration in eras gone by. The side parting with curls is a retro look that was popular in the 1920s and '30s in Hollywood. Adhuna Akhtar, Stylist

Side partings work especially well with:
Long hair: Tie your hair up in a ponytail or bun. Remember that layers look better with a side-parting.
Side-swept bangs.
Fish tail braids. Get a different look by changing the parting.
French braids.
Curly hair (don't forget to spritz on a little hairspray for smoother results).
Pixie cuts, Emma Watson and Carrie Mulligan style.

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