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Side part lob
Shoulder-grazing length with the part dropped a long way to one side, so the heavy half crosses the brow before it falls.
BeforeSide Part LobThis render comes from the same edit instruction HairGlam uses for this look, applied to a studio portrait. In the app the style lands on your own photo instead.
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A side part lob is a long bob that lands between the collarbone and the shoulder, worn with the part moved well to one side. The deep part lifts the root, sends a diagonal across the forehead, and makes it one of the most forgiving lob haircuts for round, square and oval faces. Below: the same lob sleek, waved and center parted on one face, which length to choose, how to ask for it, and how to style it in ten minutes.
The lob sits at or just above the shoulder, long enough to tuck behind an ear and short enough to stay off the collar. Moving the part several inches to one side lifts the root on the heavy side and gives the front piece a diagonal sweep across the brow. Light long layering stops the ends sitting in a shelf where they meet the shoulder. Left to grow, it just turns into long hair.
- Suitsround, square, oval face shapes. An off-center part sets a diagonal across the forehead, and that broken symmetry is what stops a round or square outline reading at its full width.
- Hair typefine, medium density, straight, wavy. Fine hair gets useful root lift from the deep part, and a little wave keeps the ends from sitting dead straight where they hit the shoulder.
- UpkeepTen to twelve weeks is fine, and most days it is a rough dry with the part pushed over hard, then left alone.
- Ask forAsk for a collarbone-length lob with long invisible layers, and have the part moved to sit above the outer edge of one eyebrow.
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Side part vs middle part lob, on one face
The part is the whole trick of this haircut. The cut itself is a classic lob, but moving the part a few inches to one side changes how the face reads. Here is the same lob parted in the middle and on the side, then styled two ways.
A middle part frames the face evenly, which suits balanced, oval faces and shows off symmetry. A deep side part sends a diagonal line across the forehead, lifts the root on the heavy side, and breaks up width. That is why the side part lob is the more forgiving of the two on round and square faces.
| Compare | Side part lob | Middle part lob |
|---|---|---|
| Line it creates | A diagonal across the brow | A vertical center line |
| Best on | Round, square and oval faces | Oval and heart faces |
| Root volume | More, on the heavy side | Less, unless you blow dry it up |
| Hides | A wide forehead, a round outline | Very little, it shows the whole face |
Lob haircut lengths: where the ends should land
"Lob" covers anything from just below the chin to the top of the shoulder. Where the ends land matters as much as the part.
| Length | Where it lands | Works best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chin | At the jaw | Long faces and long necks | A hard line at the chin widens a round face |
| Collarbone | On the collarbone | Most faces and most hair | Very little, it is the safe length |
| Shoulder | Grazing the shoulder | Thick hair, or growing a bob out | The ends flip out where they hit the shoulder |
If your hair is thick, ask for the collarbone rather than the shoulder. Hair that lands exactly on the shoulder flips outward all day, and a centimeter or two shorter stops it.
Cut it shorter, to the jaw, and it becomes a side part bob, which is sharper and needs a trim more often. Keep it at the collarbone for the easiest version to live with.
Who a side part lob suits
The deep part is what makes this cut work on so many faces. It suits round, square and oval faces best, because the off-center part sets a diagonal across the forehead and stops a round or square outline from reading at its full width. On a round face, keep the ends below the chin so the length draws the eye down. On a square face, soft waves at the jaw take the edge off the corners.
It suits fine, medium, straight and wavy hair. Fine hair gains real root lift from the deep part, and a little wave keeps the ends from sitting dead straight on the shoulder. Curly hair can wear it too; ask for the layers to be cut dry, curl by curl, so the shape holds.
Not sure of your face shape? Our guide to how to know your face shape takes four measurements and two minutes, and if yours is round, the haircuts for a round face guide shows where the side part lob sits among the other options.
How to ask for a side part lob
Take a photo, and use words your stylist can act on.
A collarbone length lob with long, invisible layers, and the part moved to sit above the outer edge of one eyebrow.
- Say the length as a body part, "on the collarbone", not in inches. Inches mean different things wet and dry.
- Ask for invisible layers, so the ends move without the cut looking layered.
- Point to where the part goes before the cut starts, because the weight is cut around it.
- Bring a photo of the cut on your own face if you can. It answers "will it suit me" before anyone picks up scissors.
Styling it in ten minutes
- Rough dry with the part pushed hard to one side. Drying it in place trains the root and gives lift on the heavy side.
- Lift the root on the heavy side with a round brush for thirty seconds, or a blast of cool air.
- Choose sleek or waved. For sleek, run a flat iron through and bend the ends slightly in. For waves, wrap sections around a one inch wand from the cheekbone down, and leave the last inch straight.
- Tuck the light side behind your ear and finish with a little texture spray on the heavy side.
Most days it is only step one and step four. That is the point of this cut: it looks deliberate with almost no effort, and it grows out gracefully into long hair.
Cuts next to the side part lob
If you are torn between two of these, the quickest way to decide is to put both on a photo of your own face. The difference between a lob that suits you and one that nearly does is usually obvious the moment you see them side by side.
Questions about Side Part Lob
Who does the Side Part Lob suit?
Does the Side Part Lob work on my hair type?
How much upkeep does a Side Part Lob need?
What do I ask my stylist for?
What is the difference between a lob and a bob?
Is a side part or a middle part lob more flattering?
Does a side part lob work on thick hair?
Can I try the Side Part Lob on my own photo first?
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