The humble Comb Over is a style that has dominated men’s fashion since the early 1900’s, and most likely even before then!
Comb Overs have always been a mainstay in men’s style thanks to the fact that is a versatile haircut, which is easy to style and suits nearly every face shape.
People often ask what the difference between a Comb Over and a Side Part is, truth be told, there’s no straight answer. Some say that a Comb Over is a more casual approach where the hair is swept to the side, whereas a Side Part has a distinct separation between the longer and short section.
Despite the discrepancies in name, the premise of a Comb Over and Side Part remains the same – the top section of the hair is combed or swept to one side. Here at uppercut Deluxe, we tend to reserve the description ‘Side Part’ for the tighter classic styles, while a ‘Comb Over’ is used to describe a more modern, looser variation.
With a solid description or explanation (or even better, a photo) any good barber should be able to nail the style you are after.
If you’re struggling to find the look for you, here’s an extensive list to make the search a little easier.
Traditional Side Part
The Traditional Side Part is all about the finish and balance. Normally a little longer on the top which is combed over to the preferred side, held in place with a nice strong hold Pomade.
This Side Part features a ‘hard part’ or a shaved in part. This makes the parting stand out a little more and allows for a crisper finish. This cut was done by Charlie Venn and dressed with Monster Hold.
Another version of a Traditional Side Part, this time with a natural parting. The Barber, Chris Brownless, left this one intentionally a little rougher around the edges to allow the wearer to achieve a more casual finish to the polished cut. Styled with a healthy dab of Deluxe Pomade for high shine and nice strong hold.
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UPPERCUT DELUXE MONSTER HOLD |
UPPERCUT DELUXE DELUXE POMADE |
Skin Fade Side Part
Another version of the polished Side Part, this time paired with a Skin Fade. Call it a Skin Fade, Bald Fade, Razor Fade – they all mean the same thing, a fade taken right down to the bone! This cut is HUGELY popular at the moment all around the world.
Connor from CMC Barber in East Sussex is the man behind this cut, deciding to finish it off with Deluxe Pomade.
Uppercut Deluxe Ambassador Ron Talley is responsible for this beauty. Ron is renowned for laying his cuts down with a generous helping of Deluxe Pomade and then combing to absolute perfection.
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UPPERCUT DELUXE POMADE SHOP NOW |
Tapered Side Part
A Taper is when hair is cut gradually reducing the length to form a gradient. The result is a nice clean finish around the edges of the haircut.
Asking your barber to finish the cut with a Taper is a good option for those who like it a little shorter around the edges, without sacrificing all over length.
This cut from Brandon Castaldi from Proper Barber Co perfectly exemplifies a well-executed taper. He’s added a pomp in the front before locking it all in place with Matte Pomade to create a clean Side Part Pomp.
Here’s another example of a Structured Side Part where the taper is taken up higher. This cut by Paul Hewitt is a little more structured and held into place with Monster Hold.
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UPPERCUT DELUXE MONSTER HOLD
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Relaxed Comb Over
A relaxed or more casual comb over is best exemplified by additional texture in the fringe.
This Textured Side Part is a great example of a causal comb over that is is nice and loose, but could be spruced up for special occasions. To achieve the textured look without sacrificing hold, Featherweight is a great choice. If you wanted to dress your look up, you could use a product like Deluxe Pomade for a more slick finish.
If like your hair a little shorter and are wanting that combed over look, you should consider a Textured Quiff finished with Uppercut Deluxe Featherweight. This cut is quick and easy to style, simply run product through your hair, give it a quick comb to spread, pinch with your fingers to create texture and finish by pushing your fringe across.
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UPPERCUT DELUXE FEATHERWEIGHT |
Natural Comb Over
If you like your hair looking natural and matte a comb over is a good option! Of course, you’ll need a well-executed haircut and the right product to make sure your hair to sit in place.
This Natural Pomp, cut by Mikal Zack of Lefty’s Barbershop, is a great example of a low maintenance comb over. Mikal left a little length in the fringe to create a little pomp with the comb over. This cut was styled with Styling Powder, the easiest styling product you will ever use!
This is another example of a combed over pomp, however, with a little more length. Our word of advice - looks can be deceiving with Natural styles like this – be prepared to use a blow dryer to get the perfect finish! George Coady is a master of cuts like this – he styled this Messy Pomp with the help of Salt Spray and Easy Hold.
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Looking to perfect your side part of comb over? Click Here to shop the full range of Uppercut Deluxe hair styling products. Not rocking a side part? Check out our Product Selection Guide to find the perfect product for your personal style.
