While both styles have a classic and vintage feel to them, the volume of the comb over does make it look a little more vintage than a standard side part style. Put simply, it makes the hair look less thin and less flat.Ĭomb overs may be preferable for these men if they’ve got enough length to pull it off. Men with thinner hair often lean toward fuller and more voluminous hairstyles. Try the comb over when you’ve got at least 4 to 6 inches of length.
Go for the traditional side part instead. If you don’t have much length to work with, you won’t be able to build height or volume in the first place. Here are things to consider when choosing between the voluminous comb over and the slicker side part: 1. Having said all of this, it’s one instance where using the two terms – “comb over” and “side part” – is generally considered interchangeable.īut if you were looking to nitpick, consider the volume. But instead of having everything swept backward, it’s swept to one side or the other.Ī traditional side part is usually slicker and flatter, with less volume and height. You could think of a comb over as a style in between a pompadour and a side part. Just something to give it that extra bit of volume. If you were looking to style a comb over you’d do well to apply a bit of pre-styling mousse before using a blow-dryer and a round brush to sweep it all up and to the side. Some would argue that the two styles are one and the same and in many ways, I wouldn’t argue back.īut if you were going to pick out a single difference between the two it would be the volume.Ĭomb overs are just a little taller and fuller than your traditional side-slicked side part. The reason for this is that both styles have the hair brushed over to the side and a traditional comb over style typically has the side parting defined in any case. This one is by far the most confusing and difficult comparison. This is despite both styles having the hair brushed or combed to one side or the other.Ī Comb Over (Shutterstock) Vs A Side Part (Deposit Photos)Īlthough both have the parting defined, noticed the additional volume the comb over has The comb over has more volume and height than a side part which is traditionally slicker and flatter. Comb Over Vs Side Part: What’s The Difference? If you’re looking for a more matte finish, try a hair clay or a hair paste instead. Hair gels are fine too as long as you’re ok with a stiff hold (much like with water-based pomades). It has a vintage aesthetic to it, reminiscent of the classic ‘50s greaser movement much like the other styles described in this article.īecause of this, it works very well with “shinier” products like oil-based or water-based pomades and hair waxes. If you’d like a more detailed comparison of the pompadour and the comb over, check out this article. The comb over is similar to a pompadour but has less vertical height and volume, as well as a more significant lean to one side or the other. The comb over we’re talking about today is a real hairstyle – one where the hair on top is not an attempt at hiding a bald scalp but does consist of hair brushed or combed to one side. While the “comb over” in a balding sense of the term is considered a socially awkward attempt at camouflage, it is not an established hairstyle. A lot of confusion comes from the fact that the term “comb over” is used to describe the awkward combing of wispy, thinning hairs across and over a balding scalp.Īlthough this term is also perfectly reasonable to use, it’s important to realize that they’re not referring to the same thing.