Anya Taylor-Joy's Golden Globes hairstyle proves the side part isn't dead

• Anya Taylor-Joy wore her hair in a stunning side-part hairstyle to the 2021 Golden Globe Awards.
• The actress sported the look amid debate between millennials and Gen Z on the best hair part.
• Taylor-Joy's look showed off how stylish a side part can be.

Anya Taylor-Joy pulled out all the stops when it came to her 2021 Golden Globe Awards look.

The actress, who won a Golden Globe for her performance in "The Queen's Gambit," stunned in an emerald-green head-turning Dior Haute Couture dress and Tiffany & Co. jewelry, making her one of the best virtually dressed attendees of the night.

She paired her glamorous dress with a dramatic side part styled by Gregory Russell, who also gave Lily Collins a side part for the Globes, as he shared on Instagram.

Taylor-Joy's long hair was swept to the side for the Golden Globes, invoking old Hollywood glamour. Her locks flowed into loose curls at the bottom.

A post shared by Gregory Russell (@gregoryrussellhair)

The star's hairstyle was arguably a risky decision considering Gen Z's declaration that side-swept locks are no longer "in" - but Taylor-Joy's side part completed her whole look and demonstrated that the chic hairstyle is actually here to stay.

The middle part has become popular again in recent years

Like other fashion and beauty fads, hairstyles go in and out of style, and younger generations often cringe at the old-fashioned looks of the past.

For instance, when I was a teen, my mom's blunt bangs were an affront to the side bangs all of my favorite celebrities were wearing. Looking back, I think my mom had it right, but at the time, you couldn't have convinced me that anything except side bangs was acceptable.

The middle part is one of the more recent hair trends to come back in style. The look, which was first popular in the late '90s, had a renaissance over the last year, with celebrities, influencers, and teens opting to split their hair down the center of their heads instead of to the side.

In 2020, stars like Charli D'Amelio and Kim Kardashian were rocking the middle part.

The style has become so ubiquitous that many young people find any alternative unacceptable, much like my fervor for side bangs in 2012.

A preference for a certain hairstyle shouldn't be a big deal, but the middle part has turned into a point of controversy between Gen Z and millennials on social media.

Millennials and Gen Z have been arguing over the best way to part hair

Members of Gen Z recently started what's known as the "middle part challenge" on TikTok, arguing that everyone looks better with a middle part than a side part.

In the videos, users flip their hair from a side-swept look to a middle part, with viewers sounding off about which they prefer in the comments.

@nicoleemarrie

okay tik tok help because i seriously don’t know reply #middlepartchallenge #fyp

♬ Middle part baddies - lady gleep

@chesliekryst

Not gonna lie, middle part is where it’s at lol #middlepart #middlepartchallenge #naturalcurls

♬ Middle part baddies - lady gleep

Although the videos are just a way for people on the app to voice their opinions, many millennials who prefer side parts took offense to the trend because they believe Gen Z is "canceling" the side part.

In response, some millennials made videos showing how much better they look with a side part.

@niamhadkins

please wait for it because this is all i see when i do a middle part

♬ Middle part baddies - lady gleep

Others took to Twitter to vent their frustrations at Gen Z for preferring a hairstyle they don't like.

—Kara Morehart (@KaraMorehart) February 24, 2021

I'll be honest - I am a millennial who has a side part and plans to keep it. I've tried parting my hair down the middle, but it doesn't work with the layers I have in my hair at the moment.

Despite my personal stake in the game, I think it's a waste of time to get upset over what anyone thinks of my hair. People should style their hair however they feel it looks best and stop worrying about what others think of the way they happen to comb their hair.

But if people were keeping score on the hair-part debate, team-side-part got a big win with Taylor-Joy's Golden Globe look.

Taylor-Joy's Golden Globes look reaffirmed that side parts aren't going anywhere

Taylor-Joy's Golden Globes hairstyle looked stunning, and there's no denying the side part flattered her face and complemented the glamorous tone of her outfit.

Of course, the 24-year-old actress, who is a millennial-Gen Z cusp, certainly could have rocked a middle part for the awards show as well. But her overall look highlighted that the way you feel in your outfit or hairstyle is always more important than wearing something solely because it's considered trendy.

A post shared by Law Roach (@luxurylaw)

We should all take a note from the actress and wear whatever style makes us feel best, whether that's a middle part, a zig-zag part, or - sorry, not sorry, Gen Z - a side part.