Nine times out of ten, our most gawked over red carpet hairstyles feature side-swept tresses. But just because we often see the severe part paired with bouncing curls, tumbling waves and intricate braids doesn’t mean that it should be considered a special occasion-only look. As these nine celebrities show, there are more manageable versions of the glamorous cast away that, while not gala-gorg, still have the power to turn heads. And to us, that sounds like solid office hair inspo. Scroll through to see the range of star-approved ways you can style the side sweep on the daily.
1. Petra Nemcova: When in doubt, pin it back. Not only does it guarantee that your hair will stay out of your face all day, but it gives you the chance to round out your outfit with a hair clips.
2. Emma Stone: Go the opposite of glamour curls with a super slicked back version of the side sweep. Apply a cocktail of misting spray and hair gel to achieve the wet-at-the roots look that’s very now.
3. Michelle Williams: Change up the entire feel of the side sweep with a jagged part. Be sure to include just one zig and one zag in the look to keep it from feeling like a ‘90s throwback.
4. Shailene Woodley: During those days you woke up with just five minutes to spare, concentrate on styling just the long tresses that frame your face. Give them gentle curled tips for insta polish.
5. Nina Dobrev: A fishtail braid was basically meant for the sloppy side part. Let everything hang loose with this look, from the pulled-out plaits to the tendrils that add boho flair.
6. Olivia Wilde: Sure, your office bangs muse is Jessica Biel — thick and blunt — and maybe Alexa Chung’s easy down-the-center part when on casual Friday. But the next time you’re feeling fringe fatigue, give Olivia Wilde’s side-sweep a spin.
7. Kerry Washington: Second-day hair, meet your new favorite side sweep style. Just tie your strands into a low pony, apply your go-to dry shampoo to your roots and loose layers to build up volume and finally sweep it off to one side.
8. Jennifer Lawrence: The textured bob tends to look just a bit more polished when your tresses are crimped along a side part. To ace this pretty messy style, add loose curls to your locks with a large barrel curler and use a texture paste to piece them apart.
9. Kate Mara: Train your side part to stay and one day you really just might wake up like this.
What’s your favorite way to style a side-swept ‘do for work? What about for the weekend? Tell us about your fave hair trends in the comments below.