Key takeaways
- Selena Gomez wore a sleek '60s-style middle part blowout at NYC's Fast Company Innovation Festival on September 17, styled by Renato Campora.
- The style featured a precise center parting, smoothed-flat lengths, and curled-under ends for subtle movement.
- Gomez repeated the center-part styling the next day in Tribeca with a fuller, wavier blowout variation.
- The middle part works when paired with long hair and a mathematically precise parting, avoiding the costume-like feel of casual attempts.
The Middle Part Debate
Generational preferences around hair parts run deeper than most style choices. Millennials, particularly those born in the 1980s and early 1990s, grew up with side parts as the default—a styling choice that felt so natural it became almost invisible. For many in that generation, attempting a middle part feels dissonant, as though reverting to a hairstyle worn in childhood rather than adopting something new. Yet when Selena Gomez, herself a millennial born in 1992, recently wore a center part with confidence and polish, it sparked a reconsideration of what the middle part could actually offer.
The September 17 Look: Precision and Polish
Gomez appeared in New York City on September 17 wearing long hair styled in a ’60s-inspired blowout that centered entirely on a mathematically precise middle part. The defining characteristic of the style was its restraint—this wasn’t a voluminous, full-bodied blowout, but rather a controlled, sleek interpretation of the decade’s aesthetic.
The Structural Details
The parting itself was sharp and defined, running from the center of her forehead straight back. From that center point, her hair was smoothed nearly flat against her head on both sides, with the front sections secured behind each ear. The lengths extended smoothly down, finishing with a subtle curved bend at the ends—a technique that introduced just enough movement to prevent the look from feeling stiff or overly rigid.
The Stylist Behind the Look
Renato Campora, who works regularly with Gomez, executed the style. Campora’s approach prioritized precision over drama, creating a business-appropriate aesthetic that felt contemporary rather than costume-like. The technique demonstrates that a middle part functions equally well within a sleek, modern framework as it does within the voluminous ’70s interpretations often seen in trend coverage.
Why She Was in New York
Gomez was in the city for the Fast Company Innovation Festival, where she appeared on a panel discussion centered on her beauty brand, Rare Beauty. The polished, corporate-friendly styling made sense for the event—the look signaled professionalism and intention without veering into costume or nostalgic revival.
A Consistent Choice: The Tribeca Appearance
The middle part wasn’t a one-off styling experiment. The day before, on September 16, Gomez was photographed in Tribeca wearing the center part again, though this time the execution differed significantly. This version featured a fuller, wavier bombshell blowout descending from the same center parting. Where the September 17 style prioritized smoothness and precision, the Tribeca look embraced movement and volume while maintaining the centered part as its foundation.
What Makes the Middle Part Work Here
The Precision Factor
What distinguishes Gomez’s execution from awkward middle-part attempts is the exactness of the parting itself. Rather than a casual or slightly off-center division, this part runs with mathematical clarity, creating visual balance that makes the style feel intentional rather than accidental or dated.
The Length Advantage
Long hair provides the canvas necessary for this styling direction. The extended length allows the hair to move and flow without the part dominating the overall silhouette. Shorter styles can feel more vulnerable to the middle part reading as costume or throwback rather than current.
The Shift in Perspective
Gomez’s repeated styling choice over consecutive days suggests a genuine shift rather than a one-time experiment. For those raised on side parts, watching a peer—particularly someone of the same generation—wear a middle part with confidence and polish creates permission to reconsider ingrained styling habits. The style works within contemporary frameworks when executed with precision and appropriate length, offering an alternative to the generational default without requiring a wholesale aesthetic overhaul.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who styled Selena Gomez's middle part blowout?
Renato Campora, who frequently works with Gomez, styled the look.
What event was Selena Gomez attending in New York on September 17?
She was speaking on a panel at the Fast Company Innovation Festival about her brand, Rare Beauty.
How did Gomez style the middle part for the September 17 look?
The parting was precise and centered, with hair smoothed nearly flat on either side, front sections tucked behind her ears, and ends finished with a curved bend for movement.
