Karoline Leavitt's Rare Side Part Gives Her Limp Hair The Volume It Needs

While everyday people aren't really affected by how their hair is styled 24/7, those in the spotlight being photographed daily don't have that luxury. It's hard not to take notice when a public figure like Karoline Leavitt, whose natural hair color may not be what you thought, opts for a hairstyle that works against her fine texture, making it appear flatter than it actually is. But the White House press secretary's hairstyle switch in 2026 proved that a rare side part gives her limp hair the volume it needs. 

Perhaps she's taken into consideration whether a middle or side part looks better for her face shape, because Leavitt, who is expecting her second child in May 2026, showed up to a White House press briefing having ditched her signature middle-parted hairstyle. This change is a welcome one, as having hair that falls flat against the crown and sides of a round face like that of Leavitt makes it appear wider and often bigger than it actually is. 

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With thinner hair that's parted straight down the middle, which is how Leavitt usually styles her hair, it tends to hug the skull and creates a heavy drape that offers no airiness. While that may work for someone like Lily Collins, who has a narrow, well-proportioned heart-shaped face, for the press secretary, whose round face shape relies on structural balance, the limp effect does more than just look flat. It works against her proportions.

While Karoline Leavitt's usual hairstyle was more on trend with a Gen Z-inspired flat middle part, her White House briefing appearance on March 30, 2026, proves why a deep side part is a 2016 beauty trend worth bringing into 2026. As seen above, a hair parted right down the middle acts as a curtain that hugs the scalp, which can leave fine, thin hair looking a bit limp and put an emphasis on facial width. For those with thinner hair, the lack of texture, such as a lift in the root, can be the difference between a style that frames the face in a flattering way or one that simply hangs. 

The deep side part gave Leavitt's hair instant volume and the lift it needed to frame her features with much needed height and structure rather than just clinging to her face in a flat way. Although it's a tiny change, it was an impactful one that does wonders for the press secretary's round-shaped face and otherwise limp hair as it helps change the visual anchor of her facial proportions. Her bouncy curls complemented the new side part well and amplified the volume effect by creating a fuller, more layered silhouette. This hairstyle is definitely a keeper!