Oscar winner Cate Blanchett’s latest accolade was taking the title of Most Enviable Updo when we chose the big beauty winners at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (Congrats, C!). And jeeze, does the hairstyle live up to its name! The staffers here at Brit + Co. were oohing and ahhing over every strand of her chignon-French braid mash up, not just because it looked so heavenly on her, but also because we could each imagine ourselves rocking the sophisticated updo IRL. And that’s the beauty of this look: Its versatility — flattering on every face shape and so ready to jump off the red carpet. ‘Cause even though it’s glamorous enough to stand up to the most epic of gowns, it’s also the perfect polish for your comfiest casual outfit or to wear at an upcoming wedding. Plus one Perfection!
Here’s the step by step guide to recreate this simply stunning style.
1. Start by curling and pinning the top center section of your hair into pin curls. This is going to smooth and bond your hair together as well as give it volume.
2. Start a thin French braid along the center of one side of your head. Once you get to the back center of your head, use an elastic to secure the braid.
3. Cate’s updo is only braided on one side, but we went ahead and French braided both sides of our model Lisa’s hair to take the look to another level. So basically, just repeat Step 2 on the other side of your head. (If you want to be a legit copycat, you should leave one side braided and simply pull back the same amount of hair on the other side).
4. Take the two pulled back sections from each side and tie them into one ponytail in the back center of your head.
5. Pull out the pin curls from the top section of your hair.
6. Back comb the top section of your hair to give it added volume.
7. Smooth down your hair and use a wax stick like TIGI’s Bed Head Hair Stick ($14) to tame any fly aways but still leave a soft finish.
8. Pin the top section directly above the ponytail.
9. Curl the ends of the ponytail to make placing the chignon easier.
10. Wrap the remaining top section of the hair you just pinned above the ponytail around the ponytail and secure it with a bobby pin.
11. Twist the ponytail up into a chignon and secure with a few bobby pins.
Seriously, a stunner from every angle!
