Alicia Vikander’s Cool Cannes Hairstyle Comes Courtesy of This $1 Accessory

Alicia Vikander made a rare public appearance at the premiere of her new film, Firebrand, at Cannes Film Festival over the weekend, with her husband Michael Fassbender in tow. Resplendent in a beaded floor-length gown, the Swedish actor—who plays Catherine Parr in the film—paired luminous skin with an effortless hairstyle.

Created by her go-to hairstylist George Northwood, the look was a masterclass in making hair look effortless, but still polished enough for a formal red-carpet event. “Because the dress was quite pretty, we wanted to do something a bit tougher with her hair,” Northwood tells me. “I tonged some texture into it in random sections for an undone, messy finish, then backcombed the crown area to achieve some height.”

After that, he pulled the sides of Vikander’s hair back and used three bobby pins to secure it tightly in place above the ears. “After I’d brushed through the area I’d backcombed, I created a nice shape in the middle of the back of the head and criss-crossed two more grips to complete the look.” The result is a unique style that’s as pretty as it is utilitarian.

A great example of a beautiful hairstyle that won’t break the bank, Northwood’s tool kit included his Moisturising Cream to keep hair slick and smooth at the front, and a stash of bobby pins, which can be purchased for as cheap as $1. An easy way to elevate a half-ponytail or updo, bobby pins can be used subtly or overtly for maximum impact and detail in an otherwise simple look.