Carey Mulligan's BAFTAs bob is a lesson in French hairstyling

Carey Mulligan is pictured with a wavy bob, with the front strands tucked behind her ears, and wearing silver earrings and a navy Prada dress at the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on February 22, 2026 in London, England. — (Image credit: Getty Images: James McCauley/Variety)

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Combining not one but two of 2026's chicest hair trends, Carey Mulligan's BAFTAs bob is a reminder that often less is more, and sometimes a soft wave and simple tuck behind the ear is enough to instantly elevate your look.

With award season upon us, there's certainly no shortage of beauty inspiration, especially when it comes to styling this year's list of 2026 hair trends. The BAFTA Film Awards alone have supplied us with plenty, from the Princess of Wales' romantic, "Wuthering Heights"-inspired waves to Glenn Close's wispy pixie. Truly, no matter your strand length or preference, there's a chic reference picture to be found and shown to your hairdresser. If you have or are considering a bob, especially, Carey Mulligan delivered quite the styling masterclass by effortlessly pairing two trends to create the ultimate French girl look.

Why we're taking cues from Carey Mulligan's trendy, French-style bob

While a 'French' bob can take many forms, arguably the most iconic is a neck or jaw-length trim, with a tousled, done-but-undone texture and either a wispy fringe or a middle-parting, the front strands tucked nonchalantly behind the ears. The latter is what Carey Mulligan opted for, paired with a soft, ruffled wave, and as you can see, the effect is incredibly chic.

Carey Mulligan is pictured with a wavy bob, with the front strands tucked behind her ears, and wearing a navy Prada dress at the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on February 22, 2026 in London, England.

We've been seeing this tucked hair styling trick everywhere this year, and for good reason, as it's such an easy way to add an effortless, 'lived-in' feel to a more formal hairdo and vice versa, a neat and refined feel to a simpler look. We've seen it styled like Mulligan's, with both sides tucked or with just one, for more of an intentional, stylised look.

It's incredibly versatile, as no matter the length of your bob, you can still stick a few strands behind your ears. It's also a lovely solution if your hair is too short of tie-up, but you still want your front strands off your face. And as mentioned, it's the ideal look for showing off a pretty pair of earrings.

Recreate Carey Mulligan's tucked, French bob look

TRESemme

TRESemme Classic Curling Tong

RRP: £28

Ranked as one of the best curlers for short hair, this tool is ideal for helping to create soft, tousled texture and subtle bends and flicks through your short strands and ends.

Oribe

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

RRP: £22

For touchable texture and hold, a mist like this one from Oribe is a must-have. It's formula is designed to absorb the oil, to freshen up your strands, while its patented polymers add lift to the roots.

Hershesons

Hershesons Zhoosh Foam

RRP: £20

For added volume and 'zhoosh,' this aptly-named hair foam is another great choice. It's designed to deliver instant body, texture and lift, without any stickiness and with very minimal effort involved. This sort of styling mouse is also ideal for achieving a smooth and secure hair tuck.

The beauty of this hairstyle is just how easy it is to recreate. All you need is a trusty hair curler or waver, to add some soft bends to your strands, a texture spray, and enough length to pop your front pieces firmly behind your ears. That said, you can also invest in a few hair pins, to help secure the hair behind your ears, if length is an issue or you want the pieces to really stay put.

Naomi is a Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home, where she covers everything from makeup to skincare but specialises, particularly, in fragrance and nail trends. Through her work, Naomi shares her trend expertise and personal product recommendations. She is also a judge for woman&home's annual hair, skincare and beauty awards.

Previously, she worked as a Lifestyle News Writer for My Imperfect Life magazine, where she used her savvy for TikTok to bring readers the latest beauty buzzwords, fashion movements and must-have products.

Before that, Naomi split her time between both GoodTo and My Imperfect Life, whilst training for her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ.

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