The Love Story actress makes a striking appearance in Matthieu Blazy’s sequined Chanel couture, with celebrity hairstylist Bobby Eliot creating her softly tousled blonde waves.
Sarah Pidgeon’s Red Carpet Look at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala
Sarah Pidgeon has become something of a fashion fixture since her portrayal of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy in Love Story. Between her critically acclaimed performance, an Emmy nomination, and a growing relationship with Chanel, the actress is enjoying a particularly stylish chapter of her career.
Her latest appearance at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles was no exception.
For the occasion, Pidgeon chose a brilliant orange-red sequined dress from Matthieu Blazy’s Fall 2026 Haute Couture collection for Chanel. The knee-length design featured three-quarter sleeves, rounded pockets, and delicate white trim at the neckline. She paired it with white strappy sandals and Chanel Coco Crush jewelry, letting the unusual proportions and vivid color do most of the talking.
The look felt fresh and contemporary, with the relaxed silhouette and vivid sequins bringing a youthful energy to Chanel’s haute couture. Pidgeon’s understated styling complemented the dress beautifully, particularly her softly tousled blonde hair, which gave the entire ensemble an easy, modern finish.
The actress, who has become closely associated with Bessette-Kennedy’s famously restrained wardrobe, seems increasingly comfortable exploring a more playful side of fashion. At September’s Emmy Awards, she wore custom lilac Chanel. For the Academy Museum Gala, she opted for color, sequins, and a considerably shorter hemline.
With fresh, softly flushed makeup and blonde hair worn loose around her shoulders, Pidgeon looked relaxed against the brilliance of the dress. Her loose blonde waves were styled by celebrity hairstylist Bobby Eliot, who kept the finish soft and natural.
Bobby Eliot on the Hair Behind Sarah Pidgeon’s Chanel Look
For Eliot, the evening called for hair that felt natural, with a little texture and nothing too carefully arranged.
“The inspiration for Sarah was an effortless and chic tousled texture,” Eliot explained. “We wanted the hair not to feel fussy or done-looking.”
The hairstylist achieved that finish using a combination of diffused drying and subtle heat styling, allowing Pidgeon’s blonde lengths to retain their natural movement.
Beginning with damp hair, Eliot used the Bio Ionic AeroGravity Featherlight Dryer ($299, Sephora) to remove approximately 75 percent of the moisture. He then attached the diffuser and continued drying, scrunching the hair by hand to encourage a more lived-in texture.
Rather than reaching for a curling iron, Eliot finished with the Bio Ionic 10X Flat Iron ($262, Sephora) working slight waves through the lengths in alternating directions. The varying bends gave the hair its loose, irregular shape, without the uniformity of a traditional red-carpet curl.
The result was soft, slightly tousled hair with just enough movement through the lengths. Worn with a center part and minimal makeup, it complemented Pidgeon’s Chanel couture without making the look feel overly formal.
For those recreating the style at home, Eliot’s technique is refreshingly straightforward: work with the hair’s natural texture, vary the direction of each wave, and leave the ends a little undone.
Hair by Bobby Eliot using Bio Ionic.
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