Simone Ashley Went The Romantic Route With This Red Carpet Hairstyle

After a too-long hiatus and tons of speculation, the third season of Bridgerton returns on May 16, set to serve up a royal court’s worth of drama, romance, and orchestra-ified renditions of hit pop songs. If the streaming series’ red carpet premiere is any indication, too, this batch of episodes might be one of the best runs in the show’s four-year history. Just take a look at Simone Ashley’s side-bangs, a romantic complement to her shimmery silver Prada gown. Her hairstyle isn’t quite as elaborate as the towering, historic-with-a-twist updos featured on-screen, but it’s actually even better — it’s like a modern take on all those Regency core looks that helped ignite tons of real-life trends.

Ashley appeared on the Netflix red carpet alongside her fellow season two lead, Jonathan Bailey, in New York City on May 13. Her platinum-colored column gown served as an excellent contrast to the floral-heavy backdrop, but her dreamy hairstyle fit right in. It’s a relatively simple yet wildly sophisticated style, only appearing to be partially pulled-back through the top portion. In reality, she has extra volume through her crown, with a swath of hair arranged in a set of pseudo side-bangs. It’s then all tucked behind her ears for extra sleekness. Reflective and so polished, her glossy raven hair catches the light and adds even more shine to her overall look.

Ashley shared a quick behind-the-scenes glimpse of the hairstyle on her Instagram, in which fans can really get a good sense of the tasteful amount of teased volume added through the crown of her hair — very fitting for on-screen nobility. It’s not immediately clear which professional is behind this particular style — Ashley regularly works with a handful of top industry names — but judging by fan comments on her social media pages, the side-swept hair is one of her coolest-ever looks.

As the Bridgerton promotional machine ramps up — and the second’s second half debuting in June — expect plenty more modern romance from Ashley. Her ability to walk the line between referential, personal, and experimental is just one reason she’s such a beloved style star.