In which I give equal time to beautiful women

Since we have given such thought to the subject of gorgeous men (see the entry titled "In which People Magazine is killing me"), it seems only fair to give equal time to the question of beautiful women. I'm talking about those women we look at and say, "I want to be HER when I grow up." It takes a combination of factors to make a woman truly exceptional; beauty alone is not enough. A really enticing woman is a cocktail of flavors: wit, sensuality, humor, and a sort of ruthless backbone to give it all character. (I should point out that while devastatingly handsome, all of the men on my Sexiest Man Alive list seem to possess these traits as well. A gorgeous face with nothing behind it is a bore. There ought to be animation and joie de vivre to give it all a bit of a kick.)

So, here are the women who would make my Most Beautiful list:

*Nigella Lawson--any woman who can make me WANT to get in the kitchen is something special. Gastroporn aside, her cooking is sensual in the purest sense of the word: she describes the textures, smells, tastes, and colors so vividly I am inspired to at least think about cooking. And I'm pretty sure she made a pact with Satan to get that skin.

*Sophia Loren--where to start? She is the embodiment of glamour, and what I love best about her is how encouraging she is to other women to find their own beauty. (Easy enough when you look like THAT, no?) The cheekbones, the curves--she is how we all hope to age, isn't she?

*Dita von Teese--iconic, in a completely retro, yet totally fresh way. She is thoroughly unafraid of gilding the lily. Everything about her is over the top, but pitch-perfect. She is self-made, a dazzling, diamond-dusted creation, and an excellent reminder that we are only ever as fabulous as we make up our minds to be.

*Angela Bassett--feline and fierce, with the most exquisite bone structure. She will be beautiful when she is ninety.

*The Kates: Winslet and Beckinsale--two Englishwomen we wouldn't mind being stuck next to on a transAtlantic flight. The conversation would be excellent, and don't they both seem like they would be delightfully giggly after a cocktail? They might even let us try on their Prada sunglasses and snap photos of them with our camera phones.

*Bettany Hughes--my intellectual girl-crush on her has already been divulged. She is a renowned scholar, a fearless traveler, and a dynamic speaker. I am sure I would soak up a few extra IQ points just being in her vicinity.

So, who did I leave out?