Thursday Style Icon: Keira Knightley

I am not a fan of Keira Knightley. I can say that upfront. But her new movie A Dangerous Method which garnered Oscar buzz pre-release, gained Knightley acclaim for her portrayal of Sabina Spielrein, a mental patient and later a physician and one of the first female psychoanalysts. Known for her work in period pieces as 'the English Rose,' the S&M-loving, sexual deviant character of Spielrein (her... 'appetites' were the subject of much study during the time period) is a reach for Knightley. Her cover of GQ moves the concept into the modern era, with the starlet clad in black leather and red lips.

I love this. It's bold, seductive, and classy, managing to be provocative enough to no doubt sell covers, but still discreet. There is also a freshness about the spread, played up by the juxtaposing Knightley's pale skin and simple hair against the racy outfits. A sexpot playing dress-up in the doctors office definitely comes to mind.