My Cate B: Love It or Loathe It?

I love granny rugs. There is something about brightly coloured warming wool which I just can't resist; if I see one at a market or jumble sale somewhere, I am naturally drawn to it. My betrothed even rescued a gorgeous green and purple granny rug from his mate's attic once. His mate - whose own grandmother had hand-knitted it with love - was planning to throw it out, and thanks to my man's thoughtfulness, it now graces our couch and often my body as I snuggle up and watch a late-night film.

But would I want to wear a granny rug on a red-carpet?

My Cate B did just that at an opening for the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne this week. My initial thought was 'Oh my God, what is she wearing', but it is amazing how quickly a look can become acceptable once you've gazed at it long enough. Perhaps that explains why everyone thought pairing cargo pants with high heels was the epitome of chic back in 2003?

I thought that the dress looked familiar and my sharp friend Hannah pointed out that the dress is from Australian label Romance Was Born, whose most recent collection 'Doilies and Pearls, Oysters and Shells' had the Aussie fash pack gushing. Australian Vogue editor Kristie Clements was so enthralled, she devoted a cover and entire editorial to the collection in the July 2009 issue of the magazine.

And I must admit I loved this cover with Myf Shepherd actually smiling - gorgeous! - and the editorial was pretty cool too. The clothes are so imaginative and so uniquely Australian - truly unlike anything else being sent down Aussie runways - that I can understand why world-weary fashion editors went into paroxysms of delight.

So while I don't necessarily think this dress is flattering on Cate (I think the one shouldered look with such a heavy fabric makes her look a little lop-sided, and the dress would have worked better if it was a closer fit), I've decided that I can't hate her for wearing it. She's supporting cutting edge Aussie design on an Australian red-carpet and her choice puts her well and truly outside the realm of tired and boring. In fact I think it says "I don't care what people say about me, I love clothes and I will wear whatever I want."

For that, I think I like her even more.

And at least she didn't wear the Iced Vovo dress.