The first obvious attribute that enhances Vanessa’s sexiness is her physique. She has well-rounded lush curves that are proportionate to her tiny frame and positioned in the right places, with well-toned limbs, all sinewy and muscled. They are enhanced by clear, flawless skin that makes one want to reach out and touch, just to check if it’s real. Her body is dainty and earthy at the same time, giving off a strong vibe of femininity, the ability and inclination to nurture.

What is particularly appealing about Vanessa’s physique is the sense of naturalness about it. Aside from the occasional false eyelashes, her physical features are all God-given and not tampered with, promoting the welcome idea that one’s natural attributes along with good health and a buoyant spirit are pre-requisites for sexiness.

The second attribute is her poise. It is one thing to have a good physique and quite another to be able to carry off that physique and display it to its best advantage. Possibly from years of dance training, Vanessa has acquired an innate grace that is made manifest in the way she carries herself. Combined with a self-assurance that stems from an awareness of her strengths and weaknesses and being comfortable with who she is, the composure drawn from good manners, and the demeanour that stems from good breeding, this grace evolves into poise. In motion, her gait is upright, her shoulders are not slumped and there is a sense of rhythm in her movements. While standing, her body is frequently relaxed yet her bearing is almost always still intact.

During public appearances, her poise speaks for itself. As minute as she is, she makes her impression without much ado. It says something about the innate nature of her poise that there is no marked difference whether she is on stilettos or wearing flats. It has nothing to do with what she wears externally, it’s part of who she is.

The final attribute I would like to highlight, which is a personal favourite, is what I would term her restraint. A unique feminine sense of mystery that is fast becoming rare. Interestingly, this trait is one that is quite resented by some as it always seems to keep Vanessa out of reach.

Conscious of the ruthless atmosphere of the industry in which she functions, many want her to open up more, interact more, market herself more, push herself forward, be more voluble, and reveal more of her personal life. Subversive to this, is the incomprehensible drive to find out every detail about her life and thought processes, all the better to be able to squeeze her into a mould we understand…and we can approve of.

Yet this is an affront to the whole notion of womanhood (a topic for another day) and more specifically, the aura of sexiness. To know all there is to know of a woman is to turn her into a character. Restraint is that elusive quality of sexiness that characterises women who understand the importance of holding back, that less is more, particularly where it matters, which is not often the physical.

Vanessa is one woman that has had much written about her and a lot about her made public. Attempts have been made to analyse and categorise her either as a thoroughly bad girl or a wide-eyed virgin of the ‘hear no evil, speak no evil and see no evil’ variety. Numerous pictures of her in everything and in nothing abound. Assaults have been made on her privacy. Everyone thinks they know her yet we all know that we really don’t. One can memorise every birthmark and contour on her body and still have no clue who she is or what makes her tick.

For Vanessa keeps her own counsel. She says what is expected of her sometimes, other times she gives a hint of her thought processes but she keeps her core to herself as she should. She is full of warmth, yet, a bit aloof. Her eyes are like melted chocolate, seemingly open and lovely, yet there lurks behind the twinkle, subtle mischief, a hint of emotions held on leash and depths unplumbed. A sense of a pleasant secret known only to her and of which she alone has the power to reveal to whom she chooses.

That attribute of keeping one’s counsel, of maintaining uncertainty about one’s true nature and capabilities, that sense of mystery and restraint is incredibly sexy. It hints of the unknown, a thrill not previously experienced yet holds itself out of reach. It promises an element of discovery and wonder, should one finally get to it.

With all the controversies and unwonted publicity that has dogged Vanessa; she still retains that unknown quantity. One never quite knows what mould to stuff her into. We can pore through her pictures, read in between the lines of her interviews, collate every mention of her name on twitter, analyse her movements and presume her actions. We can write to no end of our perceptions of who she is and draw our conclusions of what we think is her person, yet there remains the sense that there is more to her than we can know, depths that beckon, and the desire to plumb those depths.

Vanessa’s peculiar brand of sexiness is highlighted by her lush physique, her self-assured poise and the restraint that tantalises. A killer-combo, the trio. Together, they constitute an aura that is uniquely hers. An attitude that is inherent in her. The art of being sexy.