On the fast track to Look of Fashion national title

Not all roads on the social swirl lead to Sandton - as I discover on a Tuesday afternoon at Eastgate Shopping Centre for a meet-up with the 12 lasses competing in this year's Look of Fashion.

Arriving at mall restaurant Mantovani's, the first lady I spot is in a puffy polka-dot skirt and pink satin-and-lace top, finished off with a wide-brim hat.

Looks like she's off to the races and it turns out she's a previous Eastgate Look of Fashion winner, Anzelle von Staden.

Anzelle, like the winner who will be crowned this month, was fast-tracked to the Miss South Africa semis, which is why this is the sort of pageant that attracts Bedfordview beauties like law student and finalist Bryoni Govender, 21.

I also say hello to this year's Cosmo sexiest man, Tiro Mosete.

When he's not pumping iron, he can be found on a building site, where he plies his trade as a junior construction worker.

I also greet media maven Gisèle Wertheim Aymés, clutching crutches after a recent slip in Portugal.

I congratulate Gisèle on offloading one of her titles, Elle magazine, which these days has fewer readers than Cape Town's water reserves.

According to the blonde Isiko Publishing owner, she used the windfall to snap up a share of gossip site ZAlebs.

The MC is gal-about-town Taryn Louch, who remarks: "What a great way to spend a Tuesday afternoon surrounded by beautiful women - myself excluded."

Next we're introduced to organiser Hanlery Bouwer, who tries to convince us that the event is "not just about beauty".

Lunch is the usual Italian-style fare you'll find in malls from here to Pofadder.