The MET Gala was a bust. Mostly everyone played it so safe when it came to this year’s punk theme! (Thank you Sarah Jessica Parker and Anja Rubik for trying — nailed it)

Next up for red carpet extravaganzas is the Festival de Cannes, and here’s to hoping that the world’s premiere gathering of art house cinema’s finest will bring out some pretty frocks that dare to steer away from the norm. I think the fact that it takes place in the French Rivera favours a positive outcome. Remember Kirsten Dunst in her dreamy Chanel haute couture dress back in 2011?

Personally, I want to see everyone very pretty, but still cool. Pastel silks interesting shoes, nude eyes paired with heavy lips. Or, for the extra bold, perhaps a heavy eye and lip? And, it must be said, how much I would truly love to see an all-Lanvin look on one of the leading ladies at Cannes. (As you’ll see from my red carpet picks below, for some reason I wasn’t feeling it on these five beauties.) Who knows though, maybe some one will surprise me? Fingers crossed.

Below, the red carpet looks we’d like to see on our favourite actresses in attendance at the 2013 Festival de Cannes.

Carey Mulligan is double dipping at Cannes this year. First for a competition film, Inside Llewyn Davis, and then the out of competition gala screening of The Great Gatsby.

When at premieres and award shows, Mulligan is always very pretty and simple. That said, I feel like she sorta tried to edge it up at the MET Gala this year — well…as much as she would — and I’d like to see her keep on that tip for her Cannes appearances.

I think it would be great to see her in Veronique Leroy look. This particular one from the designer’s Fall 2013 collection is so soft and girly, but the belt and shape of the dress elevate it and give it a more modern appeal.

Simple accessories like a single heavy cuff from Giambattista Valli is the way to go with this look, while shoes can be relied on to really pull it all together and make it something awesome. I think a pair of strappy gold heels by Barbara Bui are a beautiful option.

As for Mulligan’s beauty look, well, her hair is always sorta the same, but it works. Let’s stick with what we know, and mix things up with makeup that’s a little more daring, say a look that takes inspiration from Marni’s Fall 2013 runway show. The smudgy red lip and neutral eyes could be really great on her, especially with this look. Time to step outside of the box!

I am so excited to see this film! Emma Watson’s young, and she usually tries when dressing for the red carpet and looks pretty singularly good the majority of the time because of it.

Since the movie is based on bratty teens from Calabasas, California…let’s just say “enough said,” when it comes to what look would go well with the Bling Ring‘s premiere. Let’s go a bit chicer, à la this Chanel Resort 2014 look — super pretty and oh so Cannes. Just have to nix the belt and keep it more straight and pretty in terms of accessories. A textured shoe from Arfango would do the trick, something like the Diamond Jackie Pump bejewelled with Swarovsky crystals would be lovely. I prefer this look with a clean neck and black and gold earrings like this pair of Durban Gold Arrowhead Earrings by Alexis Bittar — clean and chic.

Watson is a natural beauty who looks best in simple hair and makeup. Balmain‘s Fall 2013 runway look would be a nice choice on her with the added accent of Altuzarra‘s focus on the eyes this Fall 2013 season. Quientesstial Watson: modern and on trend.

Model-turned-actress Marine Vacth will be getting her grand introduction to the film world at this year’s Cannes with the screening of Young & Beautiful.

Being a model, basically everything looks amazing on her. Since it is her Cannes debut, it would be great to see her in something from a classic French fashion house like Dior. The look we’ve chosen is from the label’s Fall 2013 show; it epitomizes French style, and the shape is just so lovely. As a whole, the dress is completely youthful and current, an ideal ensemble for one of the festival’s bright young talents.

For accessories, how about Lavin‘s Trilogy Satin Clutch, and on Vacth’s pretty little feet, while I love the shoes that Dior paired the look with on the runway, a simple and pretty heel like Christian Louboutin‘s Decollete Heel would also be a nice option.

I’d like to see Vacth’s beauty look keep in line with the classic theme, and go in the direction of Dolce and Gabbana‘s Fall 2013 runway look, which flaunted soft hair and stunning peepers emphasized with liner.

Léa Seynoux is a French beauty that has held the attention of international audiences since playing the captivating beauty Owen Wilson character’s walks off into Parisian paradise with in Midnight in Paris. With her soft face and angelic blonde hair, it would be lovely to get her into Giles, particularly this look from Fall 2013: it screams cool girl to me. (I would though have her lose the beanie… bummer I know.)

When talking accessories for this one, I’d love to see a simple shoe by Jerome Rousseau like these Aizza White Glitter Pumps, the designer also makes a great pump that looks like a ballet shoe, but with a heel, that could work well with this look.

Being the effortless beauty that Seydoux is, simple is the way to go with hair and makeup. Bottega Veneta had possibly my favourite hair look of all the Fall 2013 runway shows, and it so fits this dress and this girl. Makeup wise, I’d tone it down a bit, keep it kinda monochromatic in the realm of Calvin Klein — Seydoux doesn’t need much to look the part of stunning starlet after all.

To be honest, I don’t know much about Tao Zhao, but I do know that she’s not new to the Festival de Cannes (her film 24 City was nominated for the Palm d’Or in 2008), and that her cute new boy cut gives her a chic Breathless sort of air.

After looking into her style history, I gathered that she leans towards classic award show dresses. So with that in mind, let’s get her into something classic, but still really awesome. For Zhao a lovely yellow beaded Zac Posen dress like this one from the designer’s Fall 2013 collection is perfect. The shape is amazing, and it has pockets; classic and modern — done.

A little black suede pump would be lovely with this dress, Bionda Castana has a great one that look like it might have been worn by one of the ladies from Marie Antoinette’s court. Match this with some black geometric earrings from Gemma Redux, say the triangular Krisztina Earrings, and you’ve got yourself a bit more of a modern edge.

For a look that’s on the lighter side like this one, a bolder beauty look is a nice complement. I love the hair and makeup from Lanvin‘s Fall 2013 runway show, and would be really into pairing a dark lip with Zhao’s look. All together, the look, like the actress, is timeless.