Christie Brinkley has worn countless bikinis throughout her career, but one seems to have made a lasting impact. On Monday, the 65-year-old supermodel posted a photo of her June 1977 Cosmopolitan cover on Instagram and shared the backstory behind the jaw-dropping pic.
“In 1977 this bathing suit caused a stir! At the time all the bikinis were low slung on the hip. This high leg cut made the hip a new erogenous zone,” Brinkley wrote in the caption. “I couldn’t figure out how to put it on as just one string holds it all together!”
For the cover, Brinkley sported a purple Norma Kamali bikini with a teeny-tiny, high-cut bottom. She went onto reveal how insecure she felt on set. “They didn't have retouching back then,” she explained. “I remember I was worried I looked fat.”
Of course, Brinkley, who was 23 at the time, looks incredible on the cover, but her uncertainties are understandable. In her Instagram post, she goes on to discuss how happy she is with changes in the industry, especially that it's more diverse and accepting now than it used to be.
“I’m so glad that today our industry appreciates all shapes and sizes so we can just focus on being healthy. Not cookie cutter,” Brinkley wrote, adding that she understands how it hard it can be to find self-confidence in today's society. “Still there is something in some young girls that often makes them feel they just don’t measure up. I was one of them.”
She finished her post by sharing a life lesson with fans: “I look back at these and think that worry was such a waste of time. If only the perspective we gain with age that elevates the worries could be absorbed by the younger generation but I do think shifting the focus to feeling great is a great step in the right direction.”
Brinkley's bikini post was met with overwhelming gratitude from followers, with many lamenting the same idea. “If I had my youthful days to do over again I would change so many things. Especially fretting about my weight. Wasted time,” one wrote. “I remember that issue. I was just 12 and my body and self confidence issues were just beginning for me. You were/are always my inspiration for positivity and confidence,” added another.
This isn't the first time the supermodel has opened up about self-love, and she often shares inspiring stories on social media, encouraging women of all ages to love their bodies.
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