Christie Brinkley Revealed the Valuable Lesson She's Learned About Age as a 70-Year-Old Supermodel
Christie Brinkley is 70 years old and still a valuable part of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit family. The issue is celebrating its 60th-anniversary cover with some of the legends who made the annual shoot so memorable, and the supermodel is a huge part of their success.
Brinkley turned up on the red carpet in New York City on Thursday in a show-stopping red gown that hugged her gorgeous curves. The long, bell sleeves draped to the floor while showcasing her toned legs in the thigh-high slit. Her gorgeous blonde hair cascaded in soft waves around her face, and she added a pop of color with cherry-red lipstick. An iconic outfit for an iconic star!
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Her long-term relationship with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit has taught her a valuable lesson about aging. It’s something she wouldn’t have understood early in her modeling career, but she certainly gets the message now. “If someone came up to young permed sunburned me during my first photo shoot with the iconic magazine and whispered, ‘They will still be inviting you to be in the picture at 70,’ I would have laughed at them and called them crazy,” Brinkley told People. “But now I know that no one wants to become invisible because of our age, (or ethnicity, size, gender, or anything for that matter!)” She even added a cute message to everyone at the magazine who has hired her over and over again, “So thank you, S.I. … you may just be 60, but you’re very smart for your age!”
Brinkley’s first experience with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit came in 1975 and she’s graced eight covers over the years. Hardcore fans will remember that she even starred on three covers consecutively from 1979-1981 — only she and Elle Macpherson can brag about that feat. She’s also been at the forefront of discussing her thoughts on aging and embracing the idea that it’s a gift because women are accomplishing incredible things in this season of life.
“I think every woman should declare her age because 69 ain’t what it used to be and it’s up to us to reshape that number and give it a new image, a makeover,” she said on the Tamron Hall Show in 2023. She used to believe that 30 “was this number to fear” in her modeling career, but she’s since reframed what aging really means in her mind. “What’s the big deal about 30? What’s the big deal about 40?” Brinkley wisely summed up. “If you take good care of yourself, and you eat right, and you exercise, and you have a good mental attitude—lots of laughter, lots of curiosity, lots of adventures— that keeps you young.”
Before you go, click here to see celebrity women over 50 whose bikini photos are blowing our minds.
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