When Christie Brinkley Made Waves in the Fashion World

Hey there, friends! Let's dive into the incredible story of Christie Brinkley, one of the most iconic supermodels of all time. Recently, Christie took to Instagram to share a nostalgic moment that defined her career and set the tone for the fashion industry. In a candid post, she reminisced about posing in a daring swimsuit on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine back in 1977. That was a time when fashion was evolving, and Christie was right at the heart of it all.

In the post, Christie shared a stunning image of herself in a purple high-waisted bikini. "This bathing suit caused a stir!" she wrote, capturing the essence of the moment. She went on to explain how this bold choice transformed the perception of swimsuits. "At the time, all the bikinis were low slung on the hip. This high leg cut made the hip a new erogenous zone," she said, adding a humorous note about the challenge of wearing it. "I couldn’t figure out how to put it on as just one string holds it all together!"

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I think one of the best ways to start off the new year (besides a good snorkel adventure) is with some self-care – one of my favorite ways to treat myself and those I love is with an Ultherapy® consultation! I recommend Ultherapy to all my girlfriends and encourage them to go in for consultations. I know firsthand how well it works to boost collagen and elastin for natural-looking results. What better way to jumpstart your post-holiday energy and start feeling like a new you than with some Ultherapy®?! 💫 #ChristieLovesUltherapy
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A post shared by Christie Brinkley (@christiebrinkley) on Jan 3, 2020 at 9:10am PST

Behind the Scenes: Christie's Experience

Christie gave us a peek into the behind-the-scenes magic of that historic shoot. "Francesco Scavullo shot all the covers for Cosmopolitan back then," she revealed. She described the meticulous setup: "He had a big umbrella with a string that ran from the middle of the umbrella, which contained a light to the tip of your nose. You were in perfect light at the end of that string." She added that, unlike today, there was no retouching back then, so every detail had to be absolutely perfect. "They really perfected the makeup and every strand of hair," she recalled.

Overcoming Insecurities

Even though Christie was breaking barriers with that swimsuit, she admitted to feeling insecure about showing so much skin. "I remember I was worried that I looked fat," she confessed. But she quickly added that she's grateful for the progress the industry has made. "I’m so glad that today our industry appreciates all shapes and sizes so we can just focus on being healthy. Not cookie cutter," she wrote. Her message resonates deeply: "Still, there is something in some young girls that often makes them feel they just don’t measure up. I was one of them. I look back at these and think that worry was such a waste of time."

Christie also shared her hope for the younger generation. "If only the perspective we gain with age that alleviates the worries could be passed on and absorbed by the younger generation," she mused. But she remains optimistic: "But I do think shifting the focus to feeling great is a giant step in the right direction."

Raising Confident Kids

With decades of life experience under her belt, Christie has been a guiding light for her children — Alexa Ray Joel, 34, Jack Brinkley Cook, 24, and Sailor Brinkley Cook, 21. In a past interview with Closer Weekly, Sailor recalled her mom's advice on confidence. "She’s mostly just told me to smile — that’s like her No. 1 advice, especially for confidence," Sailor said. "To, you know, 'smile and you’ll feel it.' I honestly believe that too."