Nearly four decades after covering her first Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in 1979, Christie Brinkley has returned to the magazine’s pages with her two daughters — Alexa Ray Joel, 31, and Sailor Brinkley Cook, 18.
The 63-year-old proved age is just a number posing for the publication in a bikini and sexy one-piece alongside her girls. While the ageless beauty stuns in the new photos, Christie admitted that she was initially hesitant to appear in the magazine, but ultimately wanted to share the moment with Alexa and Sailor.
Christie, 63, co-stars with daughters Alexa, left, and Sailor Photo: Emmanuelle Hauguel /SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
"My first thought was, 'At my age? No way!' When I turned 30, I was like, 'This is the last time I'm posing in a bathing suit!'" the model told People magazine. "When this issue comes out, I'll be 63. I thought, 'Those days are over.' But to get to do it with my girls, I thought, 'One last go!'"
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Shooting on set with Alexa and Sailor was a “real full circle moment” for the mom-of-three. She confessed to SI, ”I can get very emotional about this. How many years ago, I was that insecure girl hoping that I would be good enough for the magazine.”
The blonde bombshell continued, “So to see my daughters now having the same thoughts I had, and to be able to see them actually be there on the job, was definitely a big moment.”
In an Instagram post featuring the shot, Sailor revealed that she has struggled with her self image, saying she has had body issues "since before I can even remember." She wrote: "I grew up not loving how I looked and felt held back because of it.. I went from being 'too fat' to 'too thin' to 'too muscular' and I never felt satisfied."
She later continued: "But recently I have been liberated. I am healthy, I treat myself well, and for that i'm happy... My body carries me each and every day, it loves the people i love, it holds what makes me healthy and strong, it bends it shakes it runs and it CHANGES. That is okay and that is beautiful."
"We all have our own style," Alexa said of the stunning trio Photo: Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images
Meanwhile, Alexa, whose parents Christie and Billy Joel split in 1994, revealed her experience on set was a learning curve. The musician explained, "It was definitely entertaining — a little bit of a reality TV moment.”
She added, “We all have our own style. And Sailor is kind of the young new little, perfect little, sporty little model. My mom is almost, I tease her, that she's ADD in terms of how much energy she has. She literally can't stop moving. And I'm still new at this and I was just trying to maintain my focus."
Sailor opened up to HELLO! last year about her and her mom’s style. Noting their similarities she said, “We’re both very all-american but I think we have a different outlook, like I’m a little more sporty and she’s a little more glamour.”
GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES WITH CHRISTIE AND HER DAUGHTERS