Christie Brinkley Recreates Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Cover Aged 63, Alongside Daughters

The trio has a very important message about body image.

Christie Brinkley has proven once and for all that age is nothing but a number by posing for Sports Illustrated’s coveted Swimsuit Issue at the age of 63.

The supermodel appears in the 2017 magazine alongside her two daughters - Sailor, 18, and Alexa Ray Joel, 31, - and the trio are fast becoming our new body image heroes.

On Instagram Sailor posted a refreshingly honest message alongside the photo, saying she’s “had issues with [her] body image” for as long as she can remember, but she’s worked hard to love her figure.

Meanwhile Alexa said she wants to use the platform to promote “unconditional self-love and self-respect to every woman who’s willing to listen”. 

Christie, who first appeared on the cover of the magazine in 1979, said her latest photoshoot felt like coming “full circle”.

“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,” she said.

“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.” 

Meanwhile on Instagram, Sailor, who appears on the right in the photo, said: “I’ve had issues with my body image since before I can even remember.

“I grew up not loving how I looked and felt held back because of it. I don’t know why I always felt that way, sure I had baby fat and definitely went through a plethora of awkward phases, but I had a family that loved me I had friends who made me laugh. But for some reason I still looked in the mirror and always somehow found something to pick on.”

She said she’s felt “too fat”, “too thin”, and “too muscular” in the past, but she finally feels “liberated” from these insecurities. 

“I am healthy, I treat myself well, and for that I’m happy. I’ve looked in the mirror and been able to love the things about my body that beauty norms deem ‘undesirable,’” she said.

“I now have grown to know that my body is worthy of so many great things. I don’t need to be a size 0 to believe in myself.”

In a separate Instagram post, her sister, Alexa, said taking part in the photoshoot was “a lesson in learning to let go” of past insecurities.

“My purpose is to now pass along this lesson of unconditional self-love and self-respect to every woman who’s willing to listen,” she said.

We think they’re all fabulous. 

Our Body Image Heroes
Serena Willliams (01 of10)
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Serena Willliams was told she is "built like a man" by Twitter trolls, but that didn't stop her being super body confident."I love that I am a full woman and I’m strong and I’m powerful and I’m beautiful at the same time," she said. "And there’s nothing wrong with that." (credit:TIMOTHY A. CLARY via Getty Images)
Tess Holliday (02 of10)
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Lines like this are why we love Tess Holliday: "It's okay to be yourself, even if you happen to exist in a fat body. I'm sexy, confident and give no fucks. Also, fuck anyone for saying otherwise. " (credit:Curve Fashion Festival)
Demi Lovato (03 of10)
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Having previously opened up about her struggles with an eating disorder, Demi Lovato posed for an un-touched nude photo featured on the cover of Vanity Fair."I basically went from hating every single inch of my body to working on myself and trying to figure out ways to love myself and love the skin that I'm in," she said in an accompanying interview."I learned after working very hard on my spirituality and my soul and my body, I learned that you can get to a place where you love the skin that you're in and I'm excited to share that with the world." (credit:Vanity Fair)
Jameela Jamil (04 of10)
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Jameela Jamil has launched an inclusive clothing range to end the plus-size divide once and for all.“I find it infuriating that in this industry, size 10 and above is defined as ‘plus size’ especially when the average dress size in the UK is a 16," she said."We really shouldn’t be putting a label on size, fashion is for all and I think confidence and happiness is more important than dress labels.” (credit:David M. Benett via Getty Images)
Chrissy Teigen(05 of10)
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Chrissy Teigen proved even models aren't perfect when she posted a picture of her stretch marks on Instagram.Her post promoted comments like: "I've had stretch marks since I was 12 years old at 5'9". So important for young girls and now 29 year olds to see." (credit:Michael Loccisano via Getty Images)
Kate Winslet (06 of10)
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Actress Kate Winslet is determined to help her daughter develop a healthy body image."When I grew up, I never heard positive reinforcement about body image from any female in my life," she said. "I only ever heard negatives. That's very damaging because then you're programmed as a young woman to immediately scrutinise yourself and how you look.""And so I stand in front of the mirror and say to Mia, 'We are so lucky that we've got a shape. We're so lucky we're curvy. We're so lucky that we've got good bums.' And she'll say, 'Mummy, I know, thank God.' It's working, that thing that I've been doing. It's paying off." (credit:Matt Crossick/Matt Crossick)
Lupita Nyong'o(07 of10)
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Lupita Nyong'o has spoken out against the lack of diversity in the media saying: "European standards of beauty are something that plague the entire world—the idea that darker skin is not beautiful, that light skin is the key to success and love."She also loves her skin, as proven by her appearance in a brilliant Sesame Street sketch. (credit:Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
Ashley Graham (08 of10)
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Model Ashley Graham refuses to be defined by her size."It’s fantastic when I’m not labeled as a plus size model in any interview or editorial I do," she told HuffPost UK Style."It makes a statement for women out there, 'look she’s not being described by her size, she’s being honoured by the things that she’s doing in the world'." (credit:Andy Kropa /Invision/AP)
Amy Schumer(09 of10)
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When a film critic called actress and comedian Amy Schumer "chubby", she responded by saying: "I am a US size 6 and have no plans of changing. This is it. Stay on or get off."Brilliant. (credit:Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Alexa Chung (10 of10)
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Alexa Chung has been skinny-shamed and called "gross" by online trolls, but instead of letting the haters get her down, she's become a spokesperson for body diversity in the media."I would love to look like Daisy Lowe, but I don't... but I'm happy with how I look. Equally, I don't want to use this as an example of how young girls should look," she said. (credit:KGC-146/STAR MAX/IPx)