Predictably, there are lots of SI girls, and near the end of the list it’s almost a Tourette-style tirade of swimsuit issue covers.
They refer to this shot as coming from 1987, but it’s from 1985. My first swimsuit issue, seared in my memory.
They list this as from 1975, but it's actually from 1981. It was good enough for SI to recreate it with Marisa Miller almost a quarter century later.
From Complex’s description:“This image was a cornerstone in Ms. Ireland’s career because it was a ridiculously long time coming for the S.I. vet. After 13 consecutive appearances in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issues, she had finally earned a solo cover.”
Welllllll, 1992 was Kathy’s ninth consecutive year, not her thirteenth. (She was in twelve altogether.)
Also, she had her first solo cover three years earlier, in 1989 (the 25th Anniversary issue).
Finally, by specifying that she “finally” had a “solo cover,” they seem to imply that the cover she shared with Elle Macpherson and Rachel Hunter came out earlier than this one. In fact, it came out two years later, in 1994.
Still a sexy photo. Babette is an artist with her own gallery now.
Not what I’d call a bikini, but certainly a good choice for One-Piece Wednesday.
Yum. One of the giants on whose shoulders stand Irina, Marisa, Brooklyn, etc!
Another pioneer. This may have been the skimpiest bikini on the cover to date (1981).
Eight years later, and she’s still adjusting those strings.
Tyra’s intro to the all-bikini 1997 issue is the highest-rated SI bikini shot on the list. (I call for an asterisk, as #1 is Farrah Fawcett in a red one piece.)
