Horse Appreciation Week: Thursday

The stampede continues.

Tipping the Scales

Today’s “Animals and Swimsuits” entry is brought to you by reptiles.

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UPDATE, 10/18/19

Kate Bock, brandishing an iguana in 2017.

Happy First Day of Winter

This shot of Bridget Hall seemed like a good way to welcome the season.

Also, it seemed like a good jumping-off point to a theme.

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UPDATE 9/21/19

Just randomly inspired to add Kate Bock (2017) to this collection.

Happy Birthday, Bridget Hall

Let's be honest, this is probably the single raddest photo to appear in the swimsuit issue.

37 today.

One-Hit Wonder: Carla Maria, 2002

This gorgeous model was only in a single issue.

While poking around online for info about her, I found this slide show from Entertainment Weekly of a 2002 SI launch party. There’s a bit of a mental disconnect when you see some of the suits on the wrong models.

Shakara Ledard’s coffee bean bikini…

…is clearly where it belongs: on Shakara, on the right.

But Carla, on the left, is wearing a flowery top that clearly belongs to Ana Beatriz Barros. And Marisa Miller is wearing Daniela Pestova’s lime bikini.

Later in that slide show, Bridget Hall…

…is wearing Heidi Klum’s money suit.

It’s another variation on “Same Suit, Different Babe,” one that was lying hidden online for 12 years.

Happy Birthday, Sarah O'Hare

42 today.

In searching her pics, I came across this one from 1999:

Horses are represented quite a bit in the realm of swimsuit issue wildlife. But donkeys are rarer. The only other one I could find is this Bridget Hall photo from 2002:

"Nice ass," is what I'd say at this point if I were terrible.

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7/22/17: Hey, I found another one! Damaris Lewis, 2009.

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10/4/19: Lookee here! Chrissy Teigen, 2016.

Weekly Planner Week, Part 1

We’re a month into 2014, and I haven’t talked about the desk calendar yet. Chrissy Teigen is this year’s cover girl.

I have every single desk calendar, since the first one in 1990. That’s 25. A quarter century’s worth.

They’re stacked in a box. I don’t look at them much anymore, except to try to track down a photo to scan. But I’ll keep buying them for completist’s sake. Who knows, I may be sitting on some kind of eBay goldmine.

In any case, some cover trivia.

The first two were called “diaries.” Perhaps that didn’t sound masculine enough, because from 1992-2002 they were called “desk calendars,” and since then simply “calendars.”

Kathy Ireland and Marisa Miller are tied for first for the most desk calendar covers at three apiece. Kathy has 1991, 1994, and 1997. Marisa is the Christie Brinkley/Elle Macpherson of desk calendars, with three consecutive covers from 2007 to 2009.

For her part, the real Elle Macpherson has two covers (1992 and 1995), tying her with Heidi Klum (1999, 2000), Bridget Hall (2003, 2005), and Brooklyn Decker (2010, 2011).

Four times in history has the cover girl of the swimsuit issue been the cover girl of the associated (i.e., following year’s) calendar. Elle was on the cover of the 1994 issue and the 1995 calendar. Heidi did the same in 1998/1999, Marisa has 2008/2009, and Brooklyn has 2010/2011.

Heidi's 1998/99 cover and Marisa’s 2008/09 cover were the only times the cover of the desk calendar was the same photo as the cover of the associated issue.

Another four times, the cover model of the calendar then appeared on that same year’s issue. Vendela did in in 1993, Kathy in 1994, Marisa in 2008, and Brooklyn Decker in 2010.

Six rookies have made the desk calendar cover. Vendela (1993 calendar), Manon (1996), Niki Taylor (1998), Heidi (1999), Bridget (2003), and Alyssa Miller (2012).

Three models made the cover their final years in the issue: Elle (1995 calendar)*, Kathy (1997), and Marisa (2009).
*Not counting the 2006 all-star issue.