Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Happy Birthday, Jessica and Nina
Two birthdays today. 2009 one-hit wonder Jessica Hart (26) and newly minted Rookie of the Year Nina Agdal (20).
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Double Bill
Ariel's tweet:
...leads you to this shot.
Glamorous models like Ariel Meredith and Michelle Vawer are not immune to duck face. What hope is there for the rest of us?
Let's cleanse the palate with duck-free images of all three ladies.
...leads you to this shot.
Glamorous models like Ariel Meredith and Michelle Vawer are not immune to duck face. What hope is there for the rest of us?Let's cleanse the palate with duck-free images of all three ladies.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
First Peek at 2013?
Jimmy at Extra Mustard on SI.com has made it his goal (scroll to the bottom) to get a model named Lisalla Montenegro in the swimsuit issue.
Today, he posted that Lisalla was in the SI offices, interviewing with MJ Day. He has footage.
I approve.
Today, he posted that Lisalla was in the SI offices, interviewing with MJ Day. He has footage.
I approve.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Cover: Blown
I just found a blog called "Inoubliable Model Army." The author is mainly interested in the world of high fashion and runways, but he has an affinity for the SI swimsuit issue. And he calls the 2012 cover a catastrophe.
I was cautious about the cover when it was first revealed, wanting a little more time to digest. I’ve had time, and I agree: It’s flawed.
It seems like this image was stitched together from disparate elements instead of being selected for aesthetic value. People love Kate Upton! Kate Upton has become synonymous with breasts! The smaller the swimsuit, the sexier! You can’t go wrong with a blonde in a red bikini!
All of those things, taken separately, are perfectly logical. But the result is like design by committee. It’s too in-your-face, too cartoonish. It’s like making Jessica Rabbit into a real person. A sexy idea, but the result would be tinged with something “off.”
…Well okay, Heidi’s Jessica Rabbit is an exception. But even there, it’s played for novelty.
I don’t think it’s “the worst cover in SI Swimsuit history” like the guy at Inoubliable does. But I think he’s onto something with this description:
The image, featuring a heavily airbrushed Upton in an unflattering, awkward pose with her upper anatomy spilling out of a bikini top and bottom, would have been more appropriate on the cover of Hustler magazine.
Upton's cover photo falls victim to its own extremes, subscribing too hard to the philosophies of “bigger is better” (boobs) and “smaller is better” (bikini).
What other photos from 2012 would have made better covers? I think any of these would have been beautiful.
Still sexy, still skimpy, still Upton-y. But less hysterical about it. (Heck, the issue came out on Valentine’s Day, and her bikini in that last photo is pink and covered in hearts. Perfect!)
Anyway, we have a lot more Kate in store for us, and I bet we’ll get at least one more cover out of her before SI is done with her.
I was cautious about the cover when it was first revealed, wanting a little more time to digest. I’ve had time, and I agree: It’s flawed.
It seems like this image was stitched together from disparate elements instead of being selected for aesthetic value. People love Kate Upton! Kate Upton has become synonymous with breasts! The smaller the swimsuit, the sexier! You can’t go wrong with a blonde in a red bikini!All of those things, taken separately, are perfectly logical. But the result is like design by committee. It’s too in-your-face, too cartoonish. It’s like making Jessica Rabbit into a real person. A sexy idea, but the result would be tinged with something “off.”
…Well okay, Heidi’s Jessica Rabbit is an exception. But even there, it’s played for novelty.
I don’t think it’s “the worst cover in SI Swimsuit history” like the guy at Inoubliable does. But I think he’s onto something with this description:
The image, featuring a heavily airbrushed Upton in an unflattering, awkward pose with her upper anatomy spilling out of a bikini top and bottom, would have been more appropriate on the cover of Hustler magazine.
Upton's cover photo falls victim to its own extremes, subscribing too hard to the philosophies of “bigger is better” (boobs) and “smaller is better” (bikini).
What other photos from 2012 would have made better covers? I think any of these would have been beautiful.
Still sexy, still skimpy, still Upton-y. But less hysterical about it. (Heck, the issue came out on Valentine’s Day, and her bikini in that last photo is pink and covered in hearts. Perfect!)Anyway, we have a lot more Kate in store for us, and I bet we’ll get at least one more cover out of her before SI is done with her.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Happy Burgday?
The SI Swimsuit Facebook page wished a happy birthday to Esti Ginzburg today.
I think her birthday is actually the 6th.
Oh well. Whether SI is mistaken or Wikipedia is mistaken, it's a decent excuse to gaze upon Esti.
I think her birthday is actually the 6th.Oh well. Whether SI is mistaken or Wikipedia is mistaken, it's a decent excuse to gaze upon Esti.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
One More Butt
Congratulations to Nina Agdal for winning Rookie of the Year. Looks like it was a nice tight race, with a percentage point separating all five girls.Kate Upton gets referenced a lot as the 2011 Rookie of the Year, but I don't think there was ever any official selection. If I remember, the guy who writes Extra Mustard mentioned in passing that Kate was his ROY, and it kind of stuck.
(Not that there would have been any doubt about Kate.)
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Butt Appreciation One-Piece Wednesday
Keeping pace with last year, I'm recognizing March 14 as Butt Appreciation Day. This year, it falls on Wednesday.
Kathy Ireland's adorable and sandy butt, decorated to complement the surfboard she poses with, has been taken down at the behest of Kathy's lawyers, apparently. So I link to it here, at the Getty photo site.
Kathy Ireland's adorable and sandy butt, decorated to complement the surfboard she poses with, has been taken down at the behest of Kathy's lawyers, apparently. So I link to it here, at the Getty photo site.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Happy Birthday, Eva Herzigova
This three-time SI model (97, 98, 99) is 39 today.
And recently, she took her place among the sexiest -ovas on earth. BroBible put together a list of the 50 Hottest Women Whose Last Name Ends in -Ova. Anyone with a working knowledge of the swimsuit issue could predict that SI models were well represented.
Anna Kournikova 
Daniela Hantuchova 
Daniela Pestova 
Maria Sharapova 
Petra Nemcova 
Paulina Porizkova 
Veronica Varekova 
And recently, she took her place among the sexiest -ovas on earth. BroBible put together a list of the 50 Hottest Women Whose Last Name Ends in -Ova. Anyone with a working knowledge of the swimsuit issue could predict that SI models were well represented.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Happy Birthday, Yamila Diaz
I've always loved this photo. How do you make a bikini-clad Yamila even more of a male fantasy? Surround her with beer and barbecue.
Also, I think it's Yamila in this brief shot from this Nike commercial:
Happy 36th.
Also, I think it's Yamila in this brief shot from this Nike commercial:
Happy 36th.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
That's the Way the Rookie Crumbles 2012
Well, now is the time for me to mourn the loss of my beloved Kenza Fourati. Sadly, she was not one of last year's rookies to survive into 2012. Shannan Click has also left us, leaving Izabel Goulart, Alyssa Miller, and Kate Upton to carry us forward.
By the way, both of the rookies who survived from 2010 to 2011 also came back for a third year. Say hello to the 2012 editions of Genevieve Morton and Chrissy Teigen.
Chrissy had a particularly good year. Probably the best photos I've seen of her.
And she got her own ad campaign for Gillette® Venus® & Olay®, in which they gave this 2010 photo the Midas treatment.
By the way, both of the rookies who survived from 2010 to 2011 also came back for a third year. Say hello to the 2012 editions of Genevieve Morton and Chrissy Teigen.
Chrissy had a particularly good year. Probably the best photos I've seen of her.
And she got her own ad campaign for Gillette® Venus® & Olay®, in which they gave this 2010 photo the Midas treatment.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Happy Birthday, Julie Henderson
2012 is her sixth year, and possibly her best yet. She turns 26 today.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Your 2012 Rookies
Voting for Rookie of the Year ends on March 12. At the moment, it looks like Nina Agdal is in the lead, followed by a tie between Jessica Perez and Michelle Vawer. I can't decide my favorite; it's a very nice crop this year.
In any case, like last year, I thought I'd try to place each rookie in some kind of mathematical/historical context.
Take Roshumba Williams and add Damaris Lewis's eyes, and you end up with Adaora.
Early Kathy Ireland plus a touch of Kim Alexis gives you Nina Agdal.
Two parts Isabeli Fontana and one part Alyssa Miller gives you Crystal Renn.
Alicia Hall fortified with a nice dose of Valeria Mazza gives you Michelle Vawer.
Tyra Banks with Josie Maran's face results in Kirby Griffin.
Ingrid Seynhaeve with a splash of early Brooklyn Decker gives you Jessica Perez.
Jessica's photos might be my overall favorites, but she already won a popular vote last year, so it might be time to give another girl a chance. I will say that Michelle is intoxicating, thanks to smooth and lovely shots like this one:
In any case, like last year, I thought I'd try to place each rookie in some kind of mathematical/historical context.
Take Roshumba Williams and add Damaris Lewis's eyes, and you end up with Adaora.
Early Kathy Ireland plus a touch of Kim Alexis gives you Nina Agdal.
Two parts Isabeli Fontana and one part Alyssa Miller gives you Crystal Renn.
Alicia Hall fortified with a nice dose of Valeria Mazza gives you Michelle Vawer.
Tyra Banks with Josie Maran's face results in Kirby Griffin.
Ingrid Seynhaeve with a splash of early Brooklyn Decker gives you Jessica Perez.
Jessica's photos might be my overall favorites, but she already won a popular vote last year, so it might be time to give another girl a chance. I will say that Michelle is intoxicating, thanks to smooth and lovely shots like this one: