50 Greatest Swimsuit Models, #40-31

It should be pointed out that SI probably chose 50 models because of the 50th anniversary of the swimsuit issue, coming up in 2014. They are also going to release a coffee table book called Sports Illustrated Swimsuit: 50 Years of Beautiful. That comes out in October, and here is an exclusive peek at the cover:

At this point you may be thinking, “Bar Refaeli? Kathy Ireland? Brooklyn Decker? They’re this low on your list?” Well, this hastily assembled list reflects who I was more swept up by in that moment. Maybe a year from now Brooklyn will outrank Kim Cloutier in my heart, but at the moment I made this list, Kim gave me more pleasure to contemplate.

Onward!

40: Melissa Keller

39: Kathy Ireland

I've said it before: gorgeous, and unquestionably iconic in SI history. She just never struck me to my core the way she does for others. But a top-50 without her would definitely be incomplete.

38: Hilary Rhoda

37: Ariel Meredith

36: Yamila Diaz

35: Tyra Banks

34: Brooklyn Decker

This might be a bit of blasphemy to have her this low. She's undeniably a sexy blonde, but there are other models I find more interesting.

33: Irina Shayk

32: Tori Praver

31: Bar Refaeli