Ten-Hit Wonders

These are, in my humble opinion, the ten best one-hit wonders to grace the swimsuit issue in this blog’s ten-year history.

#10 Georgia Gibbs (2018)

First appearance: February 28, 2018, Models Named in Suit

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#9 Lauren Mellor (2014)

First appearance: December 6, 2013, Copycats

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#8 Kenza Fourati (2011)

First appearance: February 12, 2011, Your 2011 Rookies

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#7 Michelle Vawer (2012)

First appearance: November 16, 2011, One-Piece Wednesday: 2012 Mystery Ladies

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#6 Bregje Heinen (2014)

(This swimsuit alone would have gotten her on this list.)

First appearance: June 4 2013, So It Begins

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#5 Sofia Resing (2016)

First appearance: February 17, 2016, Headless Body in Topless Photo

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#4 Cris Urena (2014)

First appearance: December 6, 2013, Copycats

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#3 Chase Carter (2018)

First appearance: January 28, 2018, Turning Back the Pages

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#2 Kelly Gale (2017)

First appearance: February 7, 2017, Christie’s Back

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#1 Raven Lyn (2018)

First appearance: October 19, 2017, Back to Basics

Interesting trivia: The one-hit wonders of the last decade had a Lyn (Raven, 2018) and a Lynn (Tara, 2019) as well as a Ren (Alexis, 2018) and a Renn (Crystal, 2012).

Underboob Monday: Kelly Gale, 2017

Swimsuit gods, please send us more Kelly Gale.

ROTY Revisited: 2016, 2017

2016: Who won?
Barbara Palvin.

Who should have won?
Barbara Palvin. I can’t argue with her at all. But if pressed for a runner-up, I’d pick Bo Krsmanovic, who does similar things to my heart and mind.

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2017: Who won?
Bianca Balti.

Who should have won?
Lais Ribiero. This is one of the few where I have an ironclad correction for SI: Lais is one of the most gorgeous women to appear in SI this century.

Kelly Gale would have also been a magnificent choice, and I’m still bummed she was a one-and-done.

But yeah. Lais. All the way.

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This was actually illuminating for me. I expected to have more instances of strong disagreement with SI's choices, but they were by and large pretty solid.

I also had this idea that ROTYs don't last for very many issues, but that's not necessarily true either. By my calculations, the average ROTY stint is about 4.2 years, whereas the entire rookie class during that nine-year period sticks around for about 2.3 years.

So, who's the Rookie of the Year for 2019? No idea!

Calendar Girls, Revisited: 1995

Stacey Williams ushered in a couple wonderful models in 1995. Unfortunately, I fear they are both destined to be one-hit wonders.


On January 9, Stacey oversaw the arrival of Raven Lyn. Raven was one of the 2018 models I was most excited about, but there's been no word of her participating in the 2019 shoots thus far.

 Hailey Clauson, however, has been accounted for in 2019.

And on March 7, 1995, her birth was celebrated by an underrated one-hit wonder in her own right, Jenny Brunt.

Another one-and-done girl, Solveig, arrived on April 13, heralded by her fellow one-name wonder Vendela.

Stacey's second one-hit wonder of the year is the deeply mourned Kelly Gale, on May 14.

On June 4, Ingrid Seynhaeve welcomed Georgia Gibbs. No sign of Georgia making a return appearance this year.

And finally, we have a week where neither the birthday girl nor the calendar girl is a one-hit wonder. Gigi Hadid (2014, 15, 16) and Kathy Ireland (1984, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, deep breath 96).

That’s the Way the Rookie Crumbles 2018

There was a pretty high retention rate from 2017 to 2018. Out of seven girls, five stuck around.

Bianca was the Rookie of the Year, so she was pretty much a lock.

Danielle, who I have to admit I thought was unlikely to return, came back with a great cover.

Lais, Myla, and Vita were three of my favorites, and I love having them back.

The newly minted one-hit wonders are Kelly Gale and Mia Kang.

I never got a chance to get into Mia Kang.

But Kelly Gale is a huge loss.

Miss her already.

Thumb-Thing I Wish I'd Come Up With A Few Years Ago

"Thumb-Hook Thursday."

Can you imagine the one-two-three punch of Topless Tuesday, One-Piece Wednesday, and Thumb-Hook Thursday? Every week would be a piece of cake.

A Day Devoted Two Piece

Apparently it's National Bikini Day, and who am I to turn that down as an opportunity to showcase some of the finest bikinis in the 2017 issue?

I Love New Pics In June, How About You?

I think I have to decide if I’m actually writing this blog again or if I’m just popping in to comment on the 2017 issue, which has now been out for three and a half months.

Anyway, it’s been a week of swimsuit news. Heidi Klum has a new book of nudes that I probably won’t buy for $134.

Though honestly, I’m kind of tempted. If it were in the price range of the hardcover books that SI Swimsuit puts out from time to time, I might just pony up for it. Seems like kind of an event.

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Also, SI Swim is creating its own line of swimwear.

That page includes a little video featuring Julie Henderson talking about her bikini, which is kind of music to my ears.

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And finally, SI has released an avalanche of new, large photos from 2017. They’re in multiple batches: Fiji, Mexico, Curaçao, and Sumba Island.

These aren’t leftovers. I prefer a lot of these to a lot from the “official” release back in February.

This pic of Hannah Ferguson is worth the price of admission.