Two-Pièce de Résistance: Stacey Williams, 1997

One feature that shows up in this series a lot: shiny swimsuits.

Photo: Walter Iooss Jr

Is it some primal attraction to reflections? Is it the way the glare seems to focus on points of the model’s body like a magnifying glass? Is it the subtle shimmers that help outline the contours of the curves?

Who knows? I like shiny swimsuits, and I’m obviously not alone, because there are a ton of them. This wasn’t even the only shiny Stacey pic in the running for this post.

In any case, I very much disfruto this image. It’s a great representative from the all-bikini 1997 issue — the bikini is perfect, and not least of all because Stacey is occupying it.

Stacey has so many beautiful shots. Usually she’s smiling warmly or leveling those languid, hypnotic eyes at us. But here she’s gazing off, momentarily oblivious in her own world, fingertip to mouth, clearly fantasizing about some intensely pleasurable activity, like maybe drinking a Coke.

The pose is a variation on the classic Buddha pose, but her top leg is pulled up a little, like she’s absently writhing, luxuriating at the feel of her own skin-on-skin.

It’s an almost unforgivably gorgeous photo of one of the all-time greats.

Come, Mister Tally Man

Same Suit, Different Babe: Stacey and Britta, 1993

This was hiding in plain sight for so long.

Stacey Williams and Britta Dubbels wore the same Anne Klein suit ($108) in 1993.

Stacey Williams and shiny one-piecers are right in my wheelhouse, so I'm not sure why it took me so long to see it. But better late than never!

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).

Scanti-Lui Clad

So France recently had a better election than we did.

I think they also have a better girlie magazine of record.

Lui was founded to be France’s answer to Playboy. They’ve attracted a bevy of A-listers to disrobe, including quite a few girls who had been in SI or soon would be.

The earliest SI girl I could find was my very own Stacey Williams. Her December 1990 issue came out over a year before her Sports Illustrated debut.

No nudity, but some beautiful black and white pics of her getting tattoos on some of my favorite parts of her.

I have a feeling these are fake tattoos, because I don’t think I ever saw one in her subsequent SI photos. However, if you like butt tattoos…

• • •

…the first Lui issue after a long hiatus (September 2013) brought us Isabeli Fontana with a papillon on her derriere.

Longtime readers may recognize some of these June 2014 shots from when I confused Isabeli with Izabel a couple years ago. But for completist’s sake, they are worth revisiting here.

Refresher: This is Isabeli Fontana.

This is Izabel Goulart.

Isabeli and Lui must have quite a crush on each other, as she also makes appearances in July of 2014:

…December/January of 2015-2016:

…and September of 2016:

• • •

The July/August 2014 issue was a cornucopia of my favorite recent swimsuit issue girls. It brought us Emily DiDonato:

…Sara Sampaio:

…and Lais Ribeiro:

Lais also shows up in September 2016:

• • •

Laetitia Casta does what she does best in December/January of 2014/2015: represent France and look hot doing it.

Heel Thyself

A few years ago, I pointed out that the ideal male fantasy was Yamila Diaz in a bikini, surrounded by beer and barbecue.

Oddly, I left out one detail. She’s wearing heels.

A gorgeous girl wearing nothing but a bikini and heels. Is there a more perfect symbol of feminine sexuality?