Many people try to hide their age as they get older, getting ill-advised cosmetic surgery and blanketing every photo with multiple filters. However, Paulina Porizkova, who posed on the cover of the 1983 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue at 23, is embracing her age. To celebrate her 54th birthday, the Czech-born Swedish supermodel - and grandmother -posted a makeup free selfie and series of videos detailing her daily makeup routine.
"54 and proud of it!" she wrote to her 58,000 Instagram followers. "This, folks, is the real me, no fillers, no Botox, no makeup. Granted, if I showed you what I look like in really bad light, or took a shot of my IPad reflection, I’d be a little less proud. #whatfiftyfourlookslike"
Porizkova posed regularly in Sports Illustrated from 1983 to 1986, then returned to the publication in 1989, 1992, 2004 and 2014, for the 50th Anniversary Legends issue. In May 2019, she's returning once again to pose in the swimsuit issue, but won't be rocking a frumpy one-piece. She'll be wearing the same types of outfits she wore in her 20's - and she'll be posing alongside models half her age.
"My first thought was what an amazing idea it was to put a woman my age in SI as just one of the many ‘girls,’" Porizkova told People last January. "Me, as the oldest ‘girl’ in the SI stable. My second thought was, oh, yeah sh*t, that means I will have to pose in a bikini with a bunch of 20-year-olds. It was at once thrilling and disconcerting."
"Although I am militant about aging women still being sexy and beautiful, I don’t always feel that way," she continued. "But refusing was out of the question. I was honored to be invited to break a barrier. I would just have to suck it up, or IN, rather, and hope for a photographer who knew his light."
When asked what piece of modeling advice stuck with her throughout her 36 year career, Porizkova said she was inspired by another SI swimsuit model. "Jule Campbell shared Christie Brinkley’s technique of turning my hips to the side and shoulders to the camera while breathing in and holding my breath," she told the publication. "I, to this day, tell all my girlfriends concerned with their hips (too much or too little), how to turn so they can look awesome in a bikini shot. Thanks, Christie!"
In May 2018, Porizkova and The Cars’ frontman, Ric Ocasek, "peacefully separated" after 28 years of marriage. But the two-time Sports Illustrated cover girl isn't eager to jump back into the dating scene just yet. "I'm finishing up a memoir, giving a TED Talk next week, and doing a TV pilot," she explained to Closer Weekly. "And I really want to learn Italian. I want to seize the day and have some fun!"
