Christie Brinkley reflects on the benefits of aging
Christie Brinkley at the IMG Lounge in Manhattan during New York Fashion Week on Feb. 7. Credit: Getty Images / Manny Carabel
Sag Harbor supermodel Christie Brinkley, who turned 65 this month, is reflecting on the psychological benefits of being an older person.
"Around 50, you start letting yourself off the hook, and you have a real awareness of priorities and what really matters," the still-active model and Bellissima prosecco founder told Us Weekly in a story published Wednesday. "Others' opinions just don't have power over you anymore. The only opinions that really matter to you are those of the people you love."
Brinkley, who is single, has three adult children, one each from three of her four marriages.
"When I started doing the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue [in 1979, with the first of three consecutive annual covers], I was very concerned about trying to live up to the image they projected of this hot body in a bathing suit," Brinkley said. She added, "I'm kind of in the same situation with aging. Aging is inevitable. If I'm lucky, I'm going to be running around as an older woman with my hard-earned wrinkles. It's inevitable,” she repeated.
In late January, Brinkley was guest of honor at a Manhattan birthday party sponsored by a skin care company. She posted three photos from the fete, wearing a metallic silver-and-gold minidress and gold heels. "Thank you both and everyone who came! Cheers!" she wrote, adding six Champagne emoji. Brinkley's eldest child, singer Alexa Ray Joel, 33, her daughter with music legend Bill Joel, serenaded her with a soulful rendition of "Happy Birthday."
"I honestly have had years in my life where I'd be like, 'Wait a minute, how old am I again?'" Brinkley told Us, professing. "I just don't think about it."
