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Martha Stewart sparkled her way down the red carpet of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit launch in New York City on Thursday night, May 18. The 81-year-old Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2023 cover model lit up the night in a shimmering gold gown that featured a v-neck and a tie at the waist, giving her figure an hourglass shape. Her slightly flared sleeves elevated her regal look.
The cooking and lifestyle icon wore her hair straightened and tucked her side bang behind her ear. Martha smiled wide and looked proud to be among the other 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models, which include Megan Fox, Kim Petras, and Brooks Nader. She accessorized with dangling earrings and went for a natural makeup look.
The author and podcaster was photographed posing with musician Kim Petras, 30, who also made history as the second transgender person to cover Sports Illustrated. “It’s super exciting to have my Sports Illustrated cover and album announcement happening at the same time!” she gushed to PEOPLE after her cover was revealed. “I had the best time and, honestly, it was a huge confidence boost.” Kim looked gorgeous at the SI launch in a fun pastel dress that has a photograph of beachgoers printed across the front.
Martha wowed fans when she debuted her SI Swimsuit cover. Although she is no stranger to modeling, Martha said in a promotional video from the shoot (seen here) that she was motivated to show people her age that they can “still look good, feel good, be good.”
“When I heard that I was going to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, I thought, ‘Oh, well, that’s pretty good! I’m gonna be the oldest person I think ever on the cover,’” she recalled. “And I don’t think about age very much but I thought that this is kind of historic and I better look really good.” Martha added, “I want other women to feel that they could also be on the cover.”
Martha took to her Instagram page on May 15 to show off her cover shot, which shows her smiling in a white one-piece that featured a super low-cut neckline. “I am so thrilled to be on the cover of the @SI_Swimsuit issue!” she penned. “My motto has always been: ‘when you’re through changing, you’re through,’ so I thought, why not be up for this opportunity of a lifetime? I hope this cover inspires you to challenge yourself to try new things, no matter what stage of life you are in. Changing, evolving, and being fearless – those are all very good things, indeed.”
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This story originally appeared on Hollywoodlife
