‘SI Swimsuit’ Star Kate Upton Looks Nearly Unrecognizable in First Fresh-Faced Bikini Photos

SI Swimsuit star Kate Upton looks nearly unrecognizable in throwback bikini photos from her debut 14 years ago.

“When you think SI Swimsuit, you think Kate Upton,” the outlet wrote alongside side-by-side photos of the model on November 9. “From her debut 2011 photo shoot to her most recent appearance in the fold for the 60th anniversary issue, Upton is the definition of a SI Swimsuit ‘Legend.’”

The first photo showed a fresh-faced Upton in the middle of a pool, rocking wet, tousled hair, a statement gold necklace and a blue floral bikini. She was just 18 at the time of her SI Swimsuit debut.

The second photo, taken for Sports Illustrated’s 60th anniversary issue, showed Upton confidently posing in front of a tropical backdrop.

The cover model stunned in a high-waisted pink striped bikini, her dirty-blonde hair style in loose waves as she gave the camera a sultry stare.

“She’s definitely changed over the years,” one fan wrote in the comments section of the post.

Meanwhile, another user added, “She’s changed but still gorgeous.”

Although it’s unclear when the photos were taken, Upton recently welcomed her second child with husband Justin Verlander in June. The couple, who married in 2017, are already parents to their 6-year-old daughter, Genevieve.

“Being a mother, especially to a daughter, motivates you in so many ways to really be aware of the messaging that is put out there for young women,” the model said about her daughter in an interview with a news outlet at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit launch in May 2024. “That’s why it is so exciting to be aligned with a brand like Sports Illustrated who encourages you to accept yourself in every aspect and accept your differences.”

Upton is known to keep her personal life out of the spotlight; however, she has given some peeks into her life as a mom of a toddler.

“She just recently told me that she thought I was a tennis player,” she told a news outlet that same month. “She knew I would go play tennis for fun. So I guess because Justin is athletic and plays baseball, she’s like, ‘That’s a job!'”