As summer rolls on, and the sun gets hotter, then one thing you can count on is that people will flock to the beach and pool and they’ll wear as little as is acceptably appropriate.
Bikinis are great swimwear, but they’ve also served to seal in very iconic moments of pop culture throughout the years.
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Who can forget Ursula Andress for the 007 film Dr. No?
The sight of her standing on the beach in that white bikini, her hair dripping wet and a large knife on her hip… it was easily the most memorable moments in the entire Bond franchise.
Another more recent example would be Kate Upton’s cover of Sports Illustrated in 2013 when she donned a bikini bottom but went topless, wearing a parka that strategically covered her chest.
Men’s Health has complied a list of some of the most iconic bikini’s in history, and we’ve condensed that list for you below.
Scroll Down To Read About 15 Of The Most Iconic Bikini Moments
Carrie Fisher / ‘Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’
Of all the iconic bikinis throughout pop-culture, maybe the most iconicย isย the one worn by Carrie Fisher as Princess Leiaย inย Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
Named the “Slave Leia” outfit, because it’s what Jabbaย forced her to wear when hi captured her, it’s not technically a bikini, but it’s really close.
Fisher once said of the outfit, “I remember that iron bikini I wore in ‘Episode VI’: what supermodels will eventually wear in the seventh ring of Hell.”
Ashley Graham / Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
Ashley Graham has spent her entire career trying to alter the perceptionย of “plus size” modeling and nothing did more for her crusade than landing the cover ofย Sports Illustrated’sย Swimsuit Issue.
Interestingly, Graham once revealed that being in a bikini still makes her feel shy.ย
She said, “I mean, of course like any girl when you get to the beach or the pool and you go, ‘Oh, I have to take my cover-up off, crap.’ And you feel like everybody’s watching, and then you just go, ‘Oh fine, I’ll just take it off. And then all of a sudden you get comfortable and go, ‘Okay. Another piรฑa colada.’”
Halle Berry / ‘Die Another Day’
The 007 films have had many memorable and iconic moments when it comes to swimwear.
There’s the aforementionedย bikini byย Ursula Andressย in Dr. No, but another very iconic one is Halleย Berry in Die Another Day.
You’ll notice that just like Andress, Berry also wore a belt with a knife on her hip, in a clear throwback to the old film.
Paris Hilton / Carl’s Jr. commercial
Back in the early 2000’s, Paris Hilton ruled the world. Pop-culturally speaking.
She was all over TV and film, but it was her 2005 Carl’s Jr commercial that will be cemented in the minds of audiences for years to come.
Rocking a memorable black bikini, Hilton wowed viewers while washing a car and chowing down on a deliciousย burger.
Angelina Jolie / ‘Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life’
The Tomb Rider film had a lot of iconic moments. Pretty much Angelina Jolie’s entire Lara Croft look was iconic.
One thing that definitelyย stands out, though, is how she rocked that black bikini inย Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.
That iconic role that Jolieย originate will grace the big screen once again soon, withย The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’s Alicia Vikanderย taking over as Lara Croft.
Tyra Banks / Sports Illustrated
Tyraย Banks has been a supermodel and fashion icon for years now, but her 1997ย Sports Illustrated cover is when she really hit the big time.
Surprisingly, she almost turnedย down the opportunity, though.
In an interview, Tyraย once revealed, “I almost passed on doing the issue because I had been on the cover the year before with Valeria Mazza and I thought, Why do it again?; there’s nowhere to go but down.”
Brookyln Decker / ‘Just Go With It’
Adam Sandlerย and Jennifer Aniston’s 2011 comedy Just Go Withย It is not the most memorable thing either of them have done.
However, it may be one of the most memorableย things that Brooklynย Decker has ever done.
The sight of her walking out of the ocean in that bright yellow bikini was enough to make her a household name from that moment on.
Raquel Welch / ‘One Million Years B.C.’
Even before Carrie Fisher donnedย “that iron bikini” in Star Wars, Raquel Welchย was steaming up movie screens inย One Million Years B.C.
Some might even say that Welch’sย look in the film is by far it’s most iconic aspect.
The funny thing about the iconic look, however, is that Welchย wasn’tย a fan.
In an interview, she said, “I never wanted to wear fur bikini in One Million Years BC.”
Beyoncรฉ / Sports Illustrated
Beyoncรฉย is a pop culture figure who’s basically done it all, including grace the cover of theย Sportsย Illustratedย Swimsuit Issue.
What makes the singer’s 2007 appearanceย particularly iconic is the fact that she was the first non-model to appearย on the cover
Apparently the bold shoot was a bit of out her comfort zone, but she embraced it to star in a spread that is beyond memorable.
“It takes a lot of guts. I’m really a shy person,” the singer told SI. “But in my everyday world, as a musical performer, I’m playing a character. I had to tap that same character.”
Phoebe Cates / ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’
The ’80s was filled with iconic teen movies, and Fast Times at Ridgemontย High is among the best.
The film’s most iconic scene comes when Brad Hamilton (Judge Hamilton) fantasizes aboutย Linda Barrett (Phoebe Cates). He images her getting out of the pool in a red bikini, walking towards him and taking off the bikini top.
Brad’s NSFWย fantasy is soon interrupted by theย real Linda, and things soon turn from sexy to beyondย embarrassing, making it go down in pop culture history.
