Brooke Shields opens up about why she's started wearing revealing bikinis aged 53

The thermometers are rising in the top half of the world meaning it's officially bikini body season. But before you groan about the fact that you haven't "gotten into shape", take some advice from Brooke Shields.

The 53-year-old became famous for rocking a tropical look, and lounging around in bikinis back in the 1980's after she starred in The Blue Lagoon. But back then, she was a mere teenager, and still enjoyed the fast metabolism and naturally slim figure most of us have at that age too.

Since then, Brooke has revealed that she's felt a little more self-conscious about her body, saying that it's not in her "DNA to be waiflike". However, a few months ago, Brooke uploaded some saucy snaps of herself sporting a bikini while on holiday – something that she'd never dared to do before. So what was it that changed her mind?

In a personal essay for InStyle US, Brooke wrote about why she decided to ditch more conservative bathing suits for cheekier bikinis at age 53, saying it was really due to her desire to "set the right example" for her daughter.

"We all have different body types and spend so much of our time comparing ourselves with others," Brooke wrote. "But I’ve found if you look at your individual physiological structure and play up the strong points, it’s empowering. It’s not in my DNA to be waiflike, so I ask, 'What do I have?' and highlight that."

While it's easy to look at long-legged Insta-models and lament "I'll never look like that", Brooke pointed out that thinking in that way is the very opposite of what empowerment means. When it comes to body image and how it relates to self-worth – that's only something you can decide.

"To be honest, I was never concerned with being in shape on the set of The Blue Lagoon because I was only 15 and hadn’t even developed yet," she went on. "When I began working out later, it was about high-impact carb burning — the more I’d sweat, the better I thought I had exercised."

But since then, she's changed her mindset, citing a recent injury and the workouts she did in the lead-up to surgery as a factor which helped her to finally feel "proud" of her body.

"Only recently, while meeting with a trainer in preparation for knee surgery, have I become fully cognizant of how to strengthen my muscles. That’s why I was so proud to post these bikini pictures on Instagram: I had been working so hard."

Brooke added that it was her daughter, 15-year-old Rowan, who noticed her lack of body confidence as reflected in the "big" bathing suits that  she used to wear.

"I used to wear these bathing suits that practically came to my knees," Brooke revealed. "My oldest daughter would say, 'That makes you look so big and uncomfortable.' I realized I had to be confident in my skin to set the right example for her."

Good on you Brooke, and thanks for sharing the right message with the rest of the world too.