Christie Brinkley: The Internet Can Be An 'Ugly Place'

Christie Brinkley: The Internet Can Be An 'Ugly Place'
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 12: Christie Brinkley attends a special screening of 'White Gold' at the Museum of Modern Art on November 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Pont/FilmMagic)
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 12: Christie Brinkley attends a special screening of 'White Gold' at the Museum of Modern Art on November 12, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Pont/FilmMagic)

Being a model requires a lot more than having a pretty face and attractive figure. Having thick skin comes in handy, too, especially when you're trying to shake off the plus-size label like Robyn Lawley or remain positive when people accuse you of being too thin like Coco Rocha. Believe it or not, supermodel Christie Brinkley has faced similar harsh criticism. Yet, she's figured out a way to block out all the negativity.

"We do not go into the Blogosphere," Brinkley told HuffPost Style. "We just don’t because I got a heavy dose of that after my last divorce, and it was my introduction to the whole computer world. I didn’t even have emails before all of that, but suddenly with that very public horrible thing, I was like, 'What does MILF mean? What is fugly?' I was quite shocked that such an ugly place exists in the world. So now we all have a family pact. We just do no go pass the end of the article. Period."

And she's keeping tabs on the Internet browsing of her daughter Sailor, who is already making a name for herself in the modeling biz.

"Our family has seen so much written about us over time. Whether it's Sailor seeing stuff written about me or Alexa or their Uncle Billy. We know not to pay attention to that," said Brinkley. "It's hard, but obviously you go through phases in your life where it does mean something to you. And, of course, being a 15-year-old teenager. But Sailor is wise beyond her years. I don't think that she will fall prey into that kind of thing."

The fashion industry's growing focus on body image obsession has compelled more models to speak out, defending their own shapes and owning up to their own insecurities -- even legends like Brinkley.

The 59-year-old revealed in a June 2013 interview with Haute Living that she felt fat during the early years of her career. She said, "I came across an older picture of me that someone had posted on Facebook and I totally remember squirming and feeling very fat while I was shooting it."

However, Sailor has a sharp answer for those who pick apart her photos and question whether she has an eating disorder, according to her mother. "She says to people that ask her about it [losing weight], 'Puberty, duh! You know, it's like I grew up.'"

Christie Brinkley has come a long way:

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Christie Brinkley's Style Evolution

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