Just one look at photos of Brigitte Bardot from the 50s and 60s helps explain how she became an iconic figure in the 20th century. Brigitte was simply stunning, and she had a look that turned heads with her tossled blonde hair, pouty lips, perfect figure and carefree demanor.
It’s no suprise looking back that she emerged as one of the most enduring sex symbols of the 20th century, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s. She embodied a shift toward open female sexuality and liberation during the sexual revolution.
She started to gain attention at the Cannes Film Festival in 1953 with the promotion of her debut film “The Girl in the Bikini” (English title). The bikini was a new thing, and the PR campaign created a sensation with Brigitte photographed in all sorts of bikinis on beaches along the French Riviera.
Her international breakthrough came with the 1956 film “And God Created Woman” (Et Dieu… créa la femme), directed by her then-husband Roger Vadim. Bardot played a free-spirited, sexually uninhibited young woman in Saint-Tropez, featuring provocative scenes (including nudity and a famous barefoot mambo dance) that shocked audiences and censors. The film scandalized conservative viewers (some U.S. theaters faced arrests for screening it) but became a massive hit, catapulting Brigitte to global stardom at age 22. It portrayed her as an “erotic child of nature,” blending innocence with raw sensuality, and symbolized hedonism and sexual freedom.
With these roles and the surrounding publicity, Brigitte helped to popularize the bikini while her look influenced fashion wordwide.
Beyong the bikini, Brigitte’s distinctive look also had a huge impact on glamour and fashion photography in the 1950s and 1960s. Consider her tousled blonde hair, bold winged eyeliner, pouty lips, off-the-shoulder tops, and a blend of casual sensuality with effortless chic and you can see the influence.
Her look contrasted sharply with the highly stylized, polished glamour of Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn. Photographers captured her in relaxed, “bedroomy” poses—often barefoot, disheveled, or candid—that emphasized natural beauty, youthful rebellion, and uninhibited sexuality. This helped transition glamour photography toward a more authentic, liberated aesthetic, reflecting the emerging sexual revolution and youth culture of the era.
We suspect this had a huge imact on publications like Playboy nd their “girl next door” vibe. Brigitte and her look certainly was an inspiration for us and other glamour photography publications generations later. Her influence certainly endures!
Brigitte was often referred to as the ultimate “sex kitten.” It’s hard to think of a more appropriate nickname!
Videos
The Barefoot Dance Scene
Brigitte is so beautiful and sexy in this scene that caused a sensation. If you love barefoot beauties, you’re going to love Brigitte in this iconic scene.
“And God Created Woman” (1956)
The official trailer for this film gives you a sense of Brigitte’s on-screen charisma.