When she received some rude and age-shaming messages on Instagram, Christie Brinkley had no hesitation about responding to what she calls the "Wrinkle Brigade." The 69-year-old supermodel posted a photo on June 28 of herself sitting in the backseat of a car, along with a couple of pictures of One World Trade Center. She captioned the post, "Downtown Girl," referencing the song "Uptown Girl" by her ex-husband Billy Joel—the song was partially inspired by her, and she starred in the music video.
But, some Instagram users did not see Brinkley's selfie and cute caption and continue scrolling. Instead, they posted age-shaming comments about the unfiltered shot. In response, Brinkley edited the caption on the post to call out those haters and acknowledge those who stood up for her. Read on to see what she had to say.
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Brinkley received mean comments on her post.
Some Instagram users posted mean and critical comments about her appearance on her selfie, with some saying that she used too much filler in her face and doesn't look like she used to.
"Too much artificial work from the neck up and all natural from the neck down," reads one comment. Another person posted, "Oh my lord. Is this a photoshop cartoon or really Christi[e]? Yikes." Someone else wrote, "People aren’t rude they are telling her the truth. She’s ruined her looks. It’s just sad." Another comment reads, "This is not her. She doesn't look like this. She surely don't have black chest hair." Someone said, "I guess we’re going to ignore the chest hair and concentrate on the fillers."
Another person tried to give Brinkley advice on how to pose: "I don’t usually comment on photos, but it seems to me if you picked your head up, most of the neck, wrinkles would disappear it seems like dryness to me, and if you stopped making faces, most of those wrinkles will disappear you’re beautiful but I can understand the pressure to always look great in the Public."
She responded to the "Wrinkle Brigade."
SD Mack / ShutterstockBrinkley responded to the comments she received by editing her original caption.
"Update: Whoa Nelly! The Wrinkle Brigade is out in full force in the comment thread!" she wrote. The supermodel explained she thinks of the "Wrinkle Brigade" as "the people that scan celebrities pages, hoping to find some cellulite, wrinkles, or anything that they can point to to to [sic] critique. It must be som[e] form of compensation for some thing they are lacking."
She went on to show appreciation for her followers who "pop up with messages so kind and valuable." She added, "Those are the comments that restore my faith and make my heart sing! Thank you sweet souls."
Finally, addressing the comments that took the shadowing on her chest for hair, she wrote, "PS I don’t have hair on my chest obviously (I thought!) I phone has a tendency to create weird things in th[e] shadow. But so what if I did? Hav[e] a great day My Friends!"
Brinkley also responded directly to a positive comment.
lev radin / ShutterstockIn addition to writing her new caption, Brinkley also took the time to write back to a commenter who left her a supportive note.
"One of the reasons Christie has been & always will be one of the world’s most iconic beauties is bc she leads with kindness," @lulu.says wrote. "It’s her biggest beauty *secret*. And it’s free. You’re never too young to start this particular beauty regimen. Please use daily. Apply it head to toe. Day & night. You can never use too much. You don’t have to look far to find it. It’s actually something your body produces. But you have to actively resource it. It’s there. Trust me. Go get it. And use it. You’ll thank me when YOU’RE 69."
Brinkley responded, in part, "I absolutely love what you just wrote that is a recipe for aging gracefully and for finding true happiness too!"
This isn't the first time the model has called out age-shamers.
lev radin / ShutterstockBrinkley has long been outspoken about aging, and this isn't the first time she has responded to people who rudely critiqued her looks. As reported by Prevention, in 2020, an Instagram commenter told the National Lampoon's Vacation actor that she was "looking SO OLD." Brinkley wrote back, "I feel so lucky to have reached my age in good health. Especially today with COVID-19 ravaging the world millions are not so lucky."
Similarly, in 2018, someone wrote on Brinkley's Instagram, "She looks old now but still pretty!” People reported that she responded, "Hey looking old is a compliment in 'wine speak' so thanks!" She added a crying-laughing emoji.
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She called out ageism in a recent interview.
In a June 2023 interview with Woman's Day, Brinkley called ageism "one of the last frontiers in America yet to be broken. And I know it's a hard sell."
She continued, "There's a prevailing attitude that comes along with each number. Women start to feel like they need to make their lives smaller because of the number—and it's the opposite. You've got to grab it all. You've got to bucket list and you've got to live."
She also looked back on an Instagram she posted that showed the gray roots of her hair. "I think when I get enough of the pale gray, then I'll be happy to [go gray]," she said. "But right now [there] is not enough of that." She added, "Some people look fabulous in gray and it would be a crime for them not to keep it ... I think instead of focusing on gray or not gray, it's best to focus on what's best for you."
