I wouldn't say she was too young. She might be on the lower end of the age for SI modeling, but she isn't even the YOUNGEST they have ever had. As far as swimsuit modeling goes, SI is actually fairly tasteful.

Here are the model's first appearances with their age. Jessica White was only 18 when she started, and Paulina Porizkova was even younger at just 17! And notice Monika Schnarre...was she only 16?

Cheryl Tiegs(22) , Hawaii, 1970
Christie Brinkley(20), Mexico, 1975
Carol Alt(20), Florida, 1981
Paulina Porizkova(17), Jamaica, 1983
Kathy Ireland (20), Bonaire, 1984
Elle MacPherson (20), Australia, 1985
Cindy Crawford (21), Thailand, 1988
Stephanie Seymour (19), Thailand, 1988
Rachel Hunter (19), Mexico, 1989
Vendela (25), Spain, 1992
Stacey Williams (23), Majorca, 1992
Tyra Banks (19), Florida Keys, 1993
Rebecca Romijn (21), Pantelleria, 1994
Daniela Pestova (24), Bermuda, 1995
Niki Taylor (21), Los Roques, 1997
Heidi Klum (24), Maldives, 1998
Yamila Diaz-Rahi (21), Necker Island, 1999
Veronica Varekova (21), Necker Island, 1999
Elsa Benitez (22), Malaysia, 2000
Molly Sims (26), Hawaii, 2000
Monika Schnarre (born May 27, 1971 in Toronto, Ontario), 1987
Petra Nemcova (21), Italy, 2001
Ana Beatriz Barros (19), Costa Rica, 2002
Marisa Miller (23), Costa Rica, 2002
Jessica White (18), Kenya, 2003

Most models starting out try to be big news before they hit 20. If you are just starting out in your career at that age, your never going to make it in time. At about 26, your job offers are going to slow to a trickle unless your already a household name (Tyra Banks, Heidie Klum). Truth be told, if they didn't let these models in at 18, they would be doing them a disservice since SI is a HUGE break for any aspiring model. I would even go so far as to say 17 isn't "too young" for it, they aren't showing anything you wouldn't see at the pool after all. 16...that's pushing it even for me though...But, it's a cutthroat business, and they need any advantage they can get. So I say, if they have what it takes to get in SI at 18, more power to them! =)
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_Illustrated_Swimsuit_Issue


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