Before Bardot Was A Sex Symbol (circa 1951)

Yes we know Brigitte Bardot is not a Hollywood fixture. She made almost all of her films in Europe but transcended borders as an international sex symbol of the 1950’s and 1960’s. So we can feature her here under the Classic Hollywood moniker. In this photo a very young Bardot wears a quasi ballet top with fishnet stocking ensemble.

Bardot had several years of dance training as a child and as a teen was accepted at the prestigious Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris where she studied ballet for three years.

Bardot began a modeling career in 1949 and moved into films in 1952. She became known as the “sex kitten” and rivaled Marilyn Monroe for international film star popularity. Brigitte Bardot retired from acting at the age of 39 in 1973. She then proceeded to pose for Playboy in 1974 to celebrate her 40th birthday.

These days the former French actress is a fierce animal rights activist and is an outspoken opponent of the Islamization of France.  A profile about Bardot appears in the March 2012 issue of Vanity Fair along with a slideshow of iconic photographs.