If you're unfamiliar with the French bombshell, try mentioning her name to anyone over 40 -- and watch a faraway look of longing appear in his eyes. There may also be some drooling.

Bardot is widely credited for popularizing the bikini via her jaw-dropping turns in such '50s flicks as And God Created Woman and The Girl in the Bikini (naturally). After her highly publicized promotional photo shoot at Cannes, bikini fashion exploded -- which meant millions in sales for very little cloth.

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