I wear my hair in pigtails and channel Bardot.

The Pretenders, Bob Dylan, and Billy Joel have all referenced her in their songs. Andy Warhol painted her. There's even a statue of her in the town of Buzios, Brazil. So what was it about Bardot that fascinated the world?

French film critic Francoise Parturier tried to sum up her appeal in a 1961 issue of LIFE: "People say Bardot merely uses her derriere. I say you have first to possess a handsome, showable derriere and, second, know how to use it. That is Brigitte's glory."

*spotted on People.com