2023 SI Swimsuit Rookie Ellie Thumann’s Best Dating Advice

Ellie Thumann was photographed by Derek Kettela in Puerto Rico. Swimsuit by Andi Bagus. Rings by Chikahisa Studio.Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Ellie Thumann, a 2023 SI Swimsuit rookie, grew up sharing her life on YouTube. She began her lifestyle, beauty and fashion channel in 2014, and has since built her platform to 2.2 million subscribers. While she has been open about coming of age, entering the dating scene and being single in the past, she is choosing to keep her current relationship private.

The 21-year-old, who was photographed by Derek Kettela in Puerto Rico for her magazine feature this year, says the most important thing to remember when it comes to dating is that the “power is in your hands, not the other way around.” Thumann also mentions that she made a list of five “really important” non-negotiables last year when looking for a partner.

“Sometimes it feels like maybe someone’s interviewing you, or you kind of feel there’s a shift,” she says of the process. “But it’s like, ‘No. I want to see what you can offer me.’”

Ellie Thumann’s Dating Non-Negotiables

1. Her potential partner learning to communicate in the ways she needs.
2. Being able to adapt to her busy lifestyle, which includes a lot of traveling.
3. “Being the only girl that you have eyes for, and always making me feel comfortable with that.”

“The second that [someone] doesn’t meet one of those, I feel like [we’re] not really aligned,” Thumann says.

The Arizona native, who lives in Charleston, S.C. with her older sister, recently soft-launched her current relationship on social media. He even surprised her during the 2023 SI Swimsuit launch week at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Hollywood, Fla.

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