Rookies who rocked 2014: Lily Aldridge

Rebecca Shore | Dec 27, 2014

James Macari/SI

IF WE LEARNED anything about our strengths this year, it's that we know how to make a celebration special. In 2014 for the 50th anniversary issue, SI Swimsuit broke out the big guns with a whopping 12 rookies, and while it was probably the first time you'd heard of some of the girls, it would hardly be the last you'd hear from any of them. We're shimmying on into 2015 with a look back at some of our star first-timers and how they spent their rookie year.

Let's start with the one who made her mark early with a cover, Lily Aldridge. Last week, Lily gave us 2014 in her words:

My holy s*** moment: I mean...getting the SI cover! [Ed note: We swear we prompted for something other than the cover, and yet...]

My favorite red carpet look: Juan Carlos Obando for the Vanity Fair Oscars Party was fun and glamorous

Best thing I ate: Joe's Pizza

Best movie I saw: Interstellar

Best book I read: The Alchemist — I re-read it every year

Favorite new musical artist: Hozier

The funniest thing daughter Dixie, age 2, said: "What's the big idea?!"

​Something I crossed off my bucket list: Seeing Christ the Redeemer in the hills of Rio via helicopter; it was truly incredible!

My New Year's resolution: I don't make resolutions because I can never keep them, haha

As for the rest of her 2014...

...Lily bowled us over with her dexterity on the Cook Islands.

Once she landed the cover...

...the rookie did a veteran's job of selling it.

Randy Holmes/ABC/Getty Images

With Nina Agdal, Chrissy Teigen and Will Arnett on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Randy Holmes/ABC/Getty Images

Backstage at Jimmy Kimmel Live! with Nina Agdal and Chrissy Teigen

Randy Holmes/ABC/Getty Images

Backstage at Jimmy Kimmel Live

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

At the NYC launch week party

Jim Spellman/WireImage

With Nina Agdal at the NYC launch week party

Alex Tamargo/Getty Images

With her fellow cover models during Miami launch week

On the red carpet during Miami launch week

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

With her fellow cover models during Miami launch week

Max Zorin/FilmMagic

With a couple a' hunks at Miami launch week

Frazier Harrison/Getty Images

With Anne V at Miami launch week

She received style props from every which way...

...from Modelinia...

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lily Aldridge (@lilyaldridge)

...to Harper's Bazaar...

...to US Weekly.

She chilled with one of her BFFs Taylor Swift on one of the biggest nights of the singer's career.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lily Aldridge (@lilyaldridge)

She got to wear Michael Kors...

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

...and Tory Burch...

Cindy Ord/Getty Images

...and Prabal Gurung...

Craig Barritt/Getty Images

...and Thakoon (at a party she hosted, thankyouverymuch)...

...and a few methodically-placed panels of Calvin Klein.

Michael Loccisano/WireImage

As she is wont to do every year, Lily slipped into a few somethings more comfortable, like this...

Antonio de Moraes Barros Filho/WireImage

...and this...

Karwai Tang/WireImage

...and oh, hey, also, this.

Karwai Tang/WireImage

She landed six or so big time covers — but then again, who among us haven't?

John Russo for Esquire Latin America

via iconicmanagement.com

Derek Kettela for Glamour Paris

James Macari for Vogue Mexico

James Macari/SI

Nicolas Moore for Allure Russia

She appeared in a handful of modest videos...

Lily's year was so massive, in fact, her mom even got in on the action.

Nadav Kander for New York Magazine

Yes, Lily Aldridge has had quite a year. But allow us to take you back to our favorite Lily moment of 2014, will you?

RELATED

Nina Agdal, Lily Aldridge and Chrissy Teigen willingly spent a week in paradise with this man

What's better than a Lily Aldridge photo shoot? Two Lily Aldridge photo shoots. And better than that? Two shoots shot by one of our faves