For Farrah Fawcett , was a big year. Besides achieving breakout success on the small screen as one of Charlie's Angels , that was the year her iconic swimsuit poster was released. This pinup poster, which showcased Fawcett's wholesome beauty and sex appeal, would be prominently placed on millions of bedroom and dorm room walls across the United States and around the world. Here's a look at how this famous swimsuit photo came to be, and how involved Fawcett was in its creation. That changed when the son of a neighbor suggested creating a poster featuring the starlet, as the men in his dorm liked her so much they were buying women's magazines because Fawcett was pictured in shampoo ads.

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It was commissioned by the Pro Arts poster company, which published it as a pin-up poster the same year. With more than twelve million copies sold, it is considered the best-selling poster to date and is said to be a modern icon and a symbol of the late s. The photograph shows Farrah Fawcett, then aged 29, wearing a plain one-piece red swimsuit in front of a striped blanket as the only background. The swimsuit's color is sometimes described as reddish orange.