The Best Abs of All Time, From Britney Spears to Gisele Bündchen

Let’s talk about abs—their eternal allure. What is it about a ripped midriff, an ironclad core that’s so deeply hypnotic? Now, at the start of the skin-baring summer season, is the perfect time to reflect on the best of the lot—those supernatural six-packs that transcend mere body goals to become pop culture phenomena.

Who can imagine a young Gwen Stefani without her signature low-slung track pants, revealing that taut slice of stomach, or Shakira without her shifting, swiveling bod? Britney Spears’s twisting obliques defined the late ’90s and early aughts—from iconic schoolgirl to VMAs snake charmer—while Jennifer Lopez’s flawless midsection is, by all accounts, frozen in time. Then there are those cinematic touchstones: Blue Crush’s laid-back surfers; Angelina Jolie’s tenacious tomb raider; and a parade of Bond girls, rising from the waves, all equally long and enviably lean.

Of course, for athletes and supermodels, like Serena Williams and Gisele Bündchen, a chiseled stomach is not only a job requirement but also a reminder that strength is beauty, and well worth the work. And let’s not forget the men, whose muscles provide equal fan fodder: From an ageless Iggy Pop to a glistening D’Angelo—not to mention the entire cast of Magic Mike—here’s to equal opportunity ab ogling.

 

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