Martha Stewart was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on August 3, 1941. She is known for being a businesswoman, writer, and television personality. Stewart has written numerous bestselling books, is the publisher of Martha Stewart Living magazine, and hosted two syndicated television programs: Martha Stewart Living (1993-2004) and The Martha Stewart Show (2005-2012).

When Stewart was 10, she occasionally babysat New York Yankees players Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Gil McDougald’s children. She also began modeling and at 15 years old, Stewart was featured in a television commercial for Unilever. She even starred in a Tareyton cigarette advertisement in which “Smokers would rather fight than switch!” During her college years, she modeled for luxury French fashion house Chanel. Stewart’s family taught her a lot about cooking when she was growing up. Her mother taught her how to cook and sew, while her father passed on his knowledge and expertise in gardening. She learned how to can and preserve foods from her grandparents.

In 1976, Stewart started a catering business in her basement with a friend from her modeling days, Norma Collier. After the two had a falling out, Stewart bought out  Collier’s portion of the business. In 1990, Stewart signed with Time Publishing Ventures to develop her magazine, Martha Stewart Living. Three years later, Stewart hosted Martha Stewart Living, based on her magazine. By 2001, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) found Stewart had avoided a loss of over $45,000 by selling all 3,928 shares of her ImClone Systems stock after receiving material, nonpublic information from her broker at Merrill Lynch. The day following her sale, the stock value fell 16%.

She was indicted by a grand jury on nine counts, including charges of securities fraud and obstruction of justice on June 4, 2003. In 2004, Stewart was convicted of felony charges and served five months in federal prison. However, this didn’t end her media empire; Martha began a comeback campaign, and her company returned to profitability the following year.

RELATED: Martha Stewart Posts Another ‘Thirst Trap’ Photo

In recent years, she and her friend Snoop Dogg hosted a show called Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party, featuring games, recipes, and celebrity guests. The show ran for two seasons. As we previously reported, Stewart appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue as the

Thrilled to be on cover of the @SI_Swimsuit issue! I hope this cover inspires you to challenge yourself to try new things. Pick up on newsstands May 18th! #SISwimsuit #SISwim23 @ruvenafanador pic.twitter.com/DsRgLr6crK

— Martha Stewart (@MarthaStewart) May 15, 2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cover model. At 81 years old, Stewart is the oldest model to be featured on the cover.

See below photos of Martha Stewart through the years:

• 1999

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  Already nearing 60 at this point, Stewart first became a billionaire when her company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, went public in 1999. The cardigan wrapped around her shoulders just screams rich.

• 2002

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  Mixing together warm and cool tones, Stewart paired her brown shirt with a metallic leather jacket. You wouldn't be able to tell that at this time, she had resigned from her position on the board of directors of the New York Stock Exchange, which she held for four months.

• 2004

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  We love this photo of Stewart wearing a fur scarf, tucking her hair behind her ear with a big grin. Unfortunately, she probably doesn't love this photo. It captured a moment after she was found guilty on all counts and served five months in federal prison.
• 2007

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  Looking as though she aged backwards, Stewart had successfully made her comeback. In 2007, she produced a wine brand called Martha Stewart Vintage. She also also signed a contract with Costco to offer frozen and fresh food under the Kirkland Signature label.

• 2011

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  Martha looked regal draping this brown jacket over a simple black long-sleeved top. In 2011, she debuted a new 30-minute show called 'Martha Bakes' on the Hallmark Channel.

• 2015

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  It is hard to pull off an all-white outfit, yet Martha did just that in her 70s. By this time, she embarked on a new business venture, partnering with eBay to create the American Made Martha Stewart online store.
• 2018

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  As one of her best fashion looks in recent years, we love how Stewart was styled for Saint Laurent's celebration of the 50th anniversary of the film ‘Belle de Jour.’ The mixing of different materials and keeping within different shades of brown is a fashion highlight for Stewart.

• 2020

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  Looking like a classic beauty, Stewart paired stacked golden pearls with a black dress with mesh sleeves while attending the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. In 2020, she hosted a gardening show called 'Martha Knows Best premiered on HGTV' in which Stewart provided gardening help to individual callers and her celebrity friends.

• 2023

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  In her 80s, Stewart appeared on the cover of 'Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue' as the cover model, being the publication's oldest model to be featured on the cover. She said, "Age is not the determining factor in terms of friendship or in terms of success, but what people do, how people think, how people act, that’s what’s important and not your age." In this glittering gold gown, Martha proves you can be as youthful as you feel.