If some time traveler came to you in 2007 and told you that Kim Kardashian would still be one of the most famous women in the world as she entered her forties, you probably would have thought they were crazy.
(And if they shared some of the other details of 2020, you probably would have run away screaming.)
But against all odds, and in bold defiance of the critics who dismissed her as a flash in the pan or a sex tape star, Kim is hotter than ever as she marks the big 4-0.
And we mean that in more ways than one.
Kim celebrated her milestone birthday this week by posting a series of photos in which she’s rocking a bikini that’s skimpy even by Kardashian standards.
The pics are part of an ongoing celebration of all things Kim that began at the start of this month and shows no signs of letting up anytime soon.
It seems Covid-19 might have effed up Kim’s birthday plans, which apparently involved a cowboy-themed party and a metallic "Wild, Wild Mrs. West" get-up, but don’t worry, her family of billionaires was still able to show her a good time.
Kim’s mom and sisters threw her a surprise party that incorporated elements of all of her previous birthday parties.
The whole thing was featured on last week’s episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians so we’re not sure how surprised Kim really was, but she played along like a champ.
Anyway, now that the festivities are out of the way, it’s time for the customary Kardashian birthday photoshoot.
And there was a lot of pressure on Kim this year.
Not only was she entering a new decade, she had some stiff competition.
Back in August, Kylie Jenner turned 23, and the bikini pics she posted during her island celebration have become the stuff of internet legend.
The friendly rivalry between Kim and Kylie is well-known, and insiders say it’s only intensified amid Kylie’s latest success.
It can’t be easy knowing your little sister became the world’s youngest billionaire off of the name you made famous, or that she’s now coming for your title as the internet’s curviest bombshell.
But Kim is clearly not planning to turn over the reins to the family empire just yet.
Instead, she flexed on Kylie — and the entire world, really — with her latest bikini pics.
And it’s clear that the mother of four has many more years of hotness ahead of her.
Kim kept it simple, captioning the pics simply, "This is 40."
And thousands of awed fans commented that they hope that’s what they look like at 40.
Obviously, Kim looks to be in the best shape of her life.
Haters will claim it’s photoshopped, or point out that she’s benefited from the occasional nip and tuck.
But Kim’s commitment to physical fitness is well-known, and it’s clearly paying off big time.
Let’s return, for a moment, to our time traveler parable from the beginning of this article.
No doubt, someone heading to the past from the year 2020 would be burdened by a lot of bummer news.
But if they also told you that this is what 40-year-olds look like in their time … well, you might feel a little twinge of hope.