In honor of National Bikini Day, here are some of the best bikini headlines

71 years ago, way back in 1946, the bikini was unveiled during a poolside fashion show in Paris.

Southern California helped make the bikini popular with its sunshine and beaches, and over the years the bikini has made quite a lot of news.

First, there's the influence of pop culture on the bikini. At the top of that list is the iconic Carrie Fisher as a metal bikini-clad Princess Leia in "Return of the Jedi."

Who could forget the PETA protest against eating meat, featuring a bikini made out of lettuce?

Still hungry for more? Check out this edible bikini made out of pizza. Just call it a pizza-kini.

MORE: Villa Italian Kitchen offers $10,000 pizza bikini

Over the years we've seen our share of bikini baristas, and some criminals to boot.

MORE: Bikini coffee shop sued by city of Stanton for nudity, smoking, staying open late

There was DUI bikini grandma in Florida failing her field sobriety test. Another incident was dubbed the "bikini beatdown" when a fight got out of hand at a popular South Carolina river.

MORE: Bikini-wearing grandma busted for DUI

Then there was the bikini bandit loose in the Antelope Valley burglarizing homes -- not much of a disguise there.

MORE: Bikini-clad woman sought in Lancaster, Lake Hughes thefts

Bikinis have definitely made their mark on the sports world. Where we would be without bikini hockey or the Russian bikini ice skating marathon in Siberia?

And what would the Muscle Beach Championships be without the female bodybuilders able to show off their physiques, if not for the bikini. But bikinis are perhaps most popular every February when the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue comes out.

Through it all, every year ABC7's Lori Corbin explained how to get your body bikini-ready. But if that didn't work, there was always the option to slip on a t-shirt that looks like a bikini.