Martha Stewart Is 81: Celebrates The Icon’s Birthday With Photos From Her Young Years To Now

By:

Christina Casiano

1 of 15

Martha Stewart: Then & Now

Martha Stewart: Then & Now — Martha Stewart, born August 3, 1941, is a publisher, TV personality, and home/garden expert who has been entertaining for generations. The New Jersey native stumbled into cookbook writing after catering a high-profile party for an NYC book publisher. From there, she was a sensation, releasing dozens of cookbooks books and making television appearances on programs like ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ and ‘Larry King Live’.

Things continued to soar when she founded her magazine ‘Martha Stewart Living’ in 1990. Her first TV show premiered in 1993, and another from 2005 to 2012. Things came to a screeching halt for the domestic mogul when she was wrapped up in an insider trading scandal in 2004, however. The star plead guilty and served five-months behind bars.

While some predicted Martha’s prison sentence to be her demise, she was able to bounce back triumphantly. She returned to the board of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in 2011 and was reinstated as chairwoman in 2012. As of 2022, Martha is worth an estimated $400m.

The home and garden queen has certainly come a long way. See her from her humble start to full-blown super fame in our gallery here!

2 of 15

Martha Stewart In 1982

Martha Stewart In 1982 — Martha Stewart, right, looks hard at work while in the kitche with her friend and restaurant consultant Ruth Leserman of San Francisco. The duo chopped mushrooms while preparing dishes for a luncheon in Westport, Connecticut in 1982 to celebrate the release of Martha’s cookbook ‘Entertaining’.

3 of 15

Martha Stewart In Her Kitchen

Martha Stewart In Her Kitchen — Martha Stewart, chairman and CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, officially opens her new television studio and production facility during a media reception, in Westport, Conn. She was in a prim shirt and khakis, as was her uniform at the time.

4 of 15

Martha Stewart On Wall Street

Martha Stewart On Wall Street — Say cheese! Martha Stewart snaps a photo from the bell podium of the New York Stock Exchange in 2001. She wore a gold outfit and was positively beaming.

5 of 15

Martha Stewart In 2005

Martha Stewart In 2005 — Martha Stewart smiles as she walks out and greets her employees and the media at her headquarters in New York four days after her release from Alderson Federal Women’s Prison in West Virginia on Mar. 7, 2005. She served just 5 months behind bars after pleading guilty to felony charges related to a stock trading scandal.

6 of 15

Martha Stewart At The 2006 Daytime Emmys

Martha Stewart At The 2006 Daytime Emmys — Martha Stewart shines during the 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards on Apr. 28, 2006. She had on a botanical blouse and silky brown pants.

7 of 15

Martha Stewart In 2007

Martha Stewart In 2007 — Martha Stewart is oh-so-chic in all black at Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People party in New York on May 8, 2007. She wore a silk blouse and carried a big python-skin purse.

8 of 15

Martha Stewart In 2009

Martha Stewart In 2009 — Martha Stewart glows during Cartier’s 100th Anniversary in America Celebration in New York on Apr. 30, 2009. Her black dress and prim jacket were just as classic as the jewelry brand she was there to honor.

9 of 15

Martha Stewart At The Opening Of The Met Opera’s 2009 Season

Martha Stewart At The Opening Of The Met Opera’s 2009 Season — Martha Stewart sparkled in champagne attire during the opening of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2009-2010 Season on Sep. 21, 2009. She wore a lace cardigan and long sequined dress to the performance of the Puccini opera ‘Tosca’.

10 of 15

Martha Stewart At The Premiere Of ‘The Great Gatsby’

Martha Stewart At The Premiere Of ‘The Great Gatsby’ — Martha Stewart does a casual take on the Gilded Age during the New York premiere of ‘The Great Gatsby’ on May 1, 2013. She stunned in sequined capris, a ruffled blouse, and camel jacket.

11 of 15

Martha Stewart On Halloween 2013

Martha Stewart On Halloween 2013 — Martha Stewart plays fairy godmother during Hub Network’s 1st Annual Halloween Bash in Los Angeles on Oct. 20, 2013. Her fluffy pink dress and wand were pure magic.

12 of 15

Martha Stewart At The 2015 White House Correspondents Dinner

Martha Stewart At The 2015 White House Correspondents Dinner — Martha Stewart goes for the gold during the 2015 White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington D.C. Her sparkling dress went great with her metallic envelope clutch.

13 of 15

Martha Stewart At ‘Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party’

Martha Stewart At ‘Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party’ — Besties!! After Martha’s release from prison she became buddies with rapper Snoop Dogg. They even had their own TV series, 2016’s ‘Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party’ together.

14 of 15

Martha Stewart In 2017

Martha Stewart In 2017 — Martha Stewart is so chic during the 12th Annual Tribeca Film Festival Artists Dinner hosted by Chanel on Apr. 24, 2017. She wore a mustard jacket with brown pants, a gold top, and matching heels.

15 of 15

Martha Stewart At The 2022 White House Correspondents Dinner

Martha Stewart At The 2022 White House Correspondents Dinner — Martha Stewart is pure elegance at the 2022 White House Correspondents Association in Washington D.C. on Saturday, April 30, 2022. She wore a white jacket and smart black pants with platform heels.

Click to Subscribe to Get Our Free HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter to get the hottest celeb news.

ad