Christina Aguilera strips down in birthday post with cheeky nod to 'Burlesque'

Christina Aguilera is taking "birthday suit" literally this year.

The actress bared all in photos posted to Instagram to celebrate her 44th birthday. In a callback to her 2010 film "Burlesque," the black-and-white shot features Aguilera posing with the same cropped blonde 'do she sported in the film. "Birthday Suit #44," she captioned it.

In "Burlesque," Aguilera plays a scrappy vocalist trying to make it work in Los Angeles. After stumbling into a burlesque club run by Sean (Stanley Tucci) and Tess (Cher), her character becomes the venue's breakout star, performing in getups not too different from the one featured in her latest post.

The pop icon is no stranger to body positivity − after years of scrutiny in the entertainment industry, she's become an outspoken voice against unfair beauty standards.

The star re-released a version of her hit "Beautiful" in 2022. An updated caption at the end of the music video reads, "In the last 20 years, since 'Stripped' was first released, social media has transformed our relationship with our bodies and, in turn, our mental health. Research suggests that time spent on social networking sites is associated with body image issues, self-harm, and disordered eating in children and teens. This needs to change."

As she enters her 44th year, Aguilera is celebrating the 25th anniversary of her self-titled debut album and has several shows lined up for February in Brazil and the UAE.

The 1999 album was home to tracks like "Genie in a Bottle" and "What a Girl Wants" that propelled Aguilera to fame.

"I was excited to have gotten my record deal and to be making an album in the first place," Aguilera told fellow pop princess Sabrina Carpenter in a performance video celebrating the album turning 25. "If it was up to me, I would have probably have had more ballads or something."

Aguilera said "Reflection," also featured in the Disney film "Mulan," was the song off the album with the most staying power: "It's so about not being seen, you know, and that's been a part of my career so much," she told Carpenter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Christina Aguilera poses in birthday suit with 'Burlesque' reference