Heidi Klum goes topless to avoid tan lines at the beach

Supermodel Heidi Klum prefers going topless during her beach vacations because she hates tan lines.

The Victoria's Secret beauty was snapped sporting a number of different bikinis while on holiday with her family in Italy this summer (11), but she admits she'd rather bare her breasts to achieve an even tan - just the way her husband Seal likes it.

During an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday (01Sep11), Klum joked that she was stunned TV bosses had managed to find an appropriate photo of her to show on air because she's hardly ever covered up.

She said, "I'm surprised you have a photo of me wearing a (bikini) top because... I don't really like to wear tops because I hate tan lines. I maybe have like, four (bathing suit sets) with tops and bottoms and then I have like, 10 bottoms."

"My husband likes it when it's (my body's) all one color. And I do too... You know, people in Italy (really) don't care, they don't care if you don't have a top on."

However, the German beauty admits Americans aren't so keen on her sexy ways, revealing she once got scolded for baring all at a pool in Arizona.

She continued, "I do have to say they are more uptight here. I got in trouble once. In Phoenix. I was working there and I was laying by the pool, and obviously I have no top on, and I'm laying there sunbathing. And a security guy comes over and he goes, 'Ma'am, you have to put your top back on because we're having complaints.'"