Close Out Strong

Amanda, Miss October 2011

As we started 2011 with a string of disappointments at the Playmate position, it's only fitting that it comes back around. Playboy has always historically had their ebbs and flows, and it always seems as if great models come in waves. It usually coincides with milestone anniversary Playmate searches, where you'll see several women from the same talent pool featured in consecutive months (such as the Burciaga/Dastafieva combination a few years back). As redemption for this class, we're finally seeing the tide turn with some great talent streaming in.

Last month, we were graced with the seminal veteran talent of Tiffany Toth, who really brought a spark with her sparkling pictorial. For October, we find another fantastic entry in Amanda Cerny. Not only is Amanda an excellent and deserving Playmate, but she brings about a uniqueness that should ultimately go a long way in defining the 2011 class.

Indeed, Amanda gives the year an identity, finally. She possesses a lot of qualities that Miss Toth lacked - most notably, she's incredibly memorable. She has a fantastic level of variety in her crisp, polished pictorial, with an intro that can make your jaw drop. It's immediately apparent that Amanda has a kicker of a body, with strong, powerful legs and thick thighs that define her overall look. She establishes herself as a sultry, more nuanced Playmate than her predecessor, as her mysteriously intriguing facial features are always front and center.

Obviously, it's a given that Amanda's overall draw is her breathtaking body. We've seen some tight bodies so far this year (Toth, Hinton), but none have been as much of a spectacle in each and every shot. Amanda owns her pictorial, and the concept of using mirrors to accentuate her multidimensionality is a great move. Although she's not unusually tall, her frame allows her to look very long, and that works to her advantage wonderfully.

When taking all of Amanda's special quirks into account, though, you can tell that this isn't a 100%, truly polished model. She has some issues with her facial expressions, and her pictorial poses aren't always executed as flatteringly as possible, such as with her final few shots.

• Face: B+
  All at once being her one of her greatest assets and her biggest flaws, her face is ethereal and angelic, with a half open mouth begging for the camera's attention. At times, however, she can look unnatural and inconsistent, becoming the issue with some photos.
• Body: A
  Amanda has arguably the best body we've seen all year. While Tiffany is petite and nicely proportioned, Amanda's smooth, curvaceous frame is wonderful on camera. The addition of great pictorial techniques to photograph her full body just accentuates how excellently toned she is, especially at the lower body, with easily the best legs of 2011.
• Talent: A
  While Amanda would otherwise be the most talented model of the year so far, she has hitches throughout her pictures, where she has issues holding back. At times, she can be a bit too physical with her posing, but when she hits a great pose, she hits it better than anybody.
• Pictorial: A-
  Amanda's pictorial is creative and intriguing, with multiple themes complimenting her multifaceted, physical posing style. The use of mirroring in both her centerfold and the pictorial works great with her body, which is a knockout all-around. However well produced, though, it falls short at times, with some misses in her final voyeur-themed series.
• Centerfold: A+
  Continuing on the usage of the mirror theme, Amanda pulled out one of the best centerfolds in years. It all comes down to those spectacular legs, whose tone comes through in almost magical fashion in a picture that can only be described as perfection.
• Overall: A-
  Amanda, despite small shortcomings that prevent her from truly being the best model so far in 2011, is a very welcome addition to the 2011 class. In the end, she will go farther to define the class than any other model. With her unique, angelic face and a body to boot, she's already captured the hearts of fans all over, and instantly has placed herself in the conversation for Playmate of the Year. Whether she is an immediate favorite would be no surprise - her pictorial was executed amazingly, and she pulled out one of the best centerfolds I've seen in quite some time. With a cheery personality and a thorough, textbook posing style, we've possibly seen a PMOY blossom before our eyes. And with the issues with the rest of the ladies this year, Amanda might have the best opportunity to grab the ultimate prize that she possibly could.

Turning the Corner

Tiffany Toth
Miss September, 2011

So far this year, I've laid out my gripes time and time again. Along with countless other Playboy fans, I've been puzzled at this year's Playmate lineup, with the litany of mediocre talent that's coming out month after month, with almost no end in sight. We are already in the month of September, and so far we have not had a single girl at above a "B+" in my ratings system. The last time this has happened was... to long ago to mention.

Through all of this, I held out my optimism for the last few months of 2011. We have some promising  entries in the lineup, with October and November looking to be some winners. But little did I know that a much-heralded fan favorite would steal the show first.

Miss September, Tiffany Toth, is one of the more exposed Playboy models in recent years. She made her debut nearly a full six years ago, as Cyber Girl of the Week in 2005. She then steadily gained a huge fan following, with an appearance at Cyber Girl of the Month, a CG Xtra, and numerous other exclusive pictorial features. She built her reputation with a tight, long body and a squeaky clean appearance, year after year. However, I wasn't impressed.

I just could never fully appreciate the appeal of Tiffany. I found the constant attention to her posing style confusing, as she seemed plain and boring, with little resembling a hint of uniqueness. You can, then, understand my puzzlement with her selection for Playmate in an already down year.

Let's just say, Tiffany changed my opinion, and fast. What the Playboy editors have done here is take a solid, attractive model and turn her into a glimmering star. First, they have done wonders with her "Plain Jane" look, transforming her face from a sometimes awkward look to something amazing. Before, her facial features were odd, with some strange dimples and odd proportions. Now, she looks drop-dead stunning, with smoky accents and lovely curls that float along her face.

Her pictorial is very well-done. Although nothing revolutionary in terms of photography or content, they are working with a great talent, and shoot her as such. Her posing and body positions are excellently done, as it shows off her great curviness and petite size at the same time. Her posture is textbook posing, and the setting and costuming is never over the top, but tasteful and gorgeous.

One of the finer points of the pictorial is also the sense of the kind of model Tiffany is. She is a subtle model, who can exude elegance and maturity, while at the same time being able to take off and become the buxom bombshell that she truly is.

• Face: A-
  I always saw Tiffany's face as her biggest weakness, and it still remains true, although the editors have made great strides on this. She still has some odd, puzzled looks here and there. But, her beautiful, smoky eyes and lovely smile are extremely photogenic, and her fluttering blonde locks are something to admire.
• Body: A
  One of Tiffany's most endearing traits for the past six years has been her curvy but seemingly tall and slim body. She has taut, perky breasts while still maintaining a sleek waistline. Her bubbly butt is also surprising on such a petite, tall woman.
• Talent: A+
  Tiffany may be the best pure talent since Katie Vernola, and her style is similar to Katie's as well. Her sparkling, polished persona is fun to watch, and she does an excellent job of balancing a girl next door attitude and a raw sensuality. She also is not as afraid as many recent ladies to show her labia, which is certainly a plus.
• Pictorial: A
  Playboy's editors did a wonderful job of laying out a comfortable, low-key pictorial that prominently features the model, and doesn't add any distractions. Tiffany shines with excellent lighting and costuming, and the pictorial is cohesive and well-photographed to show off her great body.
• Centerfold: A
  Another great surprise in Tiffany's repertoire, her centerfold is easily the finest since Miss Vernola's, and possibly better. Her pose shows off an awesome feminine strength that makes Miss Toth so innately attractive, but still highlights her vulnerability.
• Overall: A
  I've gone on quite a bit more than usual about Tiffany, but as I've said already, this girl has got me pleasantly surprised. She is a home run for Playboy, and has single handedly saved an otherwise dismal year of flop after flop. While there have been a few highlights in 2011, Tiffany easily eclipses them all, and then some. She is experienced, and it shows greatly. Her sheer ability to execute a gorgeous pictorial makes her the frontrunner for PMOY 2012, and could carry her all the way to the finish line. She should be facing some serious competition for the next couple of months, but she could very well stand her own ground.

One Bland Blonde

Karina, Miss January

We had a pretty good 2012 class. Top to bottom, there was some good depth of talent, apparently some of the best we had in years. But as I've said before, there was never a defining knockout Playmate, who truly reshaped and redefined the direction of Playboy as a brand.

We haven't had a woman like that in forever. It feels like the last truly impactful models were Katie Vernola and Hall of Famer Amy Leigh Andrews back in 2010. Since then, we've had a collection of retreads, and even the greats (Toth, Horton, Chesnes) never could break through to that iconic status. So, we hope for lucky number 2013 to bring us that really special girl that tickles our fancy and drops our jaws.

Unfortunately, we'll need to wait another month. Miss January is Karina Marie, who kicks things off in a very underwhelming fashion. It's actually quite astounding how vanilla this Playmate is. It's not even easy to call Karina a "safe" choice, as she's way beyond that. This is a downright boring, uninteresting, and untalented Playmate who's taking up a spot where others may be far more deserving.

Karina's sneering, unattractive, and squinty gaze is never the attention grabber that we expect in Playmates nowadays. She sits in most of her photos, passive and expressionless, with little to offer in terms of true visual stimulation. The most we get out of her in the way of 'posing' is a slight flutter of the hair, a little forced grin, and a little budge of the nondescript features of her body to show that she's actually active.

When it comes to physical qualities, Karina suffers just as much. Her body is as bland and pointless as her posing, lacking any true contour or character at all. Her pale skin and overly slim build just doesn't look good in the camera's scrutinizing gaze, and her genitals are completely missing from view.

• Face: C+
  I guarantee that I won't be able to recall Karina's face a few months into 2013, without a doubt. Her angular face and lack of any character comes with nary a single smile. There's nothing but a dismal and unrecognizable sneer all over.
• Body: B-
  Easily one of the worst Playmate bodies we've seen in a few years, Karina leaves a ton to be desired. Her tall frame is far underweight, leading to a rippling and slim body with absolutely no curvature to offer any semblance of a silhouette. She has not a single defining feature, and then some, and her underexposed pictorial set doesn't help at all.
• Talent: B-
  Karina is a lifeless and tiresome girl without a single glimmer of talent throughout her photo set. She barely moves an inch, and each position does nothing to make up for her ultimately uninspiring body.
• Pictorial: C+
  There's just nothing here. It's ok to an extent that Karina is a dismally boring model, but to make matters worse, there's nothing sexually charged about these photos at all. It's just a model who happens to be naked, who lacks all balance whatsoever.
• Centerfold: B-
  A thoughtless, lame centerfold is just too fitting for Karina.
• Overall: C+
  You can tell that I just didn't enjoy Karina, as I felt she had no business being a Playmate. Sadly, it's a position that's seen better days, and the best classes of Playmates are far behind us. With women like Karina, it only feels like those great days are that much farther away, and that they'll never return again. She is an entirely uninspired choice by the editors, with no talent or physical strengths at all. The most you can say about her is that she's all-natural, but then again, so are most women. A forgettable Playmate to start off what will hopefully be an unforgettable year.

Then again, even the best classes didn't always start off with the best Miss Januaries. How about Shawn Dillon, the petite hottie that's tabbed for Miss February? Hopefully things are pointing up!

A Bit of a Streich

Amanda, Miss December

Can you smell it in the air? The holidays are upon us, and that means several things. In the Playboy world, it means one big thing - the annual Playmate of the Year race has just begun. All twelve ladies are set and vying for the title, and there can only be one winner.

The Class of 2012 has been an up and down affair, but one with more positives than negatives. It's been an improvement, with some of the highest average PlayboyCritic scores in years. While the year has lacked the diversity and strong, bold picks we've seen in past years, the quality has been higher than normal. Although we went through the year without any A+ scores, it was still a strong showing.

Capping off the string of nice performances to close out the season, we have Miss December, Amanda Streich. Amanda is a relative unknown in the States, a very leggy Polish model with an archetypical model-like quality. More than any other entrant this year, Amanda represents the mainstream modeling industry with flair. And that's not necessarily a good thing.

Once I laid eyes on our latest Playmate, the thought that immediately came to mind was, "Wow, this woman is lovely! But do I want to see her naked?" Now, I mean no offense by this, but the fact is that Amanda is simply not born to pose in the nude. She's a consummate fashion model, with a graceful and flowing posing style that's quite photogenic. But she never truly belongs in Playboy.

What makes Amanda a promising woman is that she's just got the photogenic look. Her face is not particularly attractive - on the contrary, it's her glaring weakness - but she has an innate glow about her that hits the spot. While she's dealt a poor pictorial that never allows her the room to show off her abilities, this is a model who just doesn't below without her clothes on.

That's not to say Amanda doesn't look great naked. She absolutely does. Miss Streich's body is artistic and sexually raw, with completely natural lines and awesome height (5' 9" but looking even taller at times). I was left pining for some more full-body shots showing off her lower frame, but her perfectly sized breasts and tight pussy are really great to lay eyes on.

Still, there's just something not right about Amanda. She just never takes the step into Playmate territory. Granted, she's not the least deserving Playmate selection of the 2012 class (read: Lisa Seiffert), but it's what keeps her mediocre, and several shades less-than-amazing.

• Face: B-
  Amanda can nail some photos here and there, but it's all in spite of her face, not because of it. It's angular, bony, and downright unattractive at times, with an anonymous look becoming immediately forgettable. Shallow, uninspired eyes never capture the camera, and her lips stay open far too much to look remotely serious.
• Body: B+
  Amanda's physique won't win any awards, but that doesn't stop her from being well above-average in this department. Her graceful, long body type is quite stunning, with nicely full breasts for such a petite woman, and a popping butt as well. The great balance is very surprising, and lifts Amanda well above where she would otherwise fall. Although it doesn't totally erase her other weaknesses, bare-shouldered and slinky Miss Streich is awesomely photogenic.
• Talent: B
  The biggest issue I have with Amanda is right here - this is a woman with talent. Just not the right kind of talent. She would fit in perfectly in a fashion advertisement, or an episode of America's Next Top Model. This isn't a fashion show. Playboy models need the sizzle, presence, and sex appeal without clothing that few women possess, and that's why it isn't only fashion models that are selected here. Amanda delivers some nice photos, but never goes far enough.
• Pictorial: B
  It's the same issue as above - Amanda's out of her depth here. The editors dress her up in saucy black bustiers and thigh-high panty hose, but don't get the results out of this model that they would from a true nude talent, like Alana or even Amelia from earlier this year. While Amanda has a few hits with some magical photos here and there, she never really comes into her own.
• Centerfold: B
  Amanda's centerfold is basically a microcosm of the model herself - certainly not too shabby to look at, but overall quite bland and ill conceived.
• Overall: B
  In Amanda, we get a fizzling outro to an otherwise middling but solid 2012 Playmate class. While the prestige and pop of being a December Playmate has been tested in recent years, Playboy went another step, not even incorporating any Christmas themes into Amanda's pictorial, or any holiday charms into her style. Amanda's Polish model roots confine her, as she comes across as a stoic fashion model with little to offer the Playboy world. In this world, we're looking for sizzle and spark, and an ability to use a nude body like a tool. Amanda is the epitome of a passive poser, simply letting her really fine body go to complete waste. She's always a pretty and photogenic model, but she's ultimately destined for a lower-half showing for the PMOY race.

Thanks to all my fans for following my blog through yet another Playmate season. As usual, you should expect to see my year-end recap of all twelve Playmates coming very soon. May the sexiest woman win!!

Paying Homage

Britany, Miss November

As we've picked up some steam going into the home stretch for Playmates in 2012, we've got just two months to go, and a couple of tough acts to follow. Shelby Chesnes brought the heat back in April, serving up a delicious body with a clean, simple posing style. Last month, Pamela Horton also upped the ante by introducing a fresh face, sleek body, and a load of much-needed talent to the arena.

So as we reach November, we're looking for that elusive bit of consistency out of Playboy - something we're often missing. This year began with a series of missteps, and we're hoping that we close strong. What we get for Miss November, Britany Nola, is a mixed bag, with some hidden gems here and there.

The first thing you'll notice about the young Miss Nola is just how mature she looks. We're not talking "old" here, but after following the likes of the very youthful looking (and 3 years older) Pam Horton in comparison, Britany looks like she has some years on her belt.

Of course, most of this has to do with Britany's "retro" look. We know many have done this in the past, and every year has its share of Playmates who try this gimmick (the most prominent being PMOY Claire Sinclair), but Britany takes a page from the book without trying to copy it. She subtly introduces some elements from the past, with her appearance taking on a look of the 2000s while still maintaining some homages to the bygone era that she so appreciates and emulates.

It's readily apparent in her overall look. The short, frazzled hair (which I'll touch more on later) is reminiscent of blondes of the 70's. The heavily-lined, smoky eyes giving some depth to a face that doesn't really have much character in the first place. Everything about her posing style speaks of a respect for those ladies.

Britany's unpolished, frazzled look is a
staple of her posing repertoire

And most noticeably of all - the tuft of pubic hair. I can't even recall the last time a Playmate sported an un-manicured piece of hair between her legs. For Britany, it almost adds to the look of maturity. Lately, women have been looking younger and younger thanks to their shaven hair, and seeing it again (albeit in a neatly trimmed way) certainly adds to the look and persona. It's even sexier because of the fact that it's been re-made into a taboo look, and I applaud her for it.

Getting past the small gimmicks, Britany's body isn't the star of the show here. In fact, it's at times awkward looking, without the curvature and proportion that make up the modern Playmate. She is intensely tall and leggy, without the upper body to really balance out the sexiness of her lower half, and this leads to a strange look when photographed face-on.

In terms of talent, Britany is no slouch, but her photos are sadly stricken by the "sullen" look that so many Playmates can't shake. She comes in with an attitude and a piercing look that doesn't always suit her, and so she often takes it too far. Miss Nola is often looking frazzled and unkempt, jaw dropped and holding her face, as is her schtick. It works at times, but gets tiresome at times, looking more like a trick than a solid posing technique.

• Face: B
  With a heavy dose of eyeliner and a scruffy head of blonde hair, Britany's face is certainly pretty and is at times her greatest asset. However, it's also one of her glaring weaknesses, in that it's just plain bland. While her cute smile and smoky eyes are certainly attractive, she is ultimately unmemorable and destined to fade into the background. The "deer in the headlights" look pervades, which doesn't help matters.
• Body: B
  While Britany has her moments and commands the camera just fine, her body isn't the reason for it. Physically, she doesn't measure up to other contenders in the 2012 class -- her high waist-to-hip ratio and lack of substantial breasts or buttocks really detracts here. Although she's quite leggy and of an excellent height (5' 9"), she doesn't have the silhouette and lines of some of the better bodies we've seen so far. Plus points should be given for her sexy pubic hair, a rarity these days.
• Talent: B+
  While Britany has her faults, she's no slouch when it comes to pure, active posing. Her moves are smart, using her face and body to her ultimate advantage. She can, however, overdo it. She can look downtrodden and sullen in her photographs, taking on an overly gritty look that isn't really endearing on such a model.
• Pictorial: B+
  All in all, not a bad product for a model who isn't the most physically appealing of the bunch for '12. Her lack of assets is made up for with a sharp, sexy, and colorful pictorial with all the right costuming for the job. While Britany suffers from her overacting at times, it's still a pretty good product.
• Centerfold: B
  Britany is at her best when she's cracking a smile and squinting those eyes. Her centerfold instead captures her prone (understating her good height) and emphasizing her jaw-dropped look, which is frankly overused with her.
• Overall: B
  Kudos to the latest effort in trying to bring the "retro-look" back. Claire Sinclair did it with mixed results (but hey, she did win PMOY), and Britany Nola came closer to nailing it. Britany's interpretation was more of an homage than a carbon copy, and I appreciate her for that. She had the bright blond and short cut. She had the hair where it counts (and the right proportion, too). She had a starlet's look. But she was missing the voluptuous 1960's physique and overall luxurious look that made an old-school Playmate. While Britney probably isn't Playmate material in the first place, she's one of those middle-of-the-pack ladies who will fade as the PMOY race starts up. It was good knowing ya!

Full Frontal Spectacle

Pamela, Miss October

Through the 2012 season, we've seen the usual ups and downs that we see every year, but we're still looking for that "statement" Playmate who truly remains when all is said and done. This is a model that really puts a ribbon on the year, being the posterchild that truly personifies the Playmate class. Last year, it was Amanda Cerny. In 2010, Katie Vernola and PMOY Claire Sinclair left that mark.

It's already autumn now, but we still hadn't had that truly special girl yet. Shelby Chesnes and Alana Campos are great models, but they certainly aren't the memorable and impactful women that could carry on a real legacy. But, in October we find spunky Californian Pamela Horton being the featured Playmate. This woman has something to point out, that perhaps no one else so far in 2012 has done, and it's an exciting thing.

Before tackling that, let's go through the tangibles. Firstly, Pamela was featured on a fantastic magazine cover, where sadly Playmates are not featured as much as they used to be. The fully nude side-shot and a coy look really showed what Pam was all about here.

When you get to her pictorial, the first thing you immediately notice is Pamela's extremely slim body. At 5' 7", she has a moderately tall frame that looks that much taller due to her light weight. Her smooth, thin body might have been a departure from the archetype of the modern model, but you will also notice right away that she has one fantastic butt. For such a slim model, it's very unexpected. And because she's so thin (an unbelievable 22-inch waist), her waist-to-hip ratio is one of the smallest we've seen in more than four years (Ida Ljungqvist was a 0.6, while Pam is a 0.63).

Pamela's October issue cover
shows off her smooth body lines

What that boils down to is a very tapered waistline that cinches extra in photos because of the size of her hips. And add to that Pamela's comparatively small breasts, and you have a strangely unbalanced body style. She doesn't have the hourglass that is the norm nowadays, but in the end it's actually quite refreshing. This is a body you don't see in the magazine nowadays, and Miss Horton greatly benefits because of it.

Getting past the physique, we come back to Pam's great intangible qualities. This is a model who looks like nothing we've seen before, certainly not in the past couple of years. Her thin, flat hair sits atop a really intriguing face, with a very wide, intriguing smile and sexy, full lips. The look of her face is akin to Angelina Jolie at times, and is downright incomparable to any Playmate that we've seen recently.

It all comes together with a solid pictorial featuring a model who has the talent to back up her Playmate nomination. Initially, I was skeptical about this model coming in and looking raw and fresh, but she has proven herself. I don't know if there was a great Playboy transformation project here, but Pam is perfectly suited for the job, albiet flawed due to the imbalance in her body and some inconsistency issues.

• Face: A-
  While not a classic beauty by any means, you can't compare Pamela to other models - it's apples to oranges in this category. Pam's face is full of passion and emotion, with a sullen, sexual look pervading her photos. Her mouth is particularly gorgeous, with a wide smile and exceptionally full lips looking like they positively pop out of the page. While she's not the bombshell with the voluminous hair and batting eyes, she's endearing in different ways.
• Body: A-
  Having a very atypical frame, Pamela's very thin but strong body is juxtaposed with a great lower body. Her waist-hip-ratio is the lowest in years due to her spectacularly thin waistline. Her breasts are small in comparison, but fit her upper body well, and make for some fantastic full-frontal shots (although 360-degree looks suffer at times). Pamela looks particularly fantastic when she's shot at full-length, with some awesome body lines due to her unusual build.
• Talent: A
  Pamela puts her body to as good a use as anyone could, and plays her strengths like a fine fiddle. She frames herself perfectly in many shots, squaring her sharp shoulders and delivering some dead-on looks and continuously physical poses. Although she isn't bombastic, she realizes that and unabashedly delivers some memorable shots.
• Pictorial: A
  I can't fault Playboy on this one - after a couple of duds, they've shot Miss Horton wonderfully. It isn't a perfect pictorial, but the subject matter is portrayed nearly perfectly, with some awesome frontal photos that show off the slimness of the model quite well. They also do a good job of framing Pam's lower body, which is also one of the centerpieces here.
• Centerfold: B+
  Pamela's centerfold is beautiful, but doesn't do a very good job of showcasing the intricacies of the model here. Pam is a great model who deserves more - I would have liked to see a more raw photo of her uncovered front profile (hips, shoulders, and all).
• Overall: A
  In Pamela, we really get one of the most intriguing Playmate entries we've seen this year, perhaps in years. This is a complex, deep model with lots of talent, who gives a great performance. While she isn't picture perfect by any means - she could carry a more sparkling, glamorous style and have a more balanced body - she doesn't disappoint in terms of what she can do best. With an uncommonly natural body and an emotionally charged posing style, this is a woman who could make a charge for Playmate of the Year, as she bolts into my top two, right up there with Shelby. In the end, she carries the distinction of being far more memorable than her competition.

Belle of Brazil

Alana, Miss September

Things are taking a turn for the better in the Playmate world. Although this year hasn't been one of distinctive, really hard-hitting hall of fame talents, we've still had a couple of greats, the most recent being everygirl Shelby Chesnes. Her endearing beauty set her in a certain class, but what about the real bombshells of the year? I'm talking about an in-your-face poser with glamor, class, and most of all, a hard, chiseled figure.

Fortunately for us, we have Alana Campos as our Miss September. Alana is an unexpected entry for this month, as most Playboy fans fully expected Danielle Burt in this spot. But, due to extenuating circumstances, we have Alana instead. I initially wasn't too high on the potential with Miss Campos, but she makes it damned hard not to like her.

Initially, busty Brazilian beauty Alana looks exactly like the kind of woman we've been looking for this year. She has the South American look, and has a tiny hint of Teles twins in her - some of the greatest Brazilian imports to grace Playboy's pages. Her posing style is akin more to Francesca Frigo from a few years back, who had more of a passive style and suffered due to an overly conservative pictorial.

Once you take a look through Alana's spread, you fear that she got the Frigo treatment, in a lot of ways. You'll immediately notice that what we have here is a sexy, obvious choice for Playmate. Alana's prized asset is her entire body - it's immaculate and well-balanced. While it won't hit you in the face with some bombastic breasts or a killer Brazilian butt (sadly), she's slim and silky. While she could use a bit of tone to really put her over the top, her figure is tall and slick.

So Alana's body isn't lacking. But what about the rest? Unfortunately, we don't get a model who hits on all cylinders here, and it's mainly due to her tame and generic pictorial. While Playboy got a hit with Shelby two months ago due to the perfect fit with the type of model she was, Alana gets an underperformed, underedited spread. Alana is a potentially physical and talented model, but a passable set of photos with some nice costuming is just not enough to vault her over the top.

• Face: B+
  Alana's face is beautiful and exotic, but prevents her from overcoming a weak pictorial solely through her physical assets. She has a lovely smile that spreads from cheek to cheek, and exotic, angular eyes that are truly a sight. However, her face can sometimes come off a bit edgy, preventing her from giving off the subtle looks of a more low-key Playmate.
• Body: A-
  As I said before, Alana packs a punch when it comes to her figure. It's extremely well-proportioned, with slim lines and sexy skin. Her breasts are just the right size, albeit not being very noteworthy. Her behind is lacking due to high expectations, but is certainly nothing to sniff at. All in all, she's right up there with the other great physical specimens of 2012.
• Talent: A-
  While Alana doesn't quite deliver on the level of Shelby, she's easily one of the best posers of the year. She's vastly underutilized for her style and skill, but still delivers an above average showing. With a penchant for the camera, you can really sense her enthusiasm, and she sizzles at times, knowing exactly how to tailor her body to the situation.
• Pictorial: B
  Unfortunately, what really holds Alana back is her subpar pictorial set. There's nothing that really pops here, as she goes between generic costuming, never really hitting her stride. The photos straddle a line between colorful and dark, never really figuring things out. I would have rather seen her take a bold, sensual stand in either direction, but the editors never let her break free.
• Centerfold: B
  Alana's centerfold is plain and average, showing off a standing frontal shot that doesn't differentiate itself much from the bland flavor of the rest of the pictorial.
• Overall: A-
  I see Alana as a model who falls between a B+ and A- rating, but I give her the higher rating purely due to her exotic uniqueness. She's immediately likable from the moment you see her, and that's what really pushes her through in my eyes. Her body may not be as stunning as Leola's or Shelby's, but ranks among the best this year. Her pictorial is drab, but her glowing appearance brings her up to my top 3 this year. While she may not stay there for long, I'd expect Alana to easily stay in my top 5 for the PMOY race, as she represents an great upward trend for the year.

A Step Back

Beth, Miss August 2012

As far as 2012 has gone so far, coming off a great Playmate performance in Shelby Chesnes, we've seen the only "up" in a series of "downs" this year. Shelby was an excellent addition to a class that was otherwise limping along, infusing a young, fresh dose of talent into a bunch of girls that seemed without direction.

In our August Playmate, we have a very familiar face in Beth Williams. Beth debuted a little less than three years ago as a Cyber Girl of the Week, and throughout the years, her pictorial output has been well above average. Unlike Shelby and many of the other ladies we've seen this year, Beth is no stranger to the Playboy world. She's posed off and on, earning the CGOM title, and always had a fierce fanbase who vigorously backed a Playmate appearance. This year, their prayers have finally been answered, but to what effect is the question.

Indeed, Beth has always been an attractive model to me. While I never really bought into the hype with her, I thought she was a more than passable girl. Her height is a real strength, and her beauty lies in her subtleties. I thought her lovely dark hair was always one of her best features, always looking a bit frazzled and accessible. While she was quite talented, she never really showed to be the true, picturesque beauty that is demanded of a girl in the Playmate position. But then again, far less-deserving models have had that title.

Beth's transformation for her Miss August stint is, well, disappointing to say the least. Although I never have had high hopes for her, I thought that a model as seasoned at her could have turned out something more spectacular. Instead, we were shown a pictorial with a bit of pop and fizz here and there, but something that was generally pretty flat. Beth is a great model when the shot is just right, but there are too many flaws and changes here to really appreciate her for her potential.

One thing that really irked me was Beth's transition from shoulder-length black/brown hair to having long, thick, dirty blonde hair. It's something that I believe does not suit her well, and takes away from some of the magic that came with her being a natural, girl-next-door model that was the centerpiece of her appeal. While this may be a small change, it does quite a bit to influence her persona as a model, and seems like a waste of a perfectly good opportunity.

When all else is factored in, Beth does as well as she can with an abysmally boring pictorial. Her "country cowgirl" theme has been tried and beaten to death, but not executed particularly well here. Her brunette look might have complemented the softer colors far better here, as she seems to just fade into the background anonymously. Her body is, as it was before, photogenic and beautifully natural, but it's certainly not enough to carry her through.

• Face: B
  With any semblance of accessibility Beth had as a brunette, she severely lost quite a bit in her transformation. Although she's the same decently talented model she was before, the focus now shifts to her face itself, while the hair was a distraction before. Miss Williams' face is not particularly photogenic in itself,  only at times looking balanced and entirely wholesome. Her squinty, forgettable eyes don't help, either.
• Body: B+
  Quite simply, Beth's best attributes stem from her very slim and tall body. Although she doesn't have the volume and balance that Shelby had, Beth is just-right, having a great set of natural breasts and a sleek, clean look. Although it won't capture your attention with its curvature and lines, it looks great on camera.
• Talent: B
  Beth is an otherwise highly talented model with a great vision for the camera, and should be with her extensive experience. However, she definitely doesn't hit it out of the park when it's counted most, as a Playmate. She never gets into the groove of things, always looking uniformly uninteresting in her photos, and only actively posing at times. For a woman with such demonstrated talents in moving her body, she oddly comes out cold.
• Pictorial: C+
  While Beth's physical changes and lack of a convincing performance didn't help her case much, her drab pictorial certainly hurt it. The theme is ill-conceived, and lacks any semblance of trying to use the model's looks to the producers' advantage. Blame Playboy, and the photographers, but this isn't what a girl of Beth's hidden talent deserves.
• Centerfold: B
  While it's a good shot choice overall, it fits into the boring mold of the rest of the pictorial, just looking like another blown-up photo. Certainly not her best picture.
• Overall: B
  Beth Williams has done plenty for Playboy over the past few years, and I'm sure her numerous fans would disagree with me here, but this is not what we were looking for. When Playboy anointed Beth as a Playmate, this wasn't the way to go about it. She is a wonderful model, and had all the physical tools to put on a stellar performance. However, Beth is a finicky model, and with such subtlety and depth comes a responsibility for the editors to put her in the right environment. As was Shelby, Beth isn't a 'bombshell' who could just strut out and look like a sexual goddess - she needs to be tailored to look that way, through great production value, as we saw with Leola and Shelby this year. With this girl, they just never put in the effort to get it right, and it hurt the model most of all.

Multiple Threat

Shelby, Miss July

As I've been saying month in and month out, we're starting to see a re-tread of the 2011 class in this year's crop of Playmates. We've seen some rather mediocre performances up until now, with six Playmates with no one really taking a stand as "the one to beat." While Leola Bell cemented herself as the frontrunner thus far with a stunning pictorial coupled with a voluptuous physique, it was still anyone's game.

But, there's always a turning point, and I predicted last month that we'd start to see the real contenders rise up as the year came to its second leg. First up was Miss July, the relatively unknown Shelby Chesnes. The bubbly 20-year old model was immediately flung onto our radar with the announcement that she would be a Playmate. The relative newcomer to the Playboy scene had a few sparing modeling shots online, which were enticing to say the very least. It seemed like we were getting a true "crossover" model, one with looks that were actually accessible, and made the leap from girl-next-door to bombshell Playmate seamlessly.

So, now that Shelby's shed those modeling clothes and gone nude, how does she stack up? Let's just say that the other ladies this year should be afraid. Very afraid.

Shelby represents what we've been missing from the Playmate of the Month position since Amanda Cerny brought it last year - the crossover. She is unbelievably wholesome, from first photo to last, but offers a multidimensional character that shines in every photo. All at once, she is charming and flirty, while turning on the heat and delivering a killer pose with her sharp but mystifyingly unassuming frame.

Shelby may be short and slim, but she's
a lengthy, curvy woman in her set. Very photogenic.

Let's start with the look. Shelby has it all together, exuding a precise confidence in all of her poses. She blends a sensuality with a friendly demeanor just by flashing a quick smile or flexing her cute cheekbones. Although she may not have the most angelic and memorable face, hers is one that is tantalizingly unidentifiable. You can't quite put your finger on her, and that's what makes her exciting - from photo to photo, you feel like you are looking at many different models. Miss Chesnes can be cute and understated in one instance, and then let her hair flow with reckless abandon in the next.

Shelby's posing talent stacks up with some of the best, and again it's due to her intensity and confidence. Her pictorial has her taking turns in the full gamut of lingerie, with slinky little things to kinky babydolls and barely-there thongs. She wears them all flawlessly, due to her slick, well-tuned body. While she might have to go toe-to-toe with Leola for best body for 2012 so far, Shelby has a vastly different body style than anyone we've seen for a while. With a short 5' 3" frame, she certainly doesn't look it. Shelby is anything but short on camera, with an excellent body proportion and a sinewy frame that makes her legs look long and lean. Shelby is unexpectedly curvaceous, with bubbly butt that pops when she wants it to, and a large, sexy set of breasts. If this isn't the complete package, it's tough to know who is.

• Face: A-
  Shelby's face might not be an all-star standout quality of hers, and might be what keeps her from being hall of fame material, but it's still an outstanding attribute. She may look vastly different between different scenes, and it's all due to how she can morph from one character to another. Her face really complements her posing style, with understated features allowing her to ride the border between bombshell sex goddess and your everyday girl.
• Body: A
  While it wasn't apparent at first how well built Shelby is, she's undeniably a thoroughbred in every possible way. A 5' 3" frame can't get in the way of her sleek, slim look, with every inch contributing to a perceived height much taller than she actually is. Add on top of that a gorgeous set of breasts and a perfectly rounded butt, and you have a body that is exemplary of the archetypical Playmate of the 2010's - exceedingly slim, but well-endowed and balanced.
• Talent: A
  While it's easy to focus on Shelby's all around greatness, it might be easy to gloss over just how skilled a poser this model is. She exudes great professionalism, feeling her way through the pictorial with the utmost care. Although she has issues with facial expressions at times, she takes on a multitude of looks, and is a chameleon when it comes to varying her style and adapting to her outfits.
• Pictorial: A+
  The dynamic, engrossing quality of Shelby's pictorial is sadly something that is sorely missed in today's Playmates. Shelby is a bit unassuming as a model, and that makes her perfectly suited for a number of looks. She doesn't wear just one hat, and is a master of several roles, which makes her pictorial a rollercoaster of a ride. She switches between outfits seamlessly, and revels in her nudity, squeezing everything out of every photo. Shelby has probably my favorite pictorial since Katie Vernola's perfect outing two years ago.
• Centerfold: A-
  Although not in a prime position to showcase her great figure, and a bit hunched over, Shelby's centerfold is a great shot. Her legs look long and lean, again albeit her height, and her face looks gorgeous.
• Overall: A
  Shelby is without a doubt the finest talent in a Playmate since Tiffany Toth in 2011. She offers a complete performance, going above and beyond to show off all of her posing skills, and every single aspect of a phenomenal body. With her diminutive size, she doesn't back down, and displays her toned build like a true expert. After showing off a peculiar ability to take on numerous looks and prove to be a true example of what a Playboy model should be in this day and age, Shelby should easily rank at the top of this year's Playmate class. She is the immediate frontrunner for Playmate of the Year 2013, and should be the one to beat from here on in.

Getting Serious

Amelia, Miss June

Let's all admit it - the Playmate class so far this year resembles last year's awfully closely. In 2011, we had an abysmally slow start to the year before eventually landing on some pure hotties in the form of Tiffany Toth, Amanda Cerny, and Ciara Price. In 2012, we're still waiting for a Toth or Cerny to come around to give it a major boost.

While we've seen a mixed bag so far, one thing we can depend on is inconsistency. Almost no one has posed with any real skill and prowess in 2012, besides perhaps Leola Bell, who sped past the rest with a killer body, too. As we turn the corner towards the second half of the year, we're hoping for the real talent to show through. With Miss June, maybe we have a precursor for what's to come.

Amelia Talon takes the title of Miss June, and she comes in with a bit of Playboy history. Amelia was Coed of the Week way back nearly a year ago in 2011, where she was a considerably different model. The main differences between then and now: her hair has been lightened, and of course, her breasts are far larger. Her natural and small breasts before were perhaps her biggest drawback, but now we're treated to a pair of larger C-cups, which may or may not be everyone's bag. But I'll get to that.

Upon first pass at Amelia's pictorial, I can safely say that I expected more. Not a whole lot more, but more nonetheless. Amelia is a fine model, with a piercing, unique look that places her in a certain class of Playmates. Her facial features are more akin to Jessa Hinton of last year's class - colder, more stoic, and more serious in all her photos. With a consistent gaze from shot to shot, Amelia rarely cracks a smile, and always cocks her sharp eyebrows in a sultry stare. Whether that's a good thing is personal taste, but I prefer a bit of a girl-next-door persona to my models.

Unfortunately, you'd be hard pressed to see any girl-next-door qualities in Miss Talon. She's a model's model, and it shows throughout. She does a fantastic job with her poise and posture, always keeping herself sharp and showing off her very tall frame. With her beautiful 5'7" frame, Amelia takes over pictorials simply with her slim lines and aerodynamic body type. She's sleek all over, with nary a few extra pounds to spare. Throughout her pictorial, however, you can't help but appreciate her breast enhancement, which finally gives her some definition and curvature which was sorely missing in her first go a year back.

Ultimately, though, Amelia's pictorial never really gets off the ground. She has a more-than-passable body, a sexy face, and an ample amount of talent and awareness, but doesn't ever begin to have the depth of skill that makes a really good model. There are few subtleties here - Amelia is a straightforward poser who revels in her nudity and feels completely confident - but that lack of vulnerability makes her a bit one-dimensional.

• Face: B+
  Amelia's face is all at once memorable, stunning, and even a bit boring. While her facial structure is great, with some really intriguing eyes, she's very lackluster in her expressions, always putting on a serious look, with rarely a smile. Her serious snarl eventually gets in the way of her talent, holding her back from being a truly great model.
• Body: A-
  Amelia's sinewy, long frame and great use of her curvature is wonderful in photos. While it's nowhere near the best we've seen this year (she utterly lacks the punch of Leola), she's still got a fantastically symmetrical build, with legs going on for miles, and a beautifully arching back. Certainly her greatest physical strength.
• Talent: B+
  While she's not going to get any "most talented" awards in my year-end rankings, Amelia shows flashes of brilliance that go far beyond the restrictions of her pictorial. She's a seminal posing talent when she wants to be, showing off her well above-average body in many creative ways. Still, she lacks the ability to show off the subtleties of her character, and never transcends past just being a sneering model with a killer body.
• Pictorial: B
  The photographers and producers of Playboy don't do Amelia any favors by putting her in a rather drab pictorial setting. With a body and attitude like hers, one can imagine them going for the jugular, with a really aggressive, Christi Shake/Buffy Tyler-type pictorial set. Instead, they put Amelia in position to lose. She never breaks through, and the pictorial ultimately flatlines, despite the talent of the model.
• Centerfold: B-
  A confused, cluttered centerfold shot doesn't do Amelia's body justice at all. Her prone position never takes advantage of her decent curves, and you never get an idea of Miss Talon's admirable size in this photo.
• Overall: B+
  I give Amelia all due credit for being an above-average model in a below-average set of circumstances. She's a gorgeous model who should have all kinds of success with a gorgeously photogenic body and an excellent attitude towards nude posing. A self-professed nudist, Amelia at times seems like she's born for this, and looks innately comfortable with no clothes on. However, the camera is never able to capture her true essence, and perhaps there was nothing too deep to begin with. Amelia could just be the one-dimensional model she's depicted as, with nothing more to offer than a lean, mean look. This is all fine, but she's never framed as such in her photos or videos, and she suffers because of it.

Another one down, and now we turn our attention to the second half of the 2012 class. Although there haven't been too many fireworks just yet, we've got some extremely promising possible stars coming up. Shelby Chesnes is next month's Playmate, a relative unknown with a spectacular overall look that I'm heavily banking on. Danielle Burt is also a Playmate for 2012, who could also be a wild card in the 2012 race. Looking forward to it, ladies!

Leigh It On Me

Nikki, Miss May

As we move into the final month of 2012, we've been delivered a rather mediocre string of Playmates, without much variety or forethought, it seems. We're still waiting for that big bang to take place, for that one gorgeous gal to deliver us the spark we need for a true PMOY frontrunner.

For the past month, we were introduced to young Nikki Leigh. She made her debut in early April in the Plus website as a slim, playful model with talent and zeal. Although she didn't wow me initially, she seemed to pose with an optimistic quality, although I'd admit I did not see a Playmate appearance coming just a month later.

And here we are, with Nikki being Miss May 2012, and trying to take us to a new level, away from the disappointments of Lisa Seiffert and Raquel Pomplun. We're looking for a desperate breath of fresh air in 2012, especially after things are seeming to get much better in terms of quality for Playboy Plus' Amateurs, Coeds, and other models. What about the flagship franchise?

Let's just say that Nikki is a mixed bag, but in that bag you'll find more positives than otherwise. In her pictorial, Nikki serves us well, with an above average set. Her theme is tried and true, and a little bland for the most part, but she hits some seriously good poses in sparing fashion. Nikki is no physical specimen, but she  does a great job of carrying the pictorial with starpower. Her braided blond hair is a nice change of pace, and her body is held with poise as her face mostly takes center stage. The first few photos are nothing to cheer at, but it gets better.

Nikki physically is nothing to really cheer about, as she's certainly no heavyweight in any sense. She's not voluptuous or gifted in those ways, but her body has beautiful structure to it. It's nicely toned and detailed down to the tiniest muscle. Her body also complements her flowing hair, which supports a rounded, angled face that is actually quite fetching.

The kicker comes when Nikki poses in front of a mirror of sorts, with the camera only capturing a hazy reflection. After some monotonous photos, she finally hits her stride, with some overtly sexual poses that are pretty spectacular. Here, her slim, straight frame comes off wonderfully. And when she faces the camera while giving a lift to her rear, your jaw could drop. Towards the last stage of her pictorial, she gets into a more raw bedroom scene, looking polished and cute. Although straight body shots aren't her strength, she is radiant enough to be a leading lady.

• Face: B+
  Definitely her biggest strength, Nikki's jawline and rounded facial structure are unusual but certainly attractive. She has memorable eyes and a beautiful straight smile, which she certainly doesn't take advantage of enough. When she nails a photo with her face, she can take the pictorial to another level. When she doesn't, it's just more of the same.
• Body: B
  Although Nikki's body is certainly photogenic and shows off a nice tone and structure, it's definitely nothing that can carry her through pictorials without a bit of personality or talent. She's a bit on the slim side, and has an unusually high waist-hip ratio (0.813). Given this, she still makes it work from time to time, with her flat abs and sharp body helping her nail many shots.
• Talent: B+
  Nikki doesn't hit on every photo perfectly, but as she isn't physically held back in any way, she's got a great sense for the camera. She rarely hurts a photo with an awkward pose, and never tries to do too much. She does a good job of taking charge and negotiating the section of her pictorial where it's all her, given what she has to work with.
• Pictorial: B
  Nikki's pictorial is sadly a mixed bag, as you get flashes of what it potentially could have been. She starts off very sluggish, with some slow and passive posing that doesn't get her true talents across. Then, she hits some very sexy mirror poses that change everything, followed by some raw nude poses that provide a bedroom setting where her real colors are showcased. She never slips throughout, but it also never plays very well to her strengths either.
• Centerfold: B
  Her centerfold is also nothing spectacular, keeping with the western theme of her pictorial. Her face, as usual, looks beautiful and radiant, but otherwise it once again misses her strengths.
• Overall: B+
  With Nikki, we have a girl who will ultimately end up in the top 5 of the 2012 class. As with so many of the Playmates whose potential has never been realized due to poor decision making from Playboy editors, Nikki never gets to fully develop and show what she's capable of. Here is a greatly talented woman who is fully deserving of the Miss May title, as she's as photogenic as any. She can carry the pictorial with her own sense of style, but is held back because of her physical deficiencies and the pictorial's inability to capture her character. Still, she's the best Playmate of the year, next to the busty Leola Bell, and could be a contender for the 2013 race.

Winds of Change

Here we are, in the post-Cyber Club era, and I've got plenty of mixed opinions about it. The uproar over the creation of the new Playboy Plus platform has a lot of fans perturbed, but there is good and bad here. Sure, there are many kinks to work out, and the lack of a message board system is a real downer. But on the brighter side, we do seem to have an influx of very beautiful and talented models now in 2012.

Amazing girls like Jessica Workman, Sophia Alexandria, and Amber Sym seem to be the norm in the new Plus platform. Namely, a bigger diversity of women with higher quality pictorials, more physical posing, and less cheesy production value. It all makes for some great entertainment.

Lisa, Miss March 2012

Now, shift back to the non-cyber world of Playboy, and we've still got some Playmates rolling into the 2012 class - each with issues of her own. For example, we had Lisa Seiffert as Miss March, who arguably is one of the most under-produced and under-marketed Playmate we've had in years. Lisa seems like an afterthought of a Playmate; a sort of 'transition period' woman who just entered the scene to fill the gaps.

Lisa is a mystery, in that it's a mystery that she ever became Playmate at all. At a towering 5'11", she is the tallest Playmate since 1999's Natalia Sokolova, and certainly looks it in her photos. And although she's certainly not an unattractive woman, she's certainly got flaws in all respects. For starters, her face can't carry a photo at all, with thick, bushy eyebrows and squinty, shallow eyes. Her tall frame sort of makes up for her physical shortcomings, as it is definitely a sight to see her full length on display, albeit her lack of assets in any other respect. Her slim profile is certainly on the "too slim" side, with an unseemly gap between her thighs and a lack of any breasts at all. This model was definitely not  chosen for her physical attributes, to be blunt.

Then we get to the worst part of all - Lisa's pictorial. It is extremely over-processed, leaving little tangible quality to the imagination. The whole thing plays out like a swimsuit catalog, making an absolute mockery of the  Playmate title, and landing Lisa in a difficult position. This is not a model devoid of any talent, but she certainly is given zero chance to flourish.

• Face: B-
  Lisa's face is plagued with obvious flaws, from her thick eyebrows to her lack of any sparkle or star quality to her facial structure. She doesn't come off subtly, instead looking hard and angular in all her photographs. It really is downright unattractive at times, but can show flashes of brilliance if her eyes are allowed to breathe.
• Body: B
  Lisa certainly is not a physical heavyweight, by both literal and figurative senses of the word. Her slim and extremely tall frame, the tallest in more than 13 years, make for some interesting pictures, but then again this is sorely underutilized in her photos. She could have used some more prone shots showing her elongation, but instead we are left pondering her lack of an hourglass figure, which is definitely not her M.O. Still, something can be said for her spunkiness.
• Talent: B
  While Lisa may be a firecracker ready to burst, we are left wondering what more she could give. With a dismal pictorial, that's all we can do. Lisa poses in the right ways and smiles in the right places, but as we ask more of Playmates, we are left wanting much more.
• Pictorial: C
  Obviously Lisa's biggest flaw, this might be one of the worst in quite some time. It's not really the execution, which Miss Seiffert seems more than capable of, but instead the concept and layout, which seem over-processed and akin to a fashion magazine. We need more touch, and more tangibility to our pictorials nowadays, and Lisa's unfortunately misses out.
• Centerfold: B
  Not much can be said about this shot - it's overdone and overproduced, which is silly considering the lack of production value in the pictorial.
• Overall: B-
  After starting off somewhat promisingly with Knox and Bell, Playboy hit a wall with Lisa Seiffert. Surely it was because the magazine felt rushed for some reason, because that's the best word to describe Lisa's Playmate appearance - rushed. There are no subtleties here, just a collection of professional headshots waiting to be sent out. No sexual tension, no artistic direction, and certainly not a model hot enough to carry a terrible pictorial. In the end, Lisa should fall to the bottom of the pack of the 2012 class, and we'll look forward to better things.

Raquel, Miss April 2012

To kick off the Spring Playmate season, we find Raquel Pomplun making her debut as Miss April. This was a model I found immediately exciting once I heard the announcement that she would appear in the magazine. She is initially a gorgeous, tall model with a nuanced face and plenty of intriguing features to make her something of a mysterious entry.

As we see her photo spread, we find that this is both true and untrue. Indeed, Raquel is a great addition as Playmate, and her candidacy is well-deserved. She can take a great photo, not being bashful and laying it all out tastefully and with grace.

Beginning with her centerfold, you'll notice that Raquel has chestnut skin and a lovely glow that permeates her photos. It's probably her most intriguing physical attribute, since there's not too much else to be truly astounded by. She has a great passive posing skill, but lacks in experience and physical posing, where she doesn't quite have an identity to her look.

This is truly the issue with Raquel - it's hard to pinpoint exactly what kind of model she is. Her angelic face can mystify with an intense stare at times, when otherwise her face never really turns the corner and looks spot-on stunning. She has the potential to take it to the next level with her looks, but often blunders by being off the mark with her posing, which makes the photo fall apart. 

These inconsistencies might be easily passed over if Raquel was truly physically gifted, but she falls short here as well. Raquel's body isn't built particularly photo-friendly, with some boney, angular segments that are often set awkwardly in her spread. She never truly looks comfortable with whatever curves she does have, posing as if she is desperately trying to arc herself and accentuate her small breasts. Her body lacks balance, and although she is not that slim, she comes off as even more so, and this hurts her in many ways.

• Face: B+
  This would have been Raquel's saving grace, but inconsistencies abound. She can sometimes put on an intense stare that is the focal point of the pictorial, with penetrating eyes and a seriously sexy stare that can put other models to shame. At other times, she doesn't get the right angles out of her face, and it alone can't carry her past her shortcomings.
• Body: B-
  Perhaps it's the photography, or the lighting, but Raquel's body perhaps never gets the fair shake that she deserves. She's got decent height and is definitely not flat-chested, but just looks downright awkward most of the time. Her body sometimes seems like a detriment, especially when put against the backdrop of a great looking face. This is too bad, since it seems to be the posing that really got in the way here.
• Talent: B
  Although she hits some great moments (like in her centerfold) where she really nails a pose, it ultimately seems like an exercise in randomness for Raquel. She never hits her stride, and it forces photographers to depict her body awkwardly, among other things. Ultimately, Raquel could use some real posing experience, and the Playmate stage was squandered here.
• Pictorial: B
  While it was a good fit for a model like Raquel, with good costuming and setup, it fell flat due to the lack of execution. Raquel's lack of talent wasn't helped by poor lighting and a confusion about what to do with her flawed body. While the colors and quality are radiant, they can't make up for a poorly planned spread.
• Centerfold: A-
  One of the few bright spots in her photo collection, Miss Pomplun's centerfold was stellar. There wasn't anything fancy about it, but the prone position was a Playboy centerfold staple, showing off a gentle tapering of the hips with great costuming and lighting.
• Overall: B
  Raquel is certainly a disappointment, and the biggest of the year so far for me. She really had potential, and the pictorial didn't do anything but showcase all of her flaws. Even her otherwise gorgeous face was obscured by some odd posing choices and a lack of execution. Blame it on the model or the producers, but something wasn't done right here. An otherwise stellar woman was shot down by a shoddy pictorial once again, and that should land Raquel somewhere in the middle of the pack for the Playmate of the Year race.

As we look forward to the next two months, we can see some intriguing prospects. Playboy Plus has done a good job of providing increased quality in the content delivered, and it will only continue. Nikki Leigh is a seemingly good candidate for Playmate, what with her free-flowing posing style and casual demeanor. A nice bit of polish could be quite interesting with her. June's Amelia Talon should round out the first half of the class quite nicely. Her more exotic looks as a darker brunette could hold the key for turning this group around and towards greatness. Still, Leola Bell remains the one to beat.

February Fireworks

Heather Knox
Miss January 2012

As we kick off 2012 and come off a tumultuous year of Playmates, we look forward to a year of improvement. We're hoping for a consistent year with a diverse class, with a little bit more international flair thrown in, at least more so than the last group.

It started off, however, more on the predictable side of things. In came Heather Knox as Miss January, starting things off. Heather is a bit more of a prototypical Playboy blonde, with bright blond locks and a busty body. Her physique is of most interest here, since Heather is an otherwise bland model with little to remember. She is a bright personality, but it's definitely her body that stands at center stage.

Heather is voluptuous (5'4", 125 lbs) and short, with a boxy frame holding on to a set of massive DD breasts that really are a sight to see. She's no hourglass, with not much of a butt to balance it out, and not a  very tight waistline either. But it's just this that makes her an attraction, with pure, busty volume making her really pop in photos, like this one, that would otherwise just be inconsequential. While Heather has a more mature face and intense features, she doesn't have much to distinguish herself, as she's pretty but mostly forgettable.

Heather's pictorial is also a major disappointment, with nothing to separate her or make it unique, and instead taking some safe shots that contain her in a domestic setting that never really catches on. Some shots of Miss Knox prone on the bed are her greatest hits, since this really exposes her huge chest and does an excellent job of highlighting her thick but sexy torso and thighs.

Like nearly every Playmate last year, Heather simply never shows enough to truly entice the audience, never allowing her legs to spread quite too far, but teasing with some frustrating poses. While her body is a plus, you can surely bet that this won't be a girl who's in the running for PMOY in 2013.

• Face: B
  While Heather's beautiful eyes are a saving grace, she has some well-defined features that give her face angles that do not endear her to the camera. With a softer camera view, her face looks far more appealing, but the Playboy editors miss on this one.
• Body: A-
  Heather's physique lacks the balance and slim, sleek contours that define girls of the current Playboy generation, but that doesn't stop Heather from being a unique figure. Her massive breasts are part of a thick, boxy frame that is actually quite the spectacle in her photos. Although never used to her potential, Heather's imposing stature makes her worth a second look.
• Talent: B+
  Although Miss Knox is given a raw deal on the pictorial, she does show flashes of greatness here and there, and has a great understanding of her own strengths and limitations. She keeps her posing simple, but does so with enthusiasm and great posture that adds to the pleasure of her great body.
• Pictorial: B
  Heather's pictorial never gets off the ground, or really ever comes close. Showing minimal skin once again, we find a lame, cookie-cutter pictorial getting in the way of what would otherwise be a successful model.
• Centerfold: B
  Her centerfold is about as sterile and uninteresting as her pictorial, but on top of that, some of the glittering sheen that is Heather's forte in her photo series is unfortunately missing.
• Overall: B
  Heather does bring something to the table to kick things off in January. Ultimately, though, as Playmates go each year, she should fall into the average middle of the pack. While Heather is a beautiful woman with some definite strengths, first of all being her excellent and photogenic body, she also suffers from many of the same problems we saw in 2011. Heather's pictorial is dismal, and leaves a bad taste in the eyes of Playboy voters. Add to that a lack of aggressiveness in her posing and a real dearth of style and creativity, and what you have is a Playmate that won't really be talked about as much as she probably should have.

Leola Bell
Miss February 2012

Moving on to the current Playmate, and sharing the January-February double issue with Heather, we find Leola Bell, a 27 year old African American bombshell who could be a real game changer in the 2012 class. Leola's performance is a real sight to see, as she has more talent under her thumb than many of the ladies we saw in 2011, and then some. Add to that a killer body and a penchant for posing, and you have a contender.

Leola's strength comes from two things: her body and her sense of style. The former is undeniable - a quick perusal through her pictorial will bring on a sense of surprise and astonishment. You could compare Leola's physique with some of the more recent curvier body types we've seen in the past years, but Miss Bell possesses a subtle difference that sets her apart. For starters, Leola has a great full-frontal shot, with strikingly flat abs and a smooth, strong frame that gets the point across. 

When I looked through Leola's pictorial, I was struck by the poise and grace with which Leola poses with - just take a look at this photo, which was one of my true favorites. Here, you get an idea of Leola's great silhouette, which adds to her posing presence simply by having her do nothing at all. Then, she can flip on a switch, with truly aggressive, sexy posing that really looks fantastic on camera.

Then, you get to her sense of style. Leola's confidence and sexuality hearkens back to the great black Playmates of the past, and names like Neferteri Shepherd even come into mind. When she gets actively sensual in front of the camera, it's really something to see, with her amazing costuming and penchant for the camera really coming out. Playboy really gave Leola the star treatment here, with a pictorial that seems to be a complete 180 from the ladies of the past several months. It's both a product of the model and the editing, but boy are these photos something to see.

As you get deeper into her photos, you really get a sense for the talent you're seeing here. Creative poses such as this one, or a subtle look that can really tone down the momentum of the pictorial, are brilliantly executed. All in all, the rest of the 2012 class could take a hint from Miss Bell.

• Face: B
  Leola's facial features are unique, and offers a uniqueness that is both endearing and exotic. Although she might look inconsistent in her expressions, this aspect of her is entirely a matter of personal taste.
• Body: A
  While almost everything is subjective in the world of Playmates, it's hard to deny that a body like Leola's is a once-a-year experience. Her stunning figure and awesome silhouette makes for a wonderful subject in a great pictorial. Her buxom body is backed up by the numbers: she has the lowest waist-hip ratio since 2009's Dasha Astafieva, and it shows. Her amazing breasts are the precursor to a flat, powerful core, leading to some amazing, sleek legs.
• Talent: A-
  Owing somewhat to her great body, Leola uses it to her advantage, and does it extremely confidently. Her sense for the camera is unique, and she varies her posing with great ease, with a physical, risk-taking style that's easy to appreciate.
• Pictorial: A
  Leola's pictorial is the real attraction here. With a dynamic set of gorgeous costumes and a great flow from beginning to end, it stays interesting and fresh by giving the model room to be creative and to be herself. With an intimate bedroom backdrop to allow Leola to get subtly seductive, it's a home run.
• Centerfold: B+
  While not offering anything revolutionary, Leola's centerfold follows the intimate "Valentine's" theme of her pictorial, and is a good depiction of her amazing physical qualities.
• Overall: A-
  Early on in the year, Leola Bell brings a freshness and invigoration that could really supercharge the Playmate of the Year race moving forward. Although there's no "race" yet per se, we'll surely remember Miss Bell as the year comes to a close. She has such a perfect mixture of skill, attitude, and outright physical spectacle, it's tough to deny that what we're seeing is an early game changer here. Leola brings an infusion of talent that really has been lacking in recent months, but could turn the tide and up the ante as much as Tiffany did last year. Unless we see a truly revolutionary class, Leola should easily end up in the top 4 or 5 Playmates towards the end of the year, but that's all left to be seen.

Texan Attraction

Rainy Day, Miss December

Given the rollercoaster year we had in 2011, I'd say that we've ended on some thankfully positive notes. While the year started out and developed to look like one of the more disappointing years in the past decade, salvation came in the form of a couple of sensational talents that made their mark and allowed us to forget the missteps of the past. Duds like Mattingly made way for gems like Cerny, and we made lemonade in the latter half.

Fittingly, after some great ladies in September, October, and November, we should see the grand finale in the last month. As is always pointed out, great December Playmates used to be something of an expectation (Tiffany Fallon, Teles Twins, Lani Todd, Karen McDougal, Elisa Bridges, Barbara Moore...). I really thought we had one in Miss December, Rainy Day Jordan. Rainy had made her way to Playmate status through the Casting Calls circuit (in February) and as a Coed of the Week in April. Her quick ascension brings her to cap off a mystifying, but ultimately satisfying, year.

I initially had a great first impression of Rainy Day when I laid my eyes on her preview pictorial. Since she was extremely unpolished before as a COTW, it was something of a surprise to see her in her comfortable element, posing with a sexy, sinewy frame that looked spectacular in the soft lighting. If the Playmate pictorial only took it from there, I thought, we could have the PMOY on our hands.

But, alas, it didn't quite work out that way. But then again, not so bad either. With Rainy Day, you get kind of a mixed bag. She is certainly unlike other models we've seen this year, with a more unique face and a totally different body type. I feel like the way the pictorial displayed her face in such harsh light really ruined it for me, as it exposed some of the issues with the evenness in her facial skin tone and other features. Rainy's face is certainly her biggest issue, and it reflects poorly when the editors can't get it just right. When it is done right, like in this shot, her pouty lips and gorgeous eyes don't take away from anything at all.

Still, when she's photographed well, she's definitely a wonder. Her skill in front of the camera is among the best we've seen in 2011, and she can lay down some sexual bombshells. But, as in many Playboy pictorials of late, she isn't ever allowed to spread out and explore the boundaries, making the whole thing seem rather restrictive and boring. You can tell that Rainy is one of the more outwardly sexual girls of the year (much more so than Amanda or Ciara), but she's kept in the same box as all of them. There are just too many repetitive shots like this, and not enough creative, freestyle shots like this around.

All in all, when you get down to what makes Miss Jordan unique this year, you can't avoid talking about her body. It's definitely the hottest body of the year. Rainy is the tallest Playmate of 2011 (5' 9") while still having the best waist-hip ratio of any of them (0.647 - the lowest since Dasha Astafieva in 2009). Rainy is perfectly proportioned, gorgeously tanned, and has smooth, almost palpable skin that makes her absolutely stunning in the glow of the photos.

• Face: B
  Rainy's biggest issue, her face just does not come off very attractively in hard light, and the editors use it plenty in her Playmate spread. Although she has penetrating hazel eyes and lovely wispy hair, her sometimes awkward looks detract from an otherwise near-perfect model.
• Body: A+
  Despite being the tallest Playmate of the year, Rainy maintains a rather curvy physique, one with some of the best measurements we've seen in a few years. Her amazing hips and smooth, natural contours are a sight to behold. Her golden brown skin is silky in pictures. This is how and why she got the nod for Playmate, after hitting the scene in under a year.
• Talent: A
  Rainy is probably one of the more unrestrained and freewheeling girls of the 2011 class. Although we only get to see glimpses of her talent, it's definitely there. She maintains a coy, sensual persona throughout, and comes with an attitude that melds Texas farm girl with unbridled enthusiasm.
• Pictorial: B
  While Rainy is a great talent, she got a raw deal when it comes to her final pictorial spread. The meandering, pointless photos follow a familiar cowgirl theme, which is very fitting and sexy, but are executed horribly. The quality of the model saved it with her natural looks, but besides that, it's just uninspired photography.
• Centerfold: B+
  While nothing special, Rainy's centerfold is solidly sexy, and shows off a good amount of her body. The direct look does a good job of depicting her hit-or-miss face.
• Overall: A-
  The year came in with a whimper, but certainly finished with quite a bit of a roar. Rainy Day did a great job of following up some of her highly touted predecessors. With the main attraction being her sexy and perfectly proportioned physique, Miss Jordan was a fine choice for Playmate. Just as in recent months (and years), though, Playboy's editors dropped the ball by inserting an otherwise awesome model into a drab, boring set of photos. The uninspired Western theme was a cookie-cutter choice, and didn't do Rainy justice, just as Ciara was also jilted. Still, Rainy is going to be up there in many fans' lists for Playmate of the Year. Although I doubt she will get too much consideration for the top prize (much more will go to Ciara, Amanda, and Tiffany), Rainy has certainly made her mark on the Class of '11, and will definitely fall in my top 5.

Well, there we have it! All 12 Playmates have been set, and we're ready for PMOY voting to heat up. I'll publish my usual full rundown of all twelve, including my annual ranking, around the end of the year. We had some serious ups and downs this year, but it was all worth it in the end. Thanks for reading!