Monday, August 11, 2008

Calm Before The Storm

So here we are, in August, deep into 2008. We've got plenty of girls under our belt, and we see an erratic array of Playmates in the new class of '08 with little semblance of any momentum. We had a weak start with Sandra Nilsson and Michelle McLaughlin, and had disappointments like Regina Deutinger and Laura Croft. Ida Ljungqvist is the only challenger to fan favorite Juliette Frette so far, but not very convincingly. Ultimately, we've got a situation where we are still looking for a good contingent of 3 or 4 girls, as in most years, that can compete for the 2009 Playmate of the Year crown.

This month, we were dealt another middle-of-the-road girl. Sure, we saw another Playmate with beautiful, charming qualities, but Kayla Collins, Miss August, isn't PMOY material, that's just the truth. Kayla looks beautiful and radiant, and is a pretty decent poser with quite a bit of talent, and has promise in that she's an atypical Playboy blonde. She has a look that is distinguishable, which earns her some points on many fronts.

Kayla's first engaging photo is this one, a nice side shot with a nice bit of lighting and a contrastic look reminiscent of Michelle McLaughlin earlier this year. That face of hers, also, is a thing of beauty. Kayla is certainly a fun girl to look at, and her pictorial isn't as weak of Regina's or AJ's... it's got a bit of substance. A lovely picture like this is something that we haven't seen so far this year, so it was very welcome. That shot really is a nice one, complete with that platinum hair contrasting with her cherry tan and full body underneath subtle lingerie.

Through the photography that Playboy introduced in Kayla's pictorial, the audience is shown a fair amount of her gorgeous skin tone. That's a major part of her look: her soft and passive features. They go very well with her natural-looking breasts and fuller body figure. Yes, as you go further in her pictorial, you can notice Kayla's smaller frame coming through in photos, and also see that she's a slightly voluptuous girl with wider hips and a full frame. It's sexy and different, and so it sets her apart from the platinum blonde look that plagues Playmates of her genre so often. Kayla ends her pictorial by laying back and getting sexual, showing her lusty legs in a great vantage point.

Ultimately, I spent some time with Kayla's pictorial and, honestly, it grew on me. Kayla is very cute and very beautiful, and it would be unfair to overlook that and label her in some way. She's really good at what she does, and I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to seeing her as PMOY, but I'd be afraid that she'd turn into another Kara Monaco, and Playboy doesn't need that this year. In the end, Kayla's good, not great.




Consensus... B

Kayla Collins
Miss August 2008





In the meantime, Friday is bound to be a highly anticipated day in the world of Playboy, as we wait to check out the long-awaited Valerie Mason who is slated to be Miss September. Valerie was first featured on The Girls Next Door, Playboy's TV show. Since then, her personal photos have caused plenty of hype, and she's suspected to be the first major contender for PMOY frontrunner Juliette Frette. I must say, if anyone can do it, Valerie very well can. She looks absolutely stunning, has a knockout body, and looks unlike any other girl I've ever seen in Playboy. Starting Friday and into September, we'll be looking forward to seeing how Miss Mason can change 2008 for the better (finally...)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don´t like her, for me she is the most mystake from this year, worst then A.J. Alexander and Sandra Nilsson. She looks like a commum model from BOL and nothing else. And her pictorial is just like Julie Clarke or Michelle McLaughlin, nothing new, nothing inspired, so for me she is not only C, she and her pictorial is D!!! And what about Valerie? I was seeing her Preview right now, and Playboy sucked her, their productions got her so ugly! What the hell was that snake? Another disapointed girl, and that´s why it will be easy to Juliette Frette become the next PMOY. Go, Juliette!

Anonymous said...

have to agree--the preview shots are incredibly disappointing. I think there's still a chance for a good pictorial, but so far not great. And yeah--the snake? Who the hell's idea was that?

d.r.

PlayboyCritic said...

I'm not sure what to think... I'm still really excited about Valerie. When she loses the snake by the end of the pictorial and just looks into the camera, her face is stunning. It's just so unique and her eyes are just amazing, so she still impresses me. You guys are right about that snake though. Yeesh.

Anonymous said...

I don´t know... maybe I am wrong, because we haven´t Valerie´s pictorial yet, but for me she was a promise but taking a good look at her preview I have almost no doubt that she is a flop! I don´t know what´s happening to Playboy... the 2009 class has been the most weak ever. I never had seeen a year with so many ugly girls and mediocre pictorials like we are having this year. It´s a shame! Till now only Juliette Frette and Laura Croft has my trully admiration and votes to PMOY.

Anonymous said...

She doesn't float my boat either, maybe it's the platinum blonde thing. I actually like AJ a lot. As for Valerie, no connection either.

Anonymous said...

Hey Dude, I made my own Top´25 Playmates. It was a hard work to find only 25 girls in so many years since 87 (the year that I found Playboy). I could tell you why I choose them, but it´s gonna take me too much time. All I can say is that FOR ME me these girls are perfect in so many ways of beauty and sexy appeal, here they are:

01 Dalene Kurtis (September 01)
02 Kata Karkainnen (December 88)
03 Jennifer Walcott (August 01)
04 Erika Ekeniak (July 89)
05 Janine Habeck (September 06)
06 Julie Clarke (March 91)
07 Carmella DeCesare (April 03)
08 Victoria Silvstedt (December 96)
09 Terry Lynn Doss (July 88)
10 Lisa Marie Scott (February 95)
11 Tawnni Cable (June 89)
12 Corinna Harney (August 91)
13 Tiffany Taylor (November 98)
14 Elisa Bridges (December 94)
15 Jami Ferrel (January 97)
16 Brandi Brandt (October 87)
17 Lani Todd (December 02)
18 Tiffany Fallon (December 04)
19 Amanda Paige (October 05)
20 Monica Leigh (March 06)
21 Kelly Monaco (April 97)
22 Morena Corwin (September 92)
23 Krista Kelly (April 04)
24 Karen McDougal (December 97)
25 Teri Marie Harrison (October 02)

Anonymous said...

Playboy Critic's Corner (PCC) offers intelligent and well-written reviews of Playmates and Cyber Girls, quite a departure from the posts made at PB's own Cyber Club Forum.

Getting to the the issue of potential PMOY 2009 candidates, I agree in part with what PLAYBOYCRITIC suggests.

First off, JULIETTE FRETTE does have that certain star quality. She's no favorite of mine but it's ummistakable that she could be the leading contender for PMOY. I find her face not quite as appealing as her figure, which to her credit is all-natural and curvaceous. And that she's a blonde is of course always a major plus where PMOYs are concerned. The fact that PMOY 2008, JAYDE NICOLE, is a token brunette all but guarantees next year will return a blonde.

Given that, both IDA LJUNGQVIST and VALERIE MASON are already disadvantaged. My first impression of Valerie, in her Playmate Exclusives feature, was positive thanks to a pretty face. But like a tasty treat, she wears out her welcome with even moderate exposure. Her "enhanced" figure doesn't help matters either. The more I read and found out about her, the less appealing she became, so chalk her up as one of those Playmates who hits 'ya hard but doesn't stick with you. I've seen her hardcopy PM pictorial featuring the ballerina theme and it's cute but doesn't change matters.

Quite the opposite, Ida Ljungqvist in any other year would have to be THE major condender for PMOY, but as with Valerie, I fear it's a blonde's turn again, if not for the next two years. When first seeing Ida, I was stunned and even her many Cyber Club closeup pictures don't diminish her appeal. Here's one Playmate who really stands up to close scrutiny and always presents a new and exciting expression on her lovely face. The enhanced breasts are unfortunate and frankly unnecessary, except that she no doubt plans to do much more modelling. Maybe she'll become a Playboy catalog favorite..? I recall on the Cyber Club forums how Ida received many positive comments, so she does have a core following, including me. If by some chance Hef et al decide on a surprise -- a second brunette PMOY in a row -- then surely Ida would be among the top Playmates in the running.

If we don't rule out brunettes, also watch for a possible dark horse in LAURA CROFT. She truly has an unassuming, everyday, appeal rather in keeping with the Playmate ideal.

I otherwise agree with playboycritic's summary of the remaining 2008s. REGINA DEUTINGER could have a distant chance against Juliette, but the way her hardcopy pictorial and Cyber Club feature were so underwhelming, it's not likely at all.

All this assumes that the remaining four 2008 Playmates won't be noteworthy. Yet we know that the fall and winter often produce some outstanding Playmates, so let's watch carefully!

Anonymous said...

Kayla was simply stunning and my #1 choice for PMOY.

Silvio, many readers have Dalene Curtis as #1 playmate. Almost every fansite has Dalene as the best. I always thought of her as a beautiful stripper, but she has really grown on me over the years.