Still Searching

Ashley Mattingly
Miss March, 2011

Here we are, into the third month of 2011, and we're still looking for a true contender for Playmate of the Year. Sure, Kylie Johnson staked her claim with a couple of fans, and would be my pick so far, but we need a true contender to lead the pack. Yes, it's still early, but none of these girls seem to have much of a shot at all. And March is no different - we have Ashley Mattingly, a hard-bodied 24 year old who can introduce some interesting discussion, but should just be a blip in the long run.

Ashley is your typical "workout buff" Playmate. We have one or two each year; these are girls whose entire claim to Playmatehood rests in their physique, which is often toned, ripped, and hardened beyond the typical leanness that most entries have. This goes beyond the usual hourglass figure or hard abs, but goes to a level of strength that can cross over to being excessive.

That's really all Ashley has to offer. Her body is incredibly powerful, and it's well-advertised in her blurb. She has very toned arms, a stiff, rippled core, and an overall imposing figure. However, it just isn't as attractive as it could be, given the work she's put into it. It's not as nicely shaped as other ladies (even as much as Kylie was), and she can sometimes appear rectangular or boxy in pictures. And through it all, she looks so toned that is downright masculine.

That really is Ashley's biggest flaw - her masculinity. Her body puts across this point, being almost too strong in appearance. But even more than that, her face is just not attractive. It's angular, edgy, and far too manly for my tastes. She just doesn't have much of the femininity and soft features that make a girl beautiful. Even though she's got the fluttery blond locks to complement it, her face is square and unattractive. Is this Playmate just here because she hits the gym very often? I'd think so, since she doesn't really back it up with talent, either.

• Face: C 2011 hasn't been a great year for stunning faces so far, and Ashley just drags it down. Her masculine face is downright ugly, and just gets in the way of her appearance in so many pictures in her collection. Just not up to standards.
• Body: B It is all up to taste, and many people would rate her quite high based on the strength of her physique, but Ashley's body is just too toned and too muscular to be truly attractive. A softly toned look provides a look of vulnerability and femininity, and Ashley misses on these points. She also lacks a butt, which oddly throws off her proportions quite a bit.
• Talent: B+ You can tell Ashley has a sense for nude photography, and knows how to throw in some attractive looks to the camera. Still, her overall appearance hampers her greatly.
• Pictorial: B The glistening shower shots are very good for showing off the details on her impressive body, so they're a good selection. While the black lingerie is questionable, they used it to tone down her imposing looks a little bit, but a more familiar look with street clothes may have been more effective.
• Centerfold: B The centerfold isn't mind-blowing, but does a good job of showing off Ashley's body, and follows the shower theme to give a glimpse of her best.
• Overall: B- Ashley just doesn't measure up, and for unique reasons. She definitely has a body that has taken hours upon hours to perfect. However, this puts her over the top, making her appearance downright unattractive. We've seen workout-freak Playmates in the past who've been very successful (case: Karen McDougal), but these girls had the talent and the facial beauty to complement the physique. In the end, Miss Mattingly is far too manly for the tastes of many, and we've yet to find a truly impactful Playmate in the 2011 class.