Stuck in a Rut

It's really tough to explain just how poor this year's Playmate class has been. It isn't just a down year - I have not rated any of the women so far this year higher than a B+, and that has not happened in quite some time. Decades, even. If the trend keeps up (which I don't believe it will), this could be the worst Playmate class in a long time.

With Miss August, I thought that help was in sight. We've had some inconsistency in posing, as well as some truly uninspired posing styles, but here came busty Ukrainian Iryna Ivanova, with a fresh face and lustrous eyes, who could perhaps inject some sizzle into a dismally cold and boring class.

Unfortunately, this isn't the savior we're looking for.

Iryna is, to put it straight, a very one-dimensional model. She has a very intriguing face and a buxom body that may be appealing to many, but she just does not have the gravitas and posing ability that an A-class Playmate needs to possess. Instead, Iryna just appears to lack a true identity in her posing, although taking viewers on a decent ride through a colorful pictorial.

Iryna's pictorial is not revolutionary by any means, but it is still well-executed and has a beautiful summertime feel that is wholly appropriate, obviously. However, it isn't always clear in it that Iryna is the perfect model for the setting. With this model, full-on body shots just look awkward and wrong, and her body often looks too sloppy and voluptuous to be photographed this way. Instead, Iryna excels when prone, with her sexy, slick lower half taking center stage. When she's pictured this way, she shows her curvy attributes without letting her rather silly looking breasts hang out in the breeze rather awkwardly.

This severely limits the way the editors were able to use Iryna, and you notice that they have her lying down flat for much of the pictorial, and this is where she is at her best. Otherwise, she just doesn't look all that appealing. If there is, however, one redeeming factor, it is her alluring face. Although she doesn't change up her expression much, and her forehead is a bit too large when not covered up by her bangs, she has some interesting facial features, particularly her amazing, sparkling eyes. Those dark, large eyes are something to behold, but can't make up for her other shortcomings, unfortunately.

• Face: A-
  Although her forehead is a bit large when not obscured by her hair, her face is soft, beautifully proportioned, and cute. Her deep, piercing eyes are full of intrigue, but she has a hard time "selling" her expressionless looks in her pictorial.
• Body: B
  With a more voluptuous and curvy body, Iryna is nice to look at when laying prone or in particular poses. When fully exposed, she suffers due to her strange, overly large breasts that are oddly proportioned even considering her larger frame.
• Talent: B-
  Iryna's pictorial is solid, but the model is certainly not. She often does nothing to counteract the her physical drawbacks, looking lost and disinterested throughout. She has an overly passive posing style that could not possibly get her any recognition further into the year.
• Pictorial: B+
  Iryna's pictorial is her one saving grace, with the editors doing a decent job of getting her into poses that suit her less physical style and body type. The entire production is colorful and includes some sexy bedroom scenes, but ultimately were wasted on the wrong girl.
• Centerfold: A-
  It might end up being the finest centerfold shot of the year, with a beautifully executed pose and an awesome shot of her nuanced face and engaging eyes.
• Overall: B
  Iryna came in with some promise, but leaves in the same fashion that nearly every other model has so far in 2011. There is virtually nothing that will leave an impression in viewers' minds, and besides her deep, beautiful eyes, she doesn't physically have much to leave behind, either. She has very minimal posing talent, taking on an almost oblivious look to executing her pictorial. Besides a very well-done centerfold, her pictorial is extremely hit-or-miss. But again, what else would be expect from a 2011 class that has seen all of these issues, and more? When putting all the models in perspective, Iryna is at par or above when it comes to aspects of the current crop of ladies. While the final few months of the year show some promise (Tiffany Toth, the very interesting Amanda Cerny, and Ciara Price), I will hold my judgement until we see the goods. I have great hope that our PMOY will come out of the end of the year, but only time will tell.

Taking The Lead

After a very lackluster start to the 2011 Playmate class, it's time that things start to turn around and we see some really solid talent. The ladies so far have been very disappointing - up until now, Jaclyn Swedberg is probably the strongest of the candidates for PMOY '12, but her grip is anything but steady. All of the girls have been flawed, particularly in the area of true, raw talent. No one so far has been able to make an impression quite like Amy Andrews or Katie Vernola were able to do with such ease last year.

Here we are in July, with 27 year old bombshell Jessa Hinton coming in as Playmate of the Month. Initially, I had some major reservations about Miss Hinton's entry into this already weak class. Jessa was featured as Cyber Girl of the Month prior to this appearance, and her seemingly one-dimensional style put me off quite a bit. Her preview pictorial did nothing to assuage my lack of confidence. However, with her pictorial, she's proven quite a bit indeed.

As a poser, Jessa is certainly helped by her excellent size (5'8") and body proportions. Her long, buxom frame photographs extremely well, and her hard, chiseled midsection is certainly nice to behold. Jessa's overall appearance is a bit darker and more sexually raw than other ladies we've seen this year. We've gotten used to seeing some general watering down of Playmate pictorials, with a particular problem arising in the models being reluctant to expose too much in photos. Jessa, however, brings it back in force, not being afraid to bare her sexy labia.

Jessa may gather mixed reviews, as many will be put off by her obvious enhancements and sometimes plastic look. I, however, was pleasantly surprised by her sense of presence in front of the camera, and felt as though she really has a good grasp of posing that can easily outweigh any physical flaws she may have. Jessa can simply hit some excellent poses, such as this one, which show her range of skill by photographing her body in motion-based angles, using an active posing motif rather than a passive one.

To really tie it together, Jessa has a really intriguing face, which sold me on her being a very worthy Playmate entry. While her sharp eyebrows and angular facial features may turn some off, I was attracted to her slanted, exotic eyes and full lips. Jessa is a bit of an enigma in a lot of ways, and her face is a microcosm for the type of model she is - one that is sure to cause debate in her worthiness to lead the 2012 race.

• Face: B+
  Many may find Jessa's face to be the deciding factor in either loving or hating her appearance as a Playmate, but for me, it is certainly one of her strengths. Her intriguing, smoky, and squinting eyes along with a strong jawline with some lovely, full, parted lips are unique and very engaging in photographs.
• Body: B+
  Although her breast enhancements and overproduction in photos may serve as a flaw in the eyes of many, Jessa's tough and tall frame totally makes up for them. Her posing style plays in very well with the way she engulfs photos with her photogenic legs and abs, and her subtle curves also keep her looking balanced from head to toe.
• Talent: A-
  Jessa is certainly keenly aware of the camera, and visibly understands how to strike some excellent poses. While she has some issues being consistent, Jessa's in-your-face approach complements her physique with style.
• Pictorial: B+
  While not taking any real risks, the Playboy producers did a very good job alternating outfits and keeping the pictorial as physical as possible. With an active poser such as Jessa, the focus is kept on her movement and great height, and this helps the audience see what she has to offer.
• Centerfold: B+
  Jessa's centerfold does what her pictorial does so well - it showcases her lower body very well. Although it misses the boat with her facial expression and doesn't truly convey the type of model she is, the shot is a sexy one.
• Overall: B+
  Jessa won't win over every Playboy fan out there, but her introduction as Playmate has been undeniably justified. She is a sharp poser with plenty of skill, but more than that, she carves out a unique niche among the ladies in the 2011 class that will endure. She may not have the polished look of Jaclyn Swedberg or the bubbly likeability of Anna Berglund, but she does what she does well, which is raw, physical posing. With a more complex and involved pictorial, we would have been able to understand her better, but with her intriguing face and great body, she is a surprisingly solid entry for the 2012 PMOY race. She is currently my frontrunner for the title next year, although she is certainly not a dominant favorite for the win. Let's hope this roll continues, with a very interesting Eastern European Miss August just around the corner.

2011 PMOY Review

As everyone saw coming several weeks ago, this year's Playmate of the Year is Claire Sinclair, Miss October 2010. It came as a bit of a surprise to many, including myself, that Claire was able to nudge out some stiff competition. 2010 was an excellent and very deep Playmate class, as I reviewed months ago.

With some awesome candidates like Amy Andrews, Katie Vernola, and Jamie Faith Edmondson, it seems strange that Playboy would go with a Playmate who comes from complete left-field to take the title. Although Claire was at #5 on my ranking, it comes as a bit of a disappointment. Claire has talent, and is undoubtedly a pretty girl, but she just doesn't have the all-around package that a PMOY really should have.

Claire lacks the body of a Playmate, and although there's nothing wrong with a few curves, her body is just not very photogenic. Her pale skin and lack of sleek, tight contours really hampers her appearance. The biggest issue with her, however, is her gimmicky look. Her entire PMOY pictorial stands as a perfect example: it showcases Claire in over-the-top "pinup" style poses, which is creative, but incredibly tacky. When it all comes down to it, fans just want to see some comfortable, sexual posing with intimacy and grace, like all the greats have done it. Miss Sinclair completely misses that boat, lookin overproduced and silly in a cartoonish beach setting, or in a bizarre bunny costume.

When it comes down to it, Claire is a sensible choice for PMOY. She's a bit of a risky pick, but it's somewhat refreshing to see a throwback girl take the title. On the other hand, it always feels like a whole lot is missing whenever Claire poses, and it leaves an empty feeling throughout her pictorials. The overdone pinup girl thing is cute for a while, but as in every great Playboy model, keeping it simple is always a great rule of thumb.

---

So, another year has gone by, and another Playmate prediction has gone awry. To be more accurate, I never "predict" the winner in my PMOY rankings, but merely identify who I think should win. So, let's take a look back at my picks for the ultimate Playboy title, and see who's won the prize instead for the last 10 years.

Year	My Pick	Winner	Winner's PBC Ranking
2011	Amy Leigh Andrews	Claire Sinclair	#5
2010	Jessica Burciaga	Hope Dworaczyk	#8
2009	Juliette Frette	Ida Ljungqvist	#3
2008	Brittany Binger	Jayde Nicole	#3
2007	Monica Leigh	Sara Jean Underwood	#2
2006	Raquel Gibson	Kara Monaco	#3
2005	Tiffany Fallon	Tiffany Fallon	#1
2004	Carmella DeCesare	Carmella DeCesare	#1
2003	Teri Harrison	Christina Santiago	#5
2002	Jennifer Walcott	Dalene Kurtis	#3
2001	Shannon Stewart	Brande Roderick	#7

Ouch. Well, here's to next year!