To: pml1@yahoogroups.com Subject: [PML1] "Classic" centerfold: Tailor James From: Mark Tomlonson Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 09:26:31 -0400 In the extended essays I have posted about "Classic" centerfolds I've used the word in the "withstand the test of time" sense. Tailor James' centerfold (June 2003) is also a "Classic", but this time in the "following a Classic style" sense. There has been a real sea change at Playboy in terms of the Playmates selected and how they are presented. At least I hope so. The last six, of which Tailor represents the fifth, all have more in common with the Playmates selected in the sixties, the kinds of girls you could meet next door, or at the druggist, or as the receptionist at your dentist's than the their sister Playmates of late. Can we dare hope that the Playmate Factory has shuttered its doors? Has the over-inflated bleached blonde been deflated and put back in the box? Several posters have commented on meeting one of these factory-issue blondes that the women come across much better in person than they did in the PMOM feature. I'm not surprised. It's not that these women are naturally so much alike, Playboy chose to make them look that way. Playboy has always "massaged" the truth about the Playmates to fit what they considered ideal. Only in the last five years or so were they so blatant about it. But in Tailor James' case we see a return to Playboy's roots. It's not the modest pose and Tailor's small figure that does it. While every over-inflated blonde was large breasted, not every large-breasted blonde Playmate fit the factory mold. (Teri Harrison is a prime example). It's that Tailor's figure looks absolutely natural. Further, we see the detail in her hair, her skin, and the texture of the background. And lastly she is more cute than glamourous. I'm not slamming either look as they both have their merits, but the Playmates of the sixties often did their own hair and make-up, and while some oozed glamour (like Joni Mattis and Alison Parks) cute was the look of the day. Even without the bellwether aspects of the centerfold it's one I enjoy very much. It's not 4.0 territory, but there are several really good things about it. I love the throw that Tailor is on. The little rabbit heads look like stars in the sky, with our Angel James the brightest constellation of all. The composition is well balanced overall, with several nice accents. Among them are the art deco sculpture that draws our attention towards her face and the upside down shoes. In this position the shoes cease to become utilitarian items and instead are abstract molds that bring out the shape of Tailor's feet and legs. The best thing about the centerfold is the way Tailor's face has been handled. It is expertly framed by her blonde hair. She's been turned so she is both cute and alluring. I can't say enough how nice it is to get enough skin and hair textures so that we don't confuse Tailor with a Stepford Wife. Just because Tailor is not a Stepford Playmate doesn't mean that Playboy has stopped packaging their Playmates. I seem to remember that Tailor might be the Girl Next Door only if you live next door to a club with a vertical brass pole and $5 drinks. Maybe I'm remembering wrong. I am one of several people who railed against the plastic, factory issue Playmate on this List. I also have expressed on several occasions my bitter disappointment that PEI seemed to be abandoning the photo quality that worked so hard to obtain. I don't know if PEI listened to us or corrected these things on their own. Either way, I hope this change is one of long standing. The last Playmate I would categorize as factory issue was Charis Boyle. While I wish her and all of her sisters the best fortune possible, I hope that they will become a distinct minority in the pages of Our Favorite Magazine. Instead, I hope the trends over the last years for creative, even witty PMOM features and centerfolds and women of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities gracing the gatefold continues. Photographer: Arny Freytag Scoring: Pin-up: 2.0 Erotic: 3.0 Artistic: 2.5 Overall: 2.4 out of 4.0 Cyber Club Portfolio Photo I like better than the Centerfold: none of them seem to catch the same snap as the centerfold http://cyber.playboy.com/members/playmates/files/2003/06/centerfold.html Mark Tomlonson Kalamazoo MI