#20 - Julie McCullough

Julie McCullough was Miss February 1986, in an era where she turned the Playboy world upside-down. The late 80's marked a total shift in thinking from the Playmate style that permeated the 80's... big hair, tight clothes, sweat, and makeup. But it took girls like Julie to change things to a more modernized, natural feel, taking away the element of the "processed" girl and putting in a new type of lady. Before Julie, the 80's were in full swing, but she marked a change, after which names like Lynn Austin, Ava Fabian, Sandy Greenberg, and the oh-so-unique Kata Karkkainen took over and made the art of being a Playmate into a refined practice.

But it was Julie who started it all. One of the most important Playmates of all-time, she was graceful and gorgeous, smooth and delectable all at once. Her long body and Hawaiian-born charm made for an incredible Playmate. With a petite 115 lb. frame and 36-24-35 proportions, Julie was a blonde bombshell with plenty of spunk to light up a pictorial, and boy did she ever. It's tough to explain Julie's immeasurable appeal without looking at her photos. Her face is unlike any other. She doesn't resemble the typical blond cookie-cutter Playmate of Playboy lore. She's something unique, and was a treasure in the annals of Playboy. So let's take a look.

Julie's pictorial begins with photos like Pic 02, which is a candid look at a sense of sexuality that didn't yet emerge until the late 80's. But Julie's real essence isn't felt until midway through the pictorial, where she gets into her "map" photos. This photo is a playful McCullough classic, where her crotch is easily visible, and a careless mood in a lacy little nothing is carried very well by such a beautiful girl. The blowing of her hair in the wind and the outdoor atmosphere adds to it, as well. Julie can look like a mean, lean starlet when she wants to, like in Pic 18. This photo is an edgier side of Julie, and she can mix it up with a sexy, girl next door look with those exotic eyes. The thing that made Julie awesome was her wistfulness, and ability to convey emotion through her photos. She was satisfied and confident at all times. But one pictorial theme clearly sticks out: the at-home lingerie posing. This photo kicks it off, and immediately you can see why Julie was one of the best. She oozed sex in these pictures, as she turned her shirt, exposed her firm breasts, and posed with amazing posture. Julie's fitness and proportions show off in this photo. Julie finally surrenders, laying in a feminine, alluring pose.

What Julie brought to the 80's was passion and heart. She took posing as a Playmate to a whole new level, and that's why she's my #20 greatest Playmate of all-time. A true legend in her own right, this Hawaiian-born natural beauty leaped into the hearts of readers and fans all around. She's also the only the start, as we're only a fifth of the way through our countdown. Can more classics be on the way? Or will we see Playmates of the golden era of the late 1990's dominate?