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...)