The seductive allure of Marilyn Monroe is as powerful now as it was in Hollywood’s Golden Age, her beauty and glamour have been immortalized in the movie There’s No Business Like Show Business, turning her into a legend no one will ever surpass. Women with angelical faces and seductive bodies are irresistible and this unique mixture has inspired artists across the globe.
The question we should be asking is: What happens in the real world, where beauty is touched by the cold hand of time? Even the most exquisite skin is not immune to its power. Many men and women have found comfort in admiring the beauty of historic icons like Brigitte Bardot, Twiggy, Catherine Deneuve, Anita Ekberg, among others. While in the real world their seductive figures begin to change under the pressure of time.
It is normal for people to age, but we somehow delude ourselves into thinking that the beautiful remain perpetually so. The contrast between the before and after of former Playboy Bunnies is an example of the cruel games time plays with humans. The girls who once made men tremble with desire, revolutionized old customs, and welcomed nudity into the world magazines, have changed.
It was during the 1960s that Hugh Hefner, mastermind of Playboy, created a new concept of women. They dressed in corsets, cuffs, shirt collars, and the iconic bunny ears and tail. They were waitresses at the company bar and they attended exclusive parties.
Today this is how they look like:
Cheryl Hill-Gallucci. She is now an interior designer.
Barbara Drumgoole is a tour guide in a museum.
Miko Nakamura became a retailer of martial arts equipment.
Rita Plank works for a charity for dog rescue and adoption.
Debbie Cleffie now owns a 24 hour Spa.
Sandy Speier became a teacher after being a Playboy bunny.
Barbara Holstein stopped being a bunny at the age of 33. She says Hugh Hefner paid for her tuition and helped her build a future beyond Playboy.
Marsha Callender is grateful for the experiences she had during her time at Playboy, since it helped her gain confidence in herself.
Pam Jabos is a travel agent.
All photos belong to Sara Naomi Lewkowicz.
