Bianca Valley of the Dolls

I’m still making my way through the photos.

Bianca Balti apparently won Rookie of the Year. Her pics are pretty beautiful. This is one of the most perfect topless shots I’ve ever seen. Just classic.

And speaking of topless, I was just noticing how clearly you can see Bianca’s nipples in some of the more sheer tops she wears…

When I did a double-take. This is just straight-up out-there topless.

I actually wondered if it was just an extremely sheer top she was wearing, but nope. Nothing at all.

No see-through wet tank top, no netting, no subtle black silhouette against the sky. No attempt to conceal it play it down or airbrush it out. It’s just free boobs.

It’s even in the still for her Rookie of the Year video, though that shot doesn’t seem to appear in the video itself.

Would these be the first ever truly topless shots in the swimsuit issue?

Amazing how in five short years we went from this:

 …to this:

This seems like a bit of a test to see if it would fly. I wouldn’t be surprised if next year, or maybe the year after that, we get full-on, well-lit nude breasts.

It's fascinating for this to happen so soon after Playboy’s experiment with covering them up.

Not sure how I feel about it, but a part of me is certainly titillated.

Has the Swimsuit Issue Gotten Too Explicit? (4)

When I did a recent post about the acknowledgement (or lack thereof) of the models’ nether-regions, I realized I forgot to include this Kate Upton shot.

Just like the Julie Henderson “One time, at band camp…” pic, this was put up on the official SI Swimsuit Issue Facebook page, with the predictable crude responses by internet dimwits.

On the other hand, there’s a subgenre of shots that feature that area of the model’s body in a way that gives it a bit of a divine look.

Light from the sun flares through the “gap,” creating a bit of a halo.

Definitely not an accident.

Sinful yet holy, hidden yet accentuated, scorned yet praised. I’m sure there’s some deep feminist social criticism to be constructed here, but my job is mainly to observe and enjoy.

One-Piece Wednesday: Jessica Perez, 2012

I thought for sure I'd already posted these lovely photos of Jessica.

 2012 was a great year for her.

• • •

UPDATE: Found this Polaroid online somewhere, thought it would make a nice addition.

Those We Lost: Jessica Perez

*Model search.

I was always a big fan of Jessica. She was one of my two favorites for the model search that introduced her to SI. And I thought she had a wonderful 2012.

Her 2013 was not as transcendent for me. They seemed to put her in skimpier suits that didn’t necessarily complement her figure: bottoms with a concave cut that wasted her wonderful circular hips, teeny tops that frankly would have been sexier with a little more coverage. (For example.)

Also, she seemed more sullen in 2013, which fought against her pixie charm.

So, I blame the wardrobe/photography/retouch departments for those photos, and I’ll miss her—I was a little surprised the she wasn’t back for another year.

2011

2012

2013

That's the Way the Rookie Crumbles 2013

It’s high time for the annual retrospective on rookie survival.

2012 brought us six new girls, only three of whom reappeared in 2013. We were treated to more Adaora, Jessica Perez, and Nina Agdal. But sadly, we lost Crystal Renn, Kirby Griffin, and Michelle Vawer.

This means, of course, that by winning a model search contest, and then not subsequently remaining a one-hit wonder, Jessica has broken the Swimsuit Contest Curse.

My biggest disappointment is losing Michelle Vawer. I thought she was pretty stunning.

Meanwhile, of the three rookies who survived from 2011 to 2012, we still have two. Kate Upton (of course):

…and Alyssa Miller.

This picture destroys me.

Meaning that after two issues, we say goodbye to Izabel Goulart.

Happy trails, Izabel!

I Feel Like a Real Ass

I failed to celebrate Butt Appreciation Day, which was Thursday, March 14.

2013 was a nice year for posteriors, so let's take all our pics from that issue.

Random Notes

Kate Upton’s been busy. This week, you’ll see her on the cover of Cosmopolitan.

There she will model jeans shorts and lingerie.

• • • In August, Kate was almost unrecognizable as she posed naked, swimsuited, and otherwise in some 70s glam shots for a magazine called Contributor.

• • • And about a month ago, Kate and Chrissy Teigen became spokesmodels for Skullcandy headphones.

• • • Last month, Chrissy and Brooklyn visited the troops in the Middle East through USO Entertainment.

• • • A couple finalists for the 2011 model search (won by Jessica Perez) made some news recently. Elisandra Tomacheski:

…is a new featured model for Luli Fama swimwear:

…a company that is responsible for these suits from the 2012 issue:

(For which they are to be thanked joyously.)

And Catrinel Menghia:

…is the new face (and body) of Peter Hahn Lingerie:

She was also the Fiat 500 Abarth personified in this Super Bowl commercial from February.

• • • And we end with another shot of SI model nudity. Stephanie Seymour has posed for something called i-D magazine.

There’s full-on, you-can-see-everything nudity at that link, so take necessary precautions. (She looks good.)

Happy Birthday, Jessica Perez

I believe today is the birthday of model-search winner Jessica Perez.

I’m quite taken with her, that elfin face, those circular hips that are perfect for retro lingerie or swimwear:

Of course, if you’d rather see her in some more contemporary lingerie, there are some giant photos here and there online, where you can practically count her pores.

I don’t think there’s a disappointing photo in her 2012 offerings, and I’m looking forward to more of her in 2013.