March 1954 features Dolores Del Monte, a model whose journey to Playboy was both serendipitous and emblematic of the era's pin-up culture. Born on March 15, 1932, in Spokane, Washington, Del Monte harbored aspirations of modeling from a young age. At 19, she participated in a calendar shoot, which included both swimsuit and nude photographs. Unbeknownst to her, one of these images was selected for Playboy's March issue.
Del Monte remained unaware of her Playboy feature until years later when her son discovered her pictorial in a 25th-anniversary retrospective. Reflecting on this revelation, she expressed a mix of embarrassment and pride. In a 2014 interview with The New Yorker, Del Monte remarked on the evolving nature of modeling, noting that contemporary models "show too much" and affirming that she would never model again. Her experience underscores the often-unexpected paths that led many women to become Playmates during Playboy's early years.
