In its glory years Playboy seemed very obvious from the outside: some nude pictures, articles on the best cocktails and some tips on how to get the girl but underneath was ideas and personalities that were fighting the status quo. Championing sex outside marriage, challenging traditional gender roles, support of women's rights to reproductive freedom, articles focusing on politics and economics and pieces by writers like Kurt Vonnegut, Hunter S. Thompson, Jack Kerouac, Margaret Atwood and Vladimir Nabokov Playboy had all the ingredients to make not only an entertaining men's magazine but one that was intelligent and cultural significant that demonstrated the changing values and beliefs of society. 

On a more personal level I sometimes love to search the internet for old covers and photo shots for inspiration so along with this piece I have included my favourite vintage Playboy covers. Enjoy and remember you can't read a book by its cover or reputation.