The advertisement, stacked in the newspaper classifieds above a casting notice for country-Western musicians, carried an irresistible headline:
”LADIES–The ultimate personal gift for your man.”
Why is it that the lack of detail somehow drags your imagination into the gutter? Visions of plain brown wrappers dance in your head.
There is brown-wrapper potential here, but only if you supply the goods. The ”ultimate gift” is a calendar–a cheesecake calendar that its creator said was fashioned in the pin-up tradition of Rita Hayworth and Ava Gardner.
And you are the calendar girl.
”It`s a way to get your face in front of your man every single day,”
said Orlando photographer Jim Turner, who suggests that your man carry these calendars in his car or hang them in his den or office.
The calendars cost from $20 to $240, depending on size, number of pictures and whether color is used. The top of the line is an 8-by-9-inch color calendar with 12 poses. The calendars are spiral bound, and the photos and calendar pages can be detached for updating.
Turner`s wife, Suzanna, is his creative consultant. She theorizes that your man won`t want to look at another woman if he has you on the wall. Those desktop portraits of you are gathering dust. Here is a guarantee that your man will consult you at least once a day, even if it`s only to check the date.
”He`s Looking At You, Kid!” says the calendar brochure.
Navy wives have posed for their men at sea and fiances for the men they plan to marry. Women whose marriages are in trouble have posed, hoping to revive their husbands` interest. One woman had two calendars made for two boyfriends. Men have called wanting to pose, too, but Turner doesn`t do a male version.
During a ”pre-shoot conference,” the 50-year-old photographer asks a would-be calendar girl about her man and uses the answers to customize the photographs. What is his favorite color? What does he think is most or least sexy about you?
In the studio, many of the women fret about fat and other physical flaws. But Turner, who was in industrial sales before he got into photography full time, doesn`t worry. ”I know how to hide the deficiencies,” said Turner, who has lingerie, props and makeup to assist.
