Four Jet Bunnies wave from the wing of the Big Bunny, Playboy's private jet, in 1969. Photo by Carl Iri.
The bespoke Playboy Bunny suit is an icon of Americana and a one-of-a-kind uniform—often imitated, never surpassed.
When the Playboy Bunny suit made its club debut on February 29, 1960 in Chicago, it was missing a few notable elements that have come to be an expected part of the outfit—namely, the tuxedo collar and cuffs and the name-tage rosette. Besides those key addtions—and the notable subtraction of fabric via a higher-cut leg line—the world-famous costume has remained remarkably stable across the decades. Tribute, we think, to how great it was to begin with.
Here are the essential elements of the sexiest work uniform in the world:
SATIN EARS
Worn crooked or straight, the Bunny ears offer the wearer a form of subtle self-expression.
BLACK BOWTIE
The Playboy Bunny’s delicate balance of playfulness and sophistication starts here.
BESPOKE SUIT
Custom-made and hand-tailored to each and every Playboy Bunny, the suit creates a silhouette recognizable from a mile off.
PLAYBOY CUFFLINKS
Bunnies ensure that the little silver Rabbit Heads on their cufflinks face each other, or "kiss.”
Illustration by Katie Bailie
ROSETTE NAME TAG
The individualized nameplate is worn on the hip, which is eye-level for seated customers—learning names has never been such a pleasure.
FLUFFY TAIL
The final touch to complete the costume, the tail sits centered at the small of the Bunny’s back.
CRISP WHITE CUFFS
Added, along with the bowtie and collar, in 1961, the cuffs caused the world to ask, "Who needs sleeves?”
NUDE + BLACK TIGHTS
The early Bunnies doubled up, layering black pantyhose over nude tights.
STILETTO PUMPS
Bunny pumps historically match the colour of the suit but today are commonly worn in black.