Playboy Magazine – November 1968 — a standout late-'60s issue steeped in style, politics, and iconic imagery.
Volume 15, Number 11 | Published by Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
Pages: Approx. 200 pp. | Glossy, full-color print
Playmate of the Month: Paige Young
A striking West Coast beauty, Paige’s pictorial is sultry and sun-drenched — radiating bohemian sensuality with a touch of melancholy mystique.
Photographed by William Figge and Ed DeLong, her centerfold is lush and painterly — soft golden light, artfully arranged poses, and a breezy California backdrop.
Paige would later become a figure of intrigue in Playboy lore due to her tragic fate, making this issue particularly collectible and emotionally resonant.
Cover Model: Paige Young appears on the cover, making this issue a complete showcase of her iconic presence.
The cover features her in a coy, carefree pose with a fresh-faced, natural beauty vibe — very reflective of the shifting feminine aesthetic of the late '60s: more real, less pin-up.
A bold and groundbreaking interview with one of the most powerful women in entertainment.
Streisand, still in her 20s, speaks with surprising candor about fame, feminism, Jewish identity, politics, and the pressure to be both glamorous and respected in Hollywood.
An extremely rare early interview that captures a future legend at a moment of raw ambition and honesty.
Short fiction by Stanley Elkin — a biting, humorous story rich with irony and social critique.
Literary satire and essays reflecting the anxieties and absurdities of postmodern America.
A cultural exposé on "Generation Gap America" — a smart, forward-thinking piece analyzing how young people were reshaping society’s values around war, love, work, and rebellion.
Essays on the upcoming 1968 election, touching on Nixon, Humphrey, Wallace, and the political disarray following the Chicago Democratic Convention.
Fall fashion guide for men: deep browns, bold plaids, turtlenecks, leather jackets — rugged but sophisticated.
Interior design features lean into modern masculinity: warm woods, abstract art, minimalist furnishings — bachelor pads with soul.
Travel features on Morocco and Spain — exotic, mysterious, and filled with flair.
Playmate pictorial (Paige Young): Emotional, dreamy, and grounded — she feels like a real woman, not a mannequin. There’s something almost cinematic about her spread, like a story unfolding.
Artistic photo essays:
A themed shoot titled something akin to “The Muses of Modern Art” — combining nude forms with surreal, Dali-inspired props.
Bold black-and-white photography exploring shadows and symmetry — more art gallery than cheesecake.
A cheeky cartoon spread from Shel Silverstein, who continued to inject humor and edge into the magazine’s DNA.
Hefner continues his defense of civil liberties and sexual freedom, now incorporating a more forceful stance on government overreach, conservative backlash, and the growing tension between generations.
He comments on violence vs. vice, arguing for reason and tolerance in a time of national panic.
Released just days after the tumultuous 1968 election, and on the heels of an America fractured by war, assassination, and protest, this issue reflects Playboy's evolving role as both style authority and social barometer.
It's not just sexy — it's deeply current, echoing the questions of a country in transition:
What does freedom mean in a police state?
Can a woman be both a star and a power?
Is beauty still radical?
Paige Young’s appearance adds gravity to the issue, her haunting legacy giving depth to her timeless beauty.