15. The Manual Dictated How to Wear Heels and Smoke Cigarettes
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, but smoking cigarettes was no simple matter for Playboy Bunnies. The Bunny Manual had particular instructions on how to smoke cigarettes in a feminine and pretty fashion. Bunnies were to take only one delicate drag at a time and rest the cigarette on an ashtray between pulls. They were also to hold them alluringly between the index and middle finger, with a thumb on the filter, in what was called the “women’s” cigarette hold. More masculine positions, such as holding a cigarette between the thumb and index finger, were strictly prohibited.
Due to the requirement of constantly wearing three-inch or taller heels, the Bunny Manual also had tips on dealing with the pain of being in such high shoes. One recommendation was to roll the feet back and forth over a coke bottle to each sore arches. Interestingly, despite the rigorous requirements, many Bunnies looked back on their time in the Playboy Clubs and remarked upon the safety they felt in the environment. Compared to other clubs at the time, the Bunnies were much safer than other club girls, as the no-touching rule was strictly enforced in all of Hefner’s clubs.