September 2015 Playmate ­Monica Sims is a ­Gemini, which in her words means one thing: “You never know what to expect from me.” Consider the evidence: The half-­Bolivian model from Orange County requires a daily dose of sunlight for her well-being, but her favorite color is black. She has been modeling since the age of 15, landing major national print campaigns, but she has also maintained an impressive athleticism; surfing, running on the beach, swimming and snowboarding are just a few of her favorite hobbies. And despite her love of locales synonymous with ­sunshine—Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Miami—the five-foot-eight free spirit has a formidable dark side. Halloween is her favorite holiday, American Horror Story her favorite TV show and grungy, tattooed “pirate-y” men her favorite type of the male species (think Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow).

Birthplace

Orange County, California

My Girl Crush Is

J.Lo

Turn-On

Someone who can handle a wild adventure

My True Passion

Animals

“I’ve always done what I wanted,” she says. “When I was 16 I bought my first car, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, with the money I saved from working. My dad wasn’t happy, because he wanted me to get a Jetta, as every girl should for her first car. But I’m strong in my decisions and extremely strong-willed. You have to do what makes you happy in life. Nothing else matters.” In addition to residing near the lulling coastal waters of southern California, Monica says, learning to live life for herself has contributed to her “chill, laid-back” vibe. “So many people try to put on an image and a show, but I never try to be someone I’m not,” she says. “That’s why I love my PLAYBOY pictorial. I’m just chilling by the pool on a typical beautiful, sunny Los Angeles day. It’s effortless and chic, and that’s me. And that’s how I want to make people feel. I want people to feel at ease. Feel warm. Feel happy.” If there’s one thing we can expect when we see you, Monica, it’s to feel happy.

Monica Sims is a bundle of contradictions. A bedroom-eyed blonde from Orange County, Monica thanks mixed European and Bolivian heritage for her sexy, one-of-a kind look. Both innocent and not, Miss Sims is the kind of girl that some guys trip over themselves to impress—her eyes may say Come hither, but she always speaks her mind, and she’s just as likely to tell you to get lost. “I’m a Gemini, so you never know what to expect from me,” says Monica, brushing back a lock of hair. “I’ve always done what I wanted. Growing up in Orange County, I’d ditch school and go to the beach. I didn’t like school—all the classes were like rocket science to me. Except maybe for art.” Using her creativity to her advantage, Monica posted an Instagram of herself holding our December issue, shouting out photographer Josh Ryan in the caption. “You know, Elizabeth’s cover,” says Monica reverently. “Josh commented on it, like ‘Hey, that’s mine!’ He asked if I wanted to test, and a few weeks later, I was approved!” When not in front of the camera, Monica lives for her social life, and on a given Friday night, she can be found in any one of downtown Los Angeles’s throbbing nightclubs; on Saturdays, in one of its soup kitchens. “On the weekends, I like to give back and do some charity work,” says Monica. “There, see—I bet you thought I was just a party girl. How’s that for a contradiction?”