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In February 1985, Texas, as a concept, had a particular hold on the American imagination. Dallas was in its eighth season, displaying the wealth of an oil boom that wouldn’t hiccup for another year. Billboards of the Marlboro Man advertised the lone West over every interstate. On the radio, Willie Nelson was crooning “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” while Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” held the number one spot: America contained multitudes.

Into the fold, Playboy sent staff photographer David Mecey on a kind of vision quest to capture the scene in Texas. In the copy for the story, we say that he interviewed 700 women in advance (Managing ed — do we still have this T&E report?) and landed on the portfolio you see here, sprawling from the Gulf shore to the Dallas skyline all the way to what appears to be a Chihuahuan desert scene, far west. “Texas ladies like the great outdoors, which is just as well, because in Texas there’s a lot of it.” Wow.

You’ll find a census of Sunbelt female ambition: a flight attendant, a fine arts graduate who wants to publish magazines, an aspiring rock video star, a Neiman-Marcus employee who dotes on tight jeans and cowboys. Among the portraits is one of Julie McCullough, who would become our February 1986 centerfold before landing on Growing Pains, only to be written off the show, allegedly, over her Playboy past.

Sure, David Mecey is playing with myth here. But you peer through these portraits and get the sense of a wilder Texas. “In Texas, strength is beauty,” one model says; another doesn’t like crowds or small spaces. Same. Long live these ladies of the Lone Star state.

— Jesse Will, Executive Editor

FORGET Victoria Principal and the other girls of Dallas. Forget the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Forget Farrah, Cybill, Jaclyn. Forget Lynda Bird Johnson. They are only the best known of the Lone Star lovelies. A few years ago, we hired Texan David Mecey as a Staff Photographer. For months, he badgered Playboy to send him back to his home state with film in his camera. Finally, we gave in. He traveled to Houston, Dallas and Austin and interviewed more than 700 women. With the help of one or two additional photographers, he brought back this collection of fantastic females. “Texas is a body-conscious state,” he reports. “The weather’s warm and these women spend a lot of time playing hard, keeping themselves fit.” Texas, the eyes of the nation are upon you. Yee-hah!

Cliff Barnes is a Dallas character. Killeen’s Susan Barnes (above, second) isn’t but should be. With a telecommunications degree, she wants to write best sellers and produce movies. Rebecca Culmer (above, first) was born in Dallas but now lives in Houston. She is a revenue accountant who likes sailing, singing and hiking. Here she takes a dip in the I’m OK—You’re OK Corral.

Maybe it’s something in the water—or the genetic pool. Crystal Louise Kahl (above, second) and Lesia Kahl (not pictured due to archive restrictions) are sisters, the offspring of an Air Force master sergeant currently serving in Germany. The girls have lived in such exotic places as Japan and the Philippines but call Dallas home. Leia Lane (above, third) came to the Houston area from Tulsa. She sponsors the Hullabaloo Corvette Club, likes parties and camping in the woods. Robin Goodland (below, first) was born in Beaumont. Her father sells oil-field pipe. She works out, plays racquetball, skis and rides. Houston’s Shaun Sharmaine Stauffer (below, second) tries to coax her trusty steed into action. She is an aspiring actress and model who is enthusiastic about roller skating, the beach, kittens, puppies and pistachio nuts. Her goal in life: to be in a rock video.

Shirley Johnson (below, first) has a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Texas. She works in advertising in Houston but wants to be a magazine publisher. Deborah Ann Negus (below, second) doesn’t like crowds or small places. Little wonder she’s at home in Dallas. Donna Marie (below, third, a former Bunny in the Dallas Playboy Club, is a flight attendant from Balch Springs, Texas, who lifts weights and collects Japanese art.

Staci Gordon (below, first) is a Dallas receptionist who likes fast cars, horses, polo, Latin jazz, Italian food and high heels. Here’s a thought: Do Texas girls wear spurs on their high heels? Julie McCullough (below, second) is working her way around the world. She was born in Honolulu, lives in Allen, Texas, and is on her way to Venice for another PLAYBOY shooting, Italian style.

Texas ladies like the great outdoors, which is just as well, because in Texas there’s a lot of it. Connie Lynn Stafko (below, first of Dallas is into sailing, weight lifting, water-skiing and aerobics, which keep her fit for modeling. Austin’s Julee Lynne Burris (below, second) likes to ride motorcycles, play Frisbee and ski. Her mother once drove an 18-wheeler. Keep on truckin’, Mom. Suzanne DeLaney (below, third) dislikes driving for hours but hopes that will change when she gets her Mercedes. She’s an office manager in Houston. Pamela Saunders (below, fourth), who was born in Miami, still returns to Florida to fish with her father. She’s a Plano bartender who enjoys spending time with her dogs and cat—who enjoy spending time with Pamela, no doubt.

Barbara Diane Thompson (below, first) is a student at Eastfield College in Mesquite, where her activities include gymnastics, swimming and hiking. She wants to be a news broadcaster. Marty Crider (below, second) works at Neiman-Marcus in Fort Worth. She dotes on fast cars, tight jeans, Dudley Moore, Willie Nelson and cowboys. The Stone sisters (below, third) are Army brats who’ve lived in Germany, California and Colorado. They are (clockwise from 11) Dallas twins Moira Ann and Sheila (26) and Laura (20), who lives in Odessa. All three are into aerobics and weight training. (In Texas, strength is beauty.) Lori Lynn Summerford (below, fourth), an aerobics instructor in Houston, also works as a volunteer for an ambulance service. She wants to be a medical technician. Dayna Parsons (below, fifth) is a travel consultant in Austin. She recently played a groupie in Songwriter, with Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson. Now we see why they’ve spent so much time in Texas.