You’ve seen the glossy magazine covers from the mid-2000s, but the images of Sara Jean Underwood today look absolutely nothing like the Playboy era. It is a wild pivot. Honestly, if you haven’t checked in on her lately, you’d probably walk right past her at a Home Depot without a second glance.
She went from being the 2007 Playmate of the Year—the first "Beaver" from Oregon State to grab that title—to basically living as a full-time homesteader and builder in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a strange, fascinating trajectory. People still search for those old-school studio shots, but the real story is happening in the mud and moss of Washington State.
The Evolution of the "Playmate" Aesthetic
The early photos of Sara Jean Underwood are basically a time capsule of 2000s glamor. Think heavy airbrushing, studio lights, and that very specific Hugh Hefner-approved "Girl Next Door" vibe. She was everywhere back then—Attack of the Show! on G4, The Girls Next Door on E!, and even acting as a "fight jock" for Blackbelt TV.
But then, the internet happened.
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Social media changed the way models interact with their audience, and Sara was one of the first to realize that a studio in L.A. couldn't compete with the "authentic" outdoors. She started traveling. A lot. Suddenly, the images of Sara Jean Underwood shifted from red carpets to the edge of cliffs, glaciers, and national parks.
Why Everyone Is Obsessed With Cabinland
If you haven't heard of "Cabinland," it’s the massive project she’s been working on with her partner, Jacob Witzling. It’s not just some hobby; they are building a literal compound of hand-crafted, geometric cabins in a rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula.
- They use reclaimed materials.
- The roofs are often covered in living moss.
- Everything is built with an "organic" aesthetic that looks like it belongs in a Tolkien novel.
The photography here is top-tier. Instead of just "modeling," she’s now posing with power tools or sitting on the roof of a "Diamond House" that she helped build. It’s a genius branding move. She isn't just a face anymore; she’s a creator. This shift has allowed her to stay relevant for over two decades in an industry that usually tosses people aside after five years.
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Where to Find the Real Images Today
Look, if you’re looking for the high-res, professional stuff, the official channels are really the only way to go without hitting a wall of low-quality reposts.
- Instagram (@saraunderwood): This is where the "adventure" stuff lives. It’s high-production, scenic, and usually shot by world-class travel photographers.
- YouTube (Cabinland): If you want to see the "behind the scenes" of her building these structures, this is the spot. It’s less about "glamor" and more about the actual sweat and labor involved in homesteading.
- Official Archives: For the legacy media fans, Getty Images and Shutterstock still host the historical 2006-2012 era stuff, which is cool for a nostalgia trip but feels like a different person entirely.
A Masterclass in Personal Branding
Most models from her era faded away when the magazines died. Sara didn't. She leaned into the PNW (Pacific Northwest) aesthetic and turned her life into a visual narrative.
It’s kinda crazy when you think about it. She was selling heavy machinery as her first job before Playboy—so in a way, she’s just gone back to her roots. She’s comfortable with the grit. That’s why the newer images of Sara Jean Underwood resonate so much; there’s a sense of "I’m doing exactly what I want to do" that you just can't fake with a ring light and a backdrop.
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The lesson here? Authenticity—or at least a very well-executed version of it—is the most valuable currency on the internet right now. Whether she’s in a bikini on a glacier or in Carhartts on a roof, the images of Sara Jean Underwood are essentially a 20-year case study in how to stay famous on your own terms.
What to Do Next
If you’re interested in the intersection of celebrity and DIY building, your best bet is to follow the Cabinland project specifically. It’s genuinely impressive from a design standpoint, even if you don't care about the celebrity aspect. Check out the "Diamond House" or the "Castle" project they’re currently finishing—it’s some of the most unique architecture being built in the U.S. right now.