The Evolution Of Surf Clothing And Surf Accessories
Back in the post war fifties, surfers were known as “beach bums”. Then, seemingly in the blink of an eye, everybody wanted to be a surfer. Everybody wanted to be a part of it and those baggy trunks that surfers wore became the first surf clothing fad. How did surfers go from being virtual outcasts to the creators of a fashion craze that has lasted to this day?
Most people attribute surfing’s meteoric rise to the Beach Boys. However, they were relative late-comers. It was a film made about a Malibu teenager that first brought surfing into the limelight. The movie, “Gidget”, was based on a true story that was published as a book in 1957 and released in 1959 as a movie.
James Darren and Sandra Dee starred in the film, supported by another big star of the era, Cliff Robertson. With its stellar cast and bevies of beautiful bikini clad girls and muscle built surfers, it was a sure hit. Not only that, but it captured the imagination of a generation, all of whom wanted to be a part of free and easy surfing life.
Other movies were made and before long, groups like Jan and Dean and the Beach Boys started producing hit singles. Interestingly, real surfers hated those movies and the “surf music, ” because they liked having the waves to themselves. They preferred listening to the guitar music of the Ventures and Dick Dale and the Deltones. They would listen to driving instrumental songs like “Walk, Don’t Run” and “Perfidia” to get themselves psyched before going surfing.
There was no stopping the tidal wave of interest in surfing, though. In just a few short years, surfing had gone from nowhere to mainstream. Suddenly the beaches were filled with surfers and where they couldn’t surf, young people wore surfing fashions and dreamed of riding the waves.
Other than bikinis, Hawaiian shirts and men’s surfing trunks, there really was nothing to define surf wear in those days. Surfwear evolved over a number of years and eventually, many surf-clothing brands emerged, some of which are among the giants in the clothing industry today.
Surfwear is not just for surfers anymore. You can find it in the most far-flung corners of the world. From the limited apparel of the sixties, the range of surfing related clothing and accessories has grown to include all kinds of men’s and women’s clothing, shoes and even watches and jewelry. Today, you can be dressed for any occasion in surfing brands and styles.
Surf clothing has come a long way, as has the sport of surfing. Once considered a fringe sport, the top stars now command multi-million dollar contracts and surf industry giants vie for their sponsorship. One wonders what Gidget would think.
Locate great prices on surf clothes by heading online. There you will find the many choices for surf clothing that you have to choose between. Head online today.