One comment (the only comment, actually) on 

 about the origins of surf fashion was from Yellow Raindrop, who wrote: “The problem with Californians is their femininish concern for fashion. Just go surf like no one is watching and you don’t have Instagram you fucking self-righteous clowns.”

The first sentence, come on. I’ve been in Seattle for seven years, which means I can barely spell “California” anymore.

And also, my concern for fashion isn’t femininish, it is masculinish, it is dark like the corn on my big toe after a day in flip-flops, it is the scent of my right armpit after four cups of coffee.

Hate me anonymously in the SURFER comments section, Yellow Raindrop, but I am a Man, and I am occasionally interested in fashion.

Anyway, surf fashion had some early highs, then some lows, then more lows, and actually it’s been pretty much all lows since 1964. As I see it, from my vantage point here in 

 not California, the lowest surf fashion lows were 1967 and 1982.

The first photo, below, is from Laguna, a first-wave California beachwear company, and if somewhere on the surf sartorial timeline there is a worse idea than nylon vests on the beach, let me know, but until then you are looking at the forever GOAT of bad surf fashion.

The second photo, still leaning into the nylon, is from a 1967 SURFER ad for the McGregor Surfer Collection. Surf-wise, this is where the racing stripe died. Stripe the board, or the trunks, or the jacket. All three? Take that shit to 

 and you’re still getting laughed out of the water.

WHEN SURF FASHION GOES WRONG: 1967

Subscribe or Login

Subscribe or Login

Encyclopedia of Surfing

History of Surfing

Features

The Sunday Joint