Surfer Styles

Surfers tend to dress in the surfer style.

Although surfing itself is a hobby, or even a way of life, the surfer look can also be a style or a fashion. Some people who dress in surfer styles are legitimate surfers, whereas others just follow it as a trend. Surfer style exists for both men and women, and often combine fashion with function.

Men's Clothing

Men who follow the surfer style tend to wear board shorts, or jeans in colder weather, with sandals, skate shoes or sneakers. They often wear T-shirts with a surf motif, or that are made by a surf wear or surfboard company, with a Hawaiian print shirt over the top. This style of clothing was originally worn to be comfortable and practical at the beach, but has spread out into wider society.

Men's Hair and Accessories

In addition to wearing the right clothes, the proper hairstyle and accessories complete the surfer look for men. Guys who follow the surfer style often have mid-length or long hair, from around jaw-length or longer, which is often left loose and in a messy or tousled style. Any accessories are often simple and understated, such as an ethnic-style necklace made with shells or wooden beads or a thick wristband or cuff.

Women's Clothes

The surfer style for women normally consists of shorts or hot pants worn with flip-flops or wedge-heeled sandals, along with a tank top, T-shirt or camisole. In colder weather, they may wear baggy jeans or long skirts and a hooded sweater. Surfer girls normally wear clothes that are light or bright colors, such as yellow, pink or turquoise, and often wear tops or shorts with a Hawaiian print or cut-off denim shorts.

Women's Hair and Accessories

Girls who follow surfer fashion normally wear their hair long and loose, in a messy style. It's often bleached blond, either entirely or in streaks. For those who actually surf, the bleaching is usually done by the sun. Jewelry is kept to a minimum, with most surfer girls wearing just one or two beaded necklaces or bracelets. They also tend to go for the minimal look when it comes to makeup, wearing either no makeup or just light, natural tones.

References

• Club of the Waves: Surf Fashion
• Habit Magazine: Surfer Girl Fashion
• "Surfers, Soulies, Skinheads and Skaters: Subcultural Style from the Forties to the Nineties"; Claudia Schnurmann et. al.; 1997