80s Surf x Jeff Divine
The 1980s: an era of yuppies, neon, and excess. Most adult lives were dominated by Cold War fears and surprising international economic growth. Our children were nursed by the Mario Brothers and MTV. Twenty years later we all have an opinion about this often misunderstood time. Of course it’s still debatable if this decade has become vintage yet (some of us at Tim Clarke were but toddlers when Reagan left the White House) it’s safe to say that 80s fashion and culture feels but a world away. The surf and sand world, however, had an especially radical impact on the coastal aesthetic. Beach babes and blonde shags dominated an image of carefree beauty, paving the road for Baywatch to take over our ’90s television sets. Chartreuse green wetsuits and fluorescent bikinis cast an almost humorous shadow on every activity. Jeff Divine‘s recently published book Surfing Photographs from the 80s highlights the memorable albeit wacky moments and laissez-faire lifestyle we unashamedly grew accustomed to. When asked to a colleague “Where do you think all these people are now?” He astutely answered “Doing the same thing.” And thank goodness for that.
Check out our favorites from the book that inspire us to add a little pop every now and then.
An endless summer at Malibu Pier.
