The Inertia for Good Editor
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The Inertia

Some surfers take themselves far too seriously. Others, not so much. I would venture to guess that very few of us live exclusively on either side of this equation. Case in point: the connection between surfing and neon. Whether it’s on our wetsuits, our boards, or every once in a while on our faces, the highlighter worthy reaches of the color spectrum have always had a place on the beach.

In the mid-80’s the whole neon game was stepped up a notch. Bright shorts for the guys and bikinis for the ladies weren’t quite enough once neon made its way into zinc oxide. Bright pink noses became a thing. Or highlighter blue. Whatever the color, people were patrolling the beach like extras on the set of Braveheart (all this and the movie was still a decade away).

It’s been three full decades now since that fashion trend made its way into the sun. In celebration of such things, I present to you three reasons – one for each decade – why we need more neon in our lives:

1. So we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

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As previously stated, sometimes we get a little serious about this surfing thing. I’d bet a lot of money that every person who ever tucked a board under their arm and ventured off into the ocean was doing so in pursuit of a good time. One might even use the word “fun.”

Black and white aren’t exactly synonymous with fun. In fact, I’m pretty sure black isn’t even a color. Yet these are still the dominant shades in every lineup. Sure, there’s a functionality to the black wetsuit, but I’m also pretty sure the whole “fashion over function” philosophy is based on the idea that those who are only concerned with function tend to be a little…vanilla.

2. Because every worthwhile trend gets a comeback.

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The late 80’s and early 90’s looked like a Nerf factory exploded in the middle of every closet across America. But by the mid 90’s those closets started carrying a lot more roughed up plaids and a lot fewer neons as the grunge movement dominated all fashion sensibilities. Just like Saved By The Bell: The College Years, neon dropped out of the pop culture consciousness for a while.

But like any trend worth being a trend to begin with, the novelty of it all meant a comeback was inevitable. Go to the beach today and once again you’ll find hot pinks, purples, electric blues, oranges and highlighter yellows.

3. Why surf if you don’t want to stand out?

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If there is one constant in what makes good surfing it’s style. And the beauty of style is that it’s not confined to a list of dos and don’ts, so long as one is being true to themself. There’s no coincidence that very few surfers in any given lineup are recognizable from the beach, not only dressed alike in dark neoprene suits, but sadly, surfing like everybody else nearby too.

Sometimes it takes a little nudge to let yourself ride a wave however the heck you feel like riding a wave. It could mean getting on a retro board or finding some new and outlandish shape you’ve never surfed. It could be something as simple as adding a dash of color or even going full on Ultimate Warrior, so long as you take the tiniest steps toward not letting yourself blend in. if you’re doing it because you want to do it, wear it, surf it, or claim it, then you’re doing it right.

Editor’s Note This feature is sponsored by Zinka.

 
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