Suited Up for Summer

To christen the first day of Summer, I greased up and poured myself into my full wetsuit to challenge the boogie boarding waves at El Porto. I know it's officially Summer, but the 65 degree California water was way too cold for my thin Hawaiian blood, therefore a wetsuit is a must. My 4-year old son and 19-month old daughter didn't have it much easier, pulling on their little tight Xcel onesies and complaining of pinching. It made me wonder why after all the technology out there, someone can't make a wetsuit comfortable. There's nothing like feeling choked at the neck when you zip up your wetsuit. Surfing is challenging enough as it is, and to then have less movement of your arms and shoulders and feel like something's strangling you on top of it. And is there really a graceful way to remove your wetsuit without looking like a bumblingly idiot in the process?

Although I do think Hawaiian-based Xcel wetsuits are by far the best out there, I am still wondering why the technology and style are at a stand still. When I look out onto the waters of El Porto (or any beach for that matter), why is the sea scattered with black sticks bobbing up and down in the waves? The boards are more colorful and innovative than the wetsuits. Why hasn't someone designed a full-on colored wet suit or some cool patterns (other than your lame aloha print florals, a.k.a the Roxy look)? Come on Xcel and Quiksilver, give me a call! Let's design some Stacia-inspired space-dyed wetsuits! Now that would be cool to look out onto the water and see an array of color that does the airbrushed surfboards justice. Maybe men prefer to be decked out in non-conforming black suits (it's all about the sport really and not fashion.) But I'm sorry guys, us women want a little fashion, even out on the water. And I'm not talking about the Gidget wannabes that buy Roxy junior apparel and floral printed rashguards. Women spend hundreds of dollars on swimsuits each year for the latest prints, fabrics, and detailing, so why wouldn't we want our wetsuits to be just as fashionable? I would think they could maintain the technology of keeping us warm and somewhat comfortable, yet give us a little color, print, and high fashion in the process.

Attention Billabong: you've recently bought the coolest wetsuit maker around, Xcel, so don't mess it up. And meanwhile, challenge the surf industry and focus on real women (not girls) who like to surf and bodyboard in 65 degree water, but want to look chic and be warm doing it. For now, my daughter and I will have to sacrifice style for function and don our lovely black and yellow color-blocked Xcel wetsuits and at least try to perfect our form until some fashion saves us. Believe me, even if I suck at surfing, I want to at least look good doing it!