Remember Sean Penn's bleached blond, beach bumming, surf-obsessed character in Fast Times At Ridgemont High? His bright palm-print covered shirts, Vans slip-on sneakers, and neon board shorts made Jeff Spicoli as much of a pop culture icon as his feather-brained antics and incessant pot smoking. For Summer 2010, designers drew inspiration from surfer fashions (think Jeff Spicoli meets Blue Crush), using tie-dye prints in handbags, apparel and footwear, punching up their color palettes, tailoring dresses to create skin-tight scuba-esque silhouettes, and tipping their hats to the South Pacific landscape with oversize floral prints worthy of a Hawaii Five-O episode.
So before Mother Nature drops the curtain on summer, score a ten with a "Hang 10"-worthy look!
Rebecca Minkoff Tie Dye Shopper, $550. Available at Nordstrom.com
Though Minkoff's designs epitomize New York cool, she took a walk in the California sunshine with this lively tie dye shoulder bag. Still, the zipper detailing, metal hardware, snap embellishments, and stud details add the right touch of urban toughness.
KensieGirl Lenor Sandals, $19.60 . Available at 6PM.com
With their pyramid heels, thick toe straps, and punchy yellow color, these sandals capture the vibrant energy of summer,but it's their elastic, criss-crossed ankle straps that take them into scuba voyage-worthy territory.
Ettika Neon Chain And Color Blend Satin Cord 2x Wrap Bracelet, $50. Available at Ettika.com
Summer and neons go together like summer and ice cream trucks. This Ettika bracelet features atin cords braided together and twisted with brass chains for a surfer-meets-carnival feel.
Dirtee Hollywood "Love To Surf" and "Sunset Love" T-Shirts, $44 each. Available at Atrium in NY, Lester in NY and Ron Robinson in LA.
These ultra comfy T-shirts feature retro, slightly faded graphic designs that complete the worn, lived-in effect. Our personal fave: "Love to Surf The Web," which could practically work as a blogger's mantra.
Katrin Reifeiss Indigo Spiderweb Scarf, on sale for $47.50 (normally $95). Available at KatrinReifeiss.com
This hand-dyed, 100% silk scarf, measuring 35" x 84", features a spiderweb motif inspired by the webs designer Katrin Reifeiss saw during a voyage in Cambodia.
Marc by Marc Jacobs Pretty Nylon Little Tate Tote, $168. Available at Saks.com
As if the quilted nylon fabric, with its elaborate stitching, weren't perky enough, Marc Jacobs chose a mural art-ready color scheme for this patchwork-like tote.
Mosley Tribes Patterson Sunglasses in Black/Fuchsia, $150. Available at MosleyTribes.com
The juxtaposition of black and fuchsia in these Mosley Tribes shades creates a wetsuit-like effect that's a stylish tidal wave, sweeping you up and taking you to its crest.
Freestyle Shark Analog Watch in Cyan, $50. Available at FreestyleUSA.com
This sporty watch strap's punchy cyan blue shade works as a neon ode to aquatic types, while the orange face captures the sun's heat — and, by the way, the picture above fails to capture just how fluorescet this traffic cone bright hue is! Not only is the color scheme perfect for a surfer look, but the Shark Freestyle Analog is water resistant up to 100 meters so, if you feel like doing a bit of wakeboarding, you have nothing to worry about!
1 Sol Swimwear Tie Dye Reversible Bikini, $175, and 1 Sol Swimwear Striped Dye Reversible Bikini, $142. Available at 1SolSwimwear.com
These halter bikini tops and matching bikini bottoms with side ties feature funky tie-dye patterns that create a Boho effect without dipping into Deadhead territory — plus, bead accents along the halter top strings nod to Bo Derek in Ten.
Tryst Droplet Necklace in Powder Blue, $40. Available at TrystByKerry.com
This soft, greenish-blue, faceted amazonite pear charm recalls the color of sea foam, as it sinks into the sand at the shore. Measuring 12mm by 12 mm, the gemstone hangs from a thin, 16" goldtone chain with tiny gold bead details.
Love Tanjane Multi Ruffle Dress, $190. Available at BlueHeavenBoutique.com
Embrace your inner gypsy queen and your beach babe sides simultaneously with this strapless, body-hugging dress from Love Tanjane, which features a three-tiered ruffle skirt.
Tory Burch Tie Dye Suede Clutch in Limestone, $395. Available at ToryBurch.com
Designer Tory Burch knows how to do resortwear — and, this season, she, too, got caught up in the tie-dye craze with this clutch, which features a more subdued, gray-and-white pattern.
Junk Food Clothing Minnie Mouse Bikini Tee, $29, and Junk Food Clothing Mickey Mouse Hawaii Tank, $22.50. Available at JunkFoodClothing.com
Forget the Magic Kingdom! Mickey and Minnie Mouse have been living it up in Hawaii this summer, and I guess their specific brand of rodent paparazzi received a tip about there whereabouts because these casual Junk Food tees capture the duo enjoying its vacay time.
Sperry Top-Spider Seasonal Bahama Shoes in Blue Tie-Dye and Yellow Tie-Dye, $39.50 each. Available at SperryTopSpider.com
Boat shoes alone reference seafaring fashions, but these Sperry Top-Spiders are also imbued with a free-spirited craftiness thanks to their tie-dye patterns.
Hot Diamonds Flip Flop Silver Charm, $60, and Hot Diamonds Lucky Flipper Silver Charm, $60. Available at HotDiamonds.com
These silver charms feature whimsical aquatic themes — from a chunky flip-flop with a silver-toned strap to a pair of scuba-ready flippers with a single diamond accent.
Vieta Mist Handbag in Blue and in Brown, $85 each. Available at VietaFashion.com
These soft faux leather totes feature a casual, slouchy shape that's perfect to complete most laid-back summer looks and the leather details along the sides and straps, as well as the metal hardware, add a bit of a structure and a tougher, slightly more brazen vibe.
Cute! My mom loves that. She always look for that.