The State of Surfwear, or fashion that's marketed to be surfwear

The following 3 observations pretty much sum it up.

• A Roxy canvas tote, made in China, $37. Proof that QS, Roxy, and most other mainstream "surf clothing" companies see fit to thoroughly gouge anyone willing to pay. A practice not in alignment with traditional surfer ethics. At least send the manufacturing to a country with killer waves and a need for jobs, like Nicaragua. Oh, get CAFTA benefits while you're at it.
• Laird Hamilton's new clothing line, Wonderwall. Distributed exclusively at Steve and Barrys, a retail clothing chain that seems to primarily sell cheap clothes to the homie-gang-banger-non-surfer-ghetto segment of suburban society. This chain has NO stores near the ocean, at least in Southern California ("near" is subjective, and in my opinion, is a maximum of 2 miles to a surfing beach).
• Op (Ocean Pacific) at Wal-Mart. So, this was an obvious move for a clothing company that has done almost nothing cool and truly surf-oriented since corduroy pants and nut-hugger shorts back in 1976, and sponsoring the Op Pro. (see a future post of why I say *almost* nothing cool).
  
  For an example of a REAL surf clothing company, that still sticks to what they do best, check out Birdwell Britches. They are still made in California. Note: This is not an ad and we bfS gets no $ for this link.