Surfer style

It’s that time of year again, when all of Europe’s coolest clientele descend on the UK’s south coast for the biggest surf, skate and music festival of the season– Boardmasters. Fast, fun and full of fashionable folk that have a penchant for that laid-back, ‘just threw it on’ look, that’s so difficult for everyone else to achieve; Newquay is the hottest place to be right now.

With stretches of sandy bays, swells that would make you shudder and a swarm of surfers, there’ll even be a sprinkling of celebs too, as the music festival will see headliners including Groove Armada, The Zutons, Morcheeba, The Pigeon Detectives and The Futureheads blasting out the beats. Even Radio 1 is setting up camp on the Cornish coast, so if you’re thinking of heading down, or are planning to escape to the great British seaside at some point this year, make sure you don’t forget your toothbrush, sorry, sunglasses.

Dealing with sand, spray and fresh sea salt on an everyday basis is enough to make anyone’s eyes red raw, which is why surfers and their trusty sunnies are never far apart. An essential tool, despite surfers always looking the part, style isn’t always top of the list when it comes to picking sunglasses – it’s the UV protection that’s imperative instead. However, since more and more surf, skate and snowboard brands have been filtering into the mainstream, labels like Ripcurl, Quicksilver and Oakley are allowing such surfer types to have their cake and eat it as they’re being offered style and protection in one. Style-wise, as well as highly efficient lenses, surfers need their sunnies to be close fitting, and often favour wrap-around styles to prevent UV rays creeping in from the sides, but if you’re watching from the beachside bar or sandy sidelines, feel free to experiment a little more. Both Von Zipper and Dragon have styles that lend themselves to the carefree craze, although if you want to fit right in, Oakley ooze that must-have surfer style.

On the celebrity circuit, Cameron Diaz, Adam Sandler, Matthew McConaughey and Paris Hilton are all avid sufers.