Dating (60's?) Surf Line Hawaii Jams

[Robin of Frocksley]

I found this great pair of shorts the other day and am hoping for some help dating them. From the little I have been able to find out about Surf Line (mostly from a few sites dedicated to vintage Hawaiian fashion), my guess is that this pair is from the 60's, but I'd like to be sure. They are simple in construction, resembling pajamas in style. All cotton, drawstring waist. The label is located on the rear patch pocket. Any thoughts would be much appreciated, thanks!

 

[lkranieri]

I found one 1966 blurb about Surf Line Jams swimsuits and the photo that accompanied it had suit bottoms that were similar to yours (see below). The rest of the ads I saw all dated to the mid-to-late 1980s.

The caption under the 1966 photo noted: "...these Jams...that's what they're called because they are strike-offs of pajamas..." and "A Honolulu surfing enthusiast and systems engineer sought a beach garment with twosome comfort and good looks. He remembered seeing photos of Russians in pajamas at Black Sea resorts. So, he took the idea, trimmed a little here and there, trimmed down the pants, and he had his surfing suit in a jiffy."

 

[Robin of Frocksley]

Thank you so much, Lynne! Your sleuthing skills are impressive as always. I do see the resemblance between my shorts and the ones in the ad, so I'll assume I was on the nose with 60's. Thanks again, so much!

 

[lkranieri]

Just a couple of additional items to note:

-- A 1989 magazine article noted: "Dave Rochlen, the 63-year old owner of Surf Line Hawaii, Ltd., was a computer programmer for military intelligence before he moved to Hawaii 30 years ago." and "...these 'jams' received nationwide publicity when featured in Life Magazine and became a sensation. Rochlen's sales totaled $1.5 million during the craze, after which he produced traditional sportswear. Twenty years later the Jams fever revived..."
-- A 1989 journal article about the Surf Line product noted: "...Rochlen, its co-proprietor conceived of baggy, drawstring-waisted, nearly kneelength shorts to which he applied the brand name “Jams.""
-- A 2005 blurb about Rochlen reported: "Dave Rochlen--Entrepreneurial surfer from Santa Monica, California; one of the original post-World War II Malibu regulars; co-founder in 1963 of Surf Line Hawaii, a surfboard retail outfit, and founder of Jams beachwear in 1964...Rochlen and his Hawaiian-born wife created the Jams line (in 1963); the loose-fitting and brightly colored surf trunks were an instant success..."

 

[Jonathan]

Too late to the convo but Lynne got it all - I was going to say they can't predate 1963 because that was when the company was founded and the term Jams was a very 'in' word in the mid 60s and then disappeared for a while. When you decide to sell, let me know - they are a good example.

 

[Robin of Frocksley]

Thanks, Jonathan! Sent you a pm