Where Is the “Reef Girl”?

Contents
Pin-Ups and Social Mixing in the Surf Culture
By Adolphe Maillot
English

The media world of contemporary surf is full of bombshells. On the pages of magazines, their voluptous curves escort the beautiful performances of surfers together with surfwear products, adding an erotic touch to the sports reading. These young women with wonderful bodies, – a part of the beach’s scene –, are called “beachgirls”. The sexiest of them is the “Reef Girl”, an “exotic” pinup without any face who has contributed to the success of the flip-flop brand Reef. This article outlines the portrait of this feminine figure of surf culture; it describes its presence in media and narrative discourses before it faded away, when the formerly made dominated sport opened to women.

Keywords

  • surf
  • pin-ups and boys
  • publicity
  • representation
  • erotism
Go to the article on Cairn-int.info