1980s GOTCHA Surf & Skate Clothing

GOTCHA was the hottest
'80s clothing and accessory brand

I was fascinated with surfer/skater styles and fashions back in the late 1980s, yet I never skateboarded. I tried, but honestly didn't have coordination and balance needed to stay on the board. Living on Long Island, we had access to many different beaches, however I never once surfed. Yeah, I was a total skate/surf poser. 

Cool GOTCHA gear from the 1980s.

I had completely forgotten about my love of GOTCHA until recently when a reader contacted me regarding GOTCHA brand surf clothing and GOTCHA bracelets. I can't believe I blocked out that memory. I loved their logo and had GOTCHA stickers plastered all over my binders and notebooks. I mastered drawing the logo -- it was one of my favorite things to doodle in class back in the '80s. 

GOTCHA was a favorite line of clothing for surfers back in the 1980s. Originated in Laguna Beach, California in 1978 by pro surfers Michael Tomson and Joel Cooper, the GOTCHA clothing line included everything from t-shirts to jeans.

Shawn Stussy's version of the GOTCHA logo.

I was surprised to learn that the original GOTCHA logo was designed by Shawn Stussy of Stussy clothing fame although I don't remember his version of the logo, I preferred the one above with the cool  flipped "O" and "A."

For more info and to see what GOTCHA is up to today, visit Gotcha.com.

Remember Stussy Retro Surf & Skate Wear

Stussy Secrets - Once A Must-Have, Now Vintage Surf & Skate Apparel

Was it spelled Stussy or Stüssy? Was it pronounced "Stew-Cee" or did it rhyme with "hussy"? Didn't matter! If you were a skater, snowboarder, surfer or raver back in the 1990s, you most likely owned something from the Stussy clothing line.

Created by Shawn Stussy, Stussy was for sure one of the coolest, hippest clothing brands between the late 1980s through the early 1990s.

I was somewhat surprised to discover Shawn Stussy is still bringing it. Gotta love our fellow aging hipsters. Although Shawn sold the Stussy brand to his business partner and old fiend, his S/Double Studio line of hip gear seems pretty freakin' cool for us mature, former ravers. Slick looks that are more J.Crew than loud. If I wasn't so financially conservative these days, I'd definitely order my husband some new jeans or shorts from S/Double--for now he's all Old Navy. Then again, why waste coolness on a man that doesn't care? Anyway...

Clueless about Stussy? Here are a few things you should know the '90s fashion phenomenon.



1. Shawn began his brand by selling shirts out of his car in Laguna Beach, California. At age 24, Shawn Stussy, an avid skater and surfer started his own surfboard company.

2. Stussy was possibly more popular in Europe than in the USA and continues to sell overseas.

3. In 1984, Shawn's old friend Frank Sinatra Jr. joined him in marketing his brand -- funny there's no relation between his business partner and the famous crooner.

4. Back in the early 1990s, my friends and I would head to Soho to visit the Stussy Store and load up on fashionable rave apparel.

5. Shawn Stussy has a blog right here on Blogger! Check him out here!

*Image from http://slamxhype.com/