Jams
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JAMS is one of the lines of clothing produced by Jams World. JAMS shorts were a popular clothing item in the 1960s and 1980s. JAMS were closely associated with the California and Hawaii surf scenes. The JAMS brand still exists, and has grown into today's Jams World clothing and accessories line.
[edit] History
Company founder " Dave Rochlen was a legendary surfer, originally in Santa Monica, California, then in Hawaii. Inspired by his own desire to find more comfortable surfing attire, combined with a LIFE Magazine article showing Russians looking comfortable attending the beach in bathrobes, Rochlen bought some brightly-colored floral fabric and asked his wife Keanuenue to make a short, baggy pajama with a sewn-up fly and cut-off at the knee. With this vision, they created the first pair of JAMS on December 25, 1964.
Rochlen quit his job as a systems analyst and started his new company Surf Line Hawaii, Ltd. to make and sell his new creation. Soon after his first commercial pairs of JAMS hit the Makaha Beach in Hawaii, LIFE Magazine ran a two-page spread on Rochlen and a group of his surfing buddies in the June 1965 issue. After the article, the JAMS line was picked up and sold in places like Bloomingdales, Macy's, and Lord & Taylor.
The JAMS look was baggy and bohemian, with wild prints and shocking pinks and greens. It was a clear departure from the more subtle color combinations and detailing of existing boardshorts.
[edit] The Name "JAMS"
Dave Rochlen explained the name as "I thought of it. It's part of the word 'pajamas,' of course, and it was what I wanted - short, quick, jargon, hip, young, one-syllable."
