MEMORIES:
Body Glove is exactly what it sounds like. It fits the body like a glove.
Developed by twin brothers Bob and Bill Meistrell, Body Glove was created to fill a need. The Meistrell’s were originally from Missouri, and owned a diving shop called Dive 'N Surf in northern California in 1953. Both dive and surf enthusiasts, the brothers found the Pacific Ocean all too cold for comfortable water sports. They decided to create a suit that would protect people from the icy temperatures and enhance the surfing experience.
Using a refrigerator insulator called neoprene, the Meistrell’s introduced the Thermocline suit. The name just didn’t catch on. Surfers wanted fashion, not science, so the brothers changed the name to Body Glove – an obvious homage to exactly how the suit fit on the body.
Neoprene worked like this: as a closed cell foam, the material contained hundreds of tiny bubbles in each ½” thick layer. The bubbles formed a barrier, keeping body heat in and cold water temperatures out. There’s also a tiny amount of water that seeps into the suit when it gets wet, forming an insulating layer between the skin and the suit.
Initially popular with divers, Body Glove really rode the fashion wave when surfing became the rage in the ‘60’s, with beach movies like Gidget. Wetsuits became surfing necessities, and the Body Glove logo featuring a bright yellow circle with a stylized linear drawing of a hand became a surfing emblem.
Surfing resurfaced in the ‘80’s with the California fun culture of the easy-going surfing dude in movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Even singer Corey Glover of the rock band Living Colour wore the tight fitting body suits on stage.
Body Glove introduced a line of neoprene bikinis for girls in the ‘90’s. Featuring bright neon colors and sexy zippered tops, these bathing suits were the hottest looks on the beach. And, of course, the coolest.
