It’s no secret Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys had a profound impact on culture, reinforcing California beach lifestyle and drawing teenagers everywhere to sunny beaches throughout the late 20th century. And in the 1960s, the Levi’s® brand offered the perfect summer product for those chasing the quintessential cool California surfing look: White Levi’s® jeans.
From Sand to Stars
First introduced in 1960 as Slim Fits Jeans, the sand-colored woven twill pants were the perfect match to blend in with the ever-popular California sand dunes. The name was later shortened to Slim Fits, and the brand added a variety of other color options.
The pants quickly gained popularity. In 1961, Elvis Presley donned a pair for his film, “Blue Hawaii,” in which the “King of Rock and Roll” sings and dances in the always-summertime Polynesian paradise.
In 1963, the light Levi’s® jeans were cemented as part of the beach surfer look when the Majorettes hit the radio airwaves with their new song, “White Levi’s.”
“My boyfriend’s always wearin’ white Levi’s . . . and his tennis shoes and his surfin’ hat and a big plaid Pendleton shirt,” the band sang. The song quickly became a number one hit — and the name “White Levi’s®” stuck. Levi Strauss & Co. even began offering a STA-PREST version of White Levi’s® in various colors with a crisp center crease.
The popular pants were promoted by the company with a series of White Levi’s® print advertisements. Key ads showed teenagers at the beach with surfboards — a clear reference to California beach culture, even if the ads were photographed at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach rather than warm Southern California spots like Venice Beach. The ads became so popular that young Levi’s® fans wrote to LS&Co. in San Francisco, asking for the physical White Levi’s® ads to hang on their bedroom walls like music posters.
A Musical Connection
White Levi’s® and beach culture continued to gain popularity in tandem. In the early 1960s, the popular wool shirts often seen worn by surfers even inspired one band’s namesake, forming under the name The Pendletones. The band quickly swapped out their plaid shirts and changed their name to the soon-to-be iconic Beach Boys — and though the shirts changed, their light-colored pants remained.
In 1964, the Beach Boys hit number one for the first time with their song, “I Get Around,” releasing a live album with a cover photo of the band dressed in striped shirts and what could be White Levi’s®.
At a time when the company was keen on connecting with the rising youth culture, White Levi’s® were a seminal product for Levi’s® — thanks in part to the cultural influence of the Beach Boys, the connection was firmly established.
Ready to shop your Levi’s® look? Head to levi.com or visit a Levi’s® store near you today.
