BETTY TURNS 15 ON THE 15TH

Today is a very special day in the life of Betty. 15 years ago today, Betty Belts was launched as an ocean and beach lifestyle brand. Inspired by her love of surfing, founder Donna von Hoesslin was passionate about creating something people could wear to feel more connected with the ocean. Many of you know our Ventura shop, but did you know that Betty Belts had 5 entire years of existence before that? We weren’t open to the public, but did make appearances at events with the cherry red “Betty Bus” and focused the business on wholesale and online sales . Some of you will remember your first Betty Belt, maybe you got it in a surf shop along the California coast or picked it up at one of the many surf contests we’ve sponsored over the years.We definitely wouldn’t have made it this far without you, our loyal Betty Tribe, so for all of that, we are truly grateful. Celebrate with us with 15% off storewide on the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th (online too! Use code: 15ON15TH ) Plus we have a birthday gift to share with YOU! Our sweet and super cute enamel collector pin will be gifted to the first 100 people who come into our Ventura shop or order online.

Shop now. Use code 15ON15TH at checkout.

Journey with us back in time with some images over the past 15 years from the Betty Archives, featuring just of few of the many remarkable women of Team Betty who have been a part of our story along the way, helping build the brand into what it is today.

The very first Betty Belts photo shoot was with Mary Osborne, our first Team Rider, shot by David Pu’u. David was a good friend of founder Donna for many years before the two fell in love and started their creative life together.

Left: An ad for Surf Life for Women from 2003. Right: Donna rocking the Betty Belts in Big Sur, 2004

Family Friend Kia modeled for a Betty Promo postcard with the Betty Bus, circa 2005

A pretty ad from 2005 for Surf Life for Women magazine featuring Mary Osborne and Sierra Partridge.

Surfing Twins Sierra and Hailey Partridge joined Team Betty in 2004. We’ve done a lot of beautiful work with these two over the years.

A full page ad for Wet magazine, 2006, featuring David’s images of Team Betty surfers.

Donna at the Action Girl Sports trade show in Newport Beach, 2004. She drove the Betty Bus down there for the event. Scope those crochet halter tops we made back then!

Mary Osborne doing a little modeling for us. Solimar, 2005

That time Team Rider Tiare Thomas came over from Hawai’i and did some beautiful work with us, circa 2006.

The surf shot of Donna (by David, of course) that made a full page spread in Wall Street Journal magazine in an article about surfing executives, ca. 2006

Who remembers when the shop looked like this? We opened in 2007, and celebrated the shop’s 10th birthday last August.

We started making sea glass jewelry in late 2007 shortly after opening the shop. It started as a very small collection made from a sizeable collection our friend Tracy Lehr had collected locally and gifted to us.

A full page ad we did back in 2009 featuring some of our surf team.

We started making the upcycled surfboard resin collection in 2008. Team Rider Jeanette Ortiz joined us in 2006 at the age of 14. She’s a winemaker now and travels to exotic places to surf. We kinda envy her for it.

An Ad from 2009 with Hailey and Sierra for a 7sky Magazine in Europe

That time Donna modeled her Mermaid Sea Glass Red Carpet necklace design in 52 degree water.

A few years after we opened the shop, in February 2010, the VC Reporter did a great story on us and even made Donna the cover girl!