While their presence isn’t exactly prominent on Elon’s classically preppy campus, we’ve all seen them. They wear worn vintage clothes, fedoras, pink and blue hair and (sometimes real) black-rimmed glasses that can only mean one thing: hipster.
But what makes a hipster a hipster? Is it only their distinct fashion or does it go deeper? Ultimately, it’s the fashion, attitude, entertainment and lifestyle that define this newly named generational icon.
One of their biggest traits is their outlandish fashion – mostly from style hotspots like Urban Outfitters, American Apparel and vintage stores. Skinny jeans, high-waisted pants, skirts and shorts, plaid shirts, ironic tops, floral dresses and Converse are all hipster staples.
One of the most important aspects of a hipster’s style is accessories. Flower headbands, triangle necklaces, neon nail polish, funky belts and bright ties are all finishing touches.
The main characteristic of a hipster’s attitude is their early adopter approach on things like bands, clothing and tech gadgets. Phrases like, “I liked that before it was cool” and “That’s too mainstream,” are often said. Hipsters tend to scout out what is cool and worthwhile before non-hipsters. Hardcore hipsters tend to go vegetarian or vegan as well and tend to eat naturally and locally.
Reading classic books as well as cultural informational books, vinyl records, independent and foreign films and bands almost no one has ever heard of provide great entertainment for hipsters. Social media use is also huge. Tumblr, WordPress and Blogspot are great tools to share thoughts and pictures, notably Instagrammed pictures or ones that have an old-school vintage look to them.
Being a vegan certainly doesn’t make you hipster, nor does wearing a triangle necklace or reading Jack Kerouac, but the complete picture of what a hipster encompasses does embrace the entire lifestyle. Notably, a hipster never claims they are a hipster because the label defeats the purpose and becomes mainstream.
Being hipster takes commitment and constant work to stay on top of trends before they emerge. Fundamentally, the hipster era we live in is not just a style phase; it’s a lifestyle people have adopted and live by. It’s what defines them even when they don’t like being confined to a definition.