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How to Hipst: A Totally Not Mainstream Guide To Becoming A Hipster

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What Defines a Hipster?

Hipsters have been very popular in recent pop culture. There are many ways to define a Hipster, as the stereotype can be very broad. This comprehensive guide to becoming or spotting a Hipster will show you the ins and outs of Hipsterdom.

Table of Contents

So mainstream

Use this to navigate through the guide to get more in-depth info on particular Hipster topics

A Brief Anatomy of a Hipster

All information was gathered from old books in our favorite coffee shops

An example of what a group of Hipsters might look likeThe term Hipster often refers to a young, newly settled middle-class citizen who takes interest in vintage objects and culture as well as underground movements and gay rights activism. Hipsters often have a distinct grungy, mangy look about them. They can often be associated with indie music, unkempt (facial and body) hair, thick framed "Wayfarer" style glasses, shoulder / messenger bags, riding fixed speed bicycles (fixies), collecting vintage films and clothing, listening to 8-tracks, reading and collecting really old books and novels that are most commonly unheard of and not truly notable.

Of course, there are many ways to define a Hipster and many niche's that fit the stereotype. The ones listed previously are just some of the most common. Hipsters are usually very against mainstream media, this usually results in them taking up activities out of the 'norm'.

Hipster Fashion and Furniture

Take styles from the past and make them look even worse

Hipsters really have no dress code, but they are usually found wearing old, rugged clothing or else vintage clothing that is still in tact, yet significantly lacking in taste.

Hipsters can find clothing from a number of shops and retailers both in the real world and online. Popular companies and sites among Hipsters are those such as Modcloth.com, Urban Outfitters, H&M, sometimes even Forever 21, and lots and lots of consignment and thrift shops as well as vintage clothing stores. Garage sales, yard sales, estate sales, and flea markets are also viable options for obtaining Hipster apparel or furniture.

Hipsters often admire antique furniture and just love to furnish their urban studio apartments with it. Gaudy wallpapers and tiles are often used to adorn the walls. Old chests, bookcases, wardrobes, shelves, coffee tables, sofas and bed frames can also be used to furnish their homes. Record players, old fashioned Maytag appliances and rustic pots and pans can be found around the typical Hipster abode.

Any true Hipster also has a place to keep their fixie inside as well. It is important that the fixie contrasts with the walls, so therefore a brick interior is often sought after, since the smooth metal contrasts with the brick. This is important when taking pictures with your Holga camera.

The Fixie

Simple, efficient, and totally not mainstream

Hipsters can also accomplish the great feat of crossing puddles with fixies.

A rather popular icon of the Hipster subculture is the fixed speed bicycle or the fixie. A fixie is a bicycle that has only one speed, meaning it requires little maintenance and is very basic, no real hi-tech gadgets or gear settings to have to toy around with. This helps Hipsters stick to reading their boring indie books instead of the owner's manual.

The fixie is one of the Hipsters main methods of transportation when it comes to getting around in urban areas. However, fixies aren't the only way to get around, broken down 90's Toyota Camry's and city buses are still viable options.

As far as purchasing a fixie, forthcoming Hipsters may want to check out their local thrift shops. If all else fails, Urban Outfitters also has a bike shop that allows Hipsters to customize their very own fixies on their Macintosh computers right from the comfort of their own studio apartments.

Begin Building Your Hipster Repertoire

Here's where you can get your fixie fix

Feel free to browse through some stuff that most Hipsters should own. Be on the look out for really old, hardly functioning cameras, fixed speed bicycles, old books, cardigans, beenies, shoulder bags and the like.
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Hipster Artistic Techniques

Helvetica, Holga cameras, vignettes, and light leaks

Classic Holga camera, used to capture the moment, with heavy color tint and vignetting

Classic Holga camera, used to capture the moment, with heavy color tint and vignetting

Classic Holga camera, used to capture the moment, with heavy color tint and vignetting
It's uncommon for Hipsters to visit the beach, as the sand often gets stuck in their chukka shoes and Toms very easily
Helvetica, this font single-handedly made Macintosh the main producer of Hipster technology
Many Hipster photographs have no central focus, as that would be too expected. Therefore, taking boring photographs with harsh vignettes, light leaks and color tinting is a trademark of Hipster photography
I believe the balloons symbolize Hipsters in society, the rest of the tree being society
Hipsters don't always want to leave their pictures tinted in one color, it could be perceived as "trendy", so sometimes they will introduce a second color tint
This is where Hipsters age and over-wash their jeans so they look more vintage. You will be spending about $50 in quarters to get the look you really want from your Levi 511 skinny jeans
These were probably wedding figurines from a local antique shop, however many Hipsters struggle with monogamy because it is considered a social norm
This book was found on the shelves of a local underground coffee shop

Hipster Checklist

  • Hate any mainstream media and totally deny any talent which may exist mainstream media.
  • Make yourself out to seem like a charitable person, even if you aren't.
  • Make people believe that you actually are educated in culture.
  • Use words nobody else would know the meaning of in normal conversation (this may involve you looking them up in the late hours of the night for use in your next bash on mainstream topics).
  • Become a vegetarian, or go the extra step to become a vegan. Eating organic produce, meat and snacks are essential to becoming a Hipster.
  • Although you dress and live like you don't have any money, it is important that you use Apple products. Apples are hip, and only a small percentage of the world uses them. Especially consider purchasing an iPhone, iPad or MacBook Pro to carry around in your satchel. Sometimes the coffee shops can take a while to get some fresh reading inventory, so it'll be nice to update your twitter and tumblr accounts.
  • Purchase a fixie so you can get from your apartment to the local coffee shop or your favorite indie band's EP debut concert.
  • If you are a male Hipster, it is usually preferred that you own some sort of man purse or satchel to carry around your cigarettes, old books, gay rights pamphlets, organic cashews, and MacBook Pro in.
  • Wear very skinny jeans, scarves, black and white V-neck tee's with phrases in helvetica on them. It is also common to wear brown or black chukka boots, Dickies shoes, Vans slip-ons, Toms or Peds as well as some Wayfarer style glasses with clear lenses. This and some hemp bracelets often complete the look. Make sure you don't brush your hair or teeth for that matter either.
  • Argue with everyone but those in your friend group. Everyone is out to get you, and nobody understands how hard life is nor do they appreciate any good music, films, books, and they're all a bunch of bible thumping conservatives who hate gay people. Remember this when you're arguing.

More on Hipst'ing

Resources for those who want to participate in the Hipster subculture
Pitchfork Media
The essential guide to independent music and beyond.
Mod Cloth
Mod Cloth offers some great apparel choices for Hipster females (and some items for male Hipsters). Mod Retro Indie Clothing & Vintage Clothes
Original Hipster
Original Hipster provides original vintage clothing for men and women created in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Original Hipster clothing and accessories
Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters isn't too trendy, but they aren't too underground either. They're at a perfect equilibrium for aspiring Hipsters. They also have a great fixie bike shop and they sell custom Holga cameras.
Tumblr
An easy to use community that allows you to share pictures, media, thoughts, quotes and ideas. It can also be used for blogging about your cat and your most recent pair of shuttershades
Apple
Apple designs and creates iPod and iTunes, Mac laptop and desktop computers, the OS X operating system, and the revolutionary iPhone and iPad.
American Apparel
American Apparel supplies lots of vintage designs that are just great for that retro look of yours.

Let's Hear the Hipsters!

If only this section could be in the form of a tumblr feed!

Now we've given you all of the bare essentials you need to become a true Hipster, it's time to hear back from the rest of your new found fellow Hipsters to hear what they have to say! Hipster's gonna hipst!

  • cdevries Sep 1, 2011 @ 10:53 am | delete
    I think the fixie bikes are a great idea, old, obscure books can be terrific, and old clothes ditto - but can you be an oldster hipster? Or a carnivorous one?
  • proantibicycle Aug 20, 2011 @ 11:15 pm | delete
    I'm sorry, this lens brings hipsterness into the mainstream way too much. The hipster lifestyle is just such an obscrure journey, you wouldn't even begin to undertand...
  • archangelptx Apr 20, 2011 @ 2:53 pm | delete
    Hahaha! Great lens, I got a good laugh out of it. =)
  • JoshK47 Apr 20, 2011 @ 11:47 am | delete
    I'm a hipster sometimes... but only ironically.
  • kevinw1 Apr 20, 2011 @ 11:38 am | delete
    I wore desert boots before they were Hipster

    (when they were "in" last time... in the 70s)
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GlassJoe

I may not be a Hipster myself, but I sure as heck dated one. During these few short months I observed the activities that Hipsters consumed their live... more »

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