A strange thing started happening to me last March-- I began being referred to as "hipster." Before that, people would often say things like "different," "inde," "weird, "defiant" or any other of the many words that could classify a person as something different from the general population. When I was originally confronted with this classification, I wasn't sure how to respond. My immediate thought: what does that even mean?
So am I a hipster?
So am I a hipster?
The dictionary defines hipster as:
noun Slang .
1 .a person who is hip.
2. hepcat.
3. a person, especially during the 1950s, characterized by a particularly strong sense of alienation from most established social activities and relationships.
Since I didn't know what "hepcat" meant, I looked that up too:
noun Older Slang .
1. a performer or admirer of jazz, especially swing.
2. a person who is hep; hipster.
Well, I certainly love swing dancing, but I'm not sure if that's enough to label me a hipster.
Well, I certainly love swing dancing, but I'm not sure if that's enough to label me a hipster.
According to the urban dictionary "It is part of the hipster central dogma not to be influenced by mainstream advertising and media, which tends to only promote ethnocentric ideals of beauty"
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hipster&defid=2705928
As long as I can remember, this has been true of me. I was the middle school girl who refused to step inside a Hollister or Abercrombie & Fitch because I hated the idea of over-priced clothes that looked the same as things you could buy at Aeropostale or American Eagle, but without the expensive logo. In fact, I disliked even going to either of those less expensive stores because they were still essentially the same product that Target and Walmart sold. So yes, I do have a particular distaste for the way that mainstream advertising and media get away with selling the same product for more, just by their logo.
Apparently, however, I wasn't alone all those years. All of these articles about hipsters make it seem like all these years there were ranks of upset teenagers secretly defying mainstream behavior just waiting to sprout into maturity and make a statement about style and values. Or maybe it was all a bit more subtle. Maybe some of us just didn't want to fall for the trap of expensive clothing, and decided to shop at thrift stores instead. Or maybe some of us don't think pink polos are cute.
But now, we see a new genre of these anti-mainstream people. Now people shop at Urban Outfitters, where they spend $200 on a pair of jeans, and $50 on a metro vest. Or they go to American Apparel to buy $30 v-necks (that are, by the way, outrageously soft), or Buffalo Exchange which is basically a really expensive second-hand store. It is like the second generation of the Hollister trap going on. Perhaps round two is even worse than the first. The entire basis of the "hipster" movement was based on defying "ethnocentric ideals of beauty" and not being "influenced by mainstream advertising and media." But now hipsters are paying lots of money for what new trends are saying is cool, which is what old trends said was ugly. Hipsterism is about anti-trends. But when anti-trends become trendy, what happens?
Well that's where we find ourselves with our fellow hipster friends. The entire population of hipsters deny that they are part of a trend. I contend that hipsters can be defined as a people that desire to hold to a "different" set of ideals in all areas such as fashion, music, food and even politics.
Therefore, I plead innocent of being a hipster. I hold to the ideals that I always have: I like what I like, and don't let stupid things influence that. I buy things from the thrift store because I know I can find what I want for less. I listen to music based on talent and sound, not based on what's popular. I eat the food I like and do the things I like. This used to be called "Inde" and it is now being mistaken for "Hipster" but I want to strictly identify the difference:
Hipsters follow anti-trends because they are against the norm.
Inde people follow their own trend regardless of everyone else and their opinions.
I will admit to having hipster moments-- those prideful times when I make a decision based on what everyone else isn't doing. But I think we can all honestly admit to those.
So there you have it. I am Inde.
That being said, you can expect many posts regarding hipsters. I find hipsterism comical, and I can be humble enough to laugh at even the things that relate to me.
As long as I can remember, this has been true of me. I was the middle school girl who refused to step inside a Hollister or Abercrombie & Fitch because I hated the idea of over-priced clothes that looked the same as things you could buy at Aeropostale or American Eagle, but without the expensive logo. In fact, I disliked even going to either of those less expensive stores because they were still essentially the same product that Target and Walmart sold. So yes, I do have a particular distaste for the way that mainstream advertising and media get away with selling the same product for more, just by their logo.
Apparently, however, I wasn't alone all those years. All of these articles about hipsters make it seem like all these years there were ranks of upset teenagers secretly defying mainstream behavior just waiting to sprout into maturity and make a statement about style and values. Or maybe it was all a bit more subtle. Maybe some of us just didn't want to fall for the trap of expensive clothing, and decided to shop at thrift stores instead. Or maybe some of us don't think pink polos are cute.
But now, we see a new genre of these anti-mainstream people. Now people shop at Urban Outfitters, where they spend $200 on a pair of jeans, and $50 on a metro vest. Or they go to American Apparel to buy $30 v-necks (that are, by the way, outrageously soft), or Buffalo Exchange which is basically a really expensive second-hand store. It is like the second generation of the Hollister trap going on. Perhaps round two is even worse than the first. The entire basis of the "hipster" movement was based on defying "ethnocentric ideals of beauty" and not being "influenced by mainstream advertising and media." But now hipsters are paying lots of money for what new trends are saying is cool, which is what old trends said was ugly. Hipsterism is about anti-trends. But when anti-trends become trendy, what happens?
Well that's where we find ourselves with our fellow hipster friends. The entire population of hipsters deny that they are part of a trend. I contend that hipsters can be defined as a people that desire to hold to a "different" set of ideals in all areas such as fashion, music, food and even politics.
Therefore, I plead innocent of being a hipster. I hold to the ideals that I always have: I like what I like, and don't let stupid things influence that. I buy things from the thrift store because I know I can find what I want for less. I listen to music based on talent and sound, not based on what's popular. I eat the food I like and do the things I like. This used to be called "Inde" and it is now being mistaken for "Hipster" but I want to strictly identify the difference:
Hipsters follow anti-trends because they are against the norm.
Inde people follow their own trend regardless of everyone else and their opinions.
I will admit to having hipster moments-- those prideful times when I make a decision based on what everyone else isn't doing. But I think we can all honestly admit to those.
So there you have it. I am Inde.
That being said, you can expect many posts regarding hipsters. I find hipsterism comical, and I can be humble enough to laugh at even the things that relate to me.
I love you.
ReplyDelete