How to Be a Hipster

Alex Rich, Staff Reporter
November 21, 2011
Filed under Spotlight

What exactly is a hipster?

An underground movement of people in the United States has been forming quietly since the 1990s but has just recently made a large-scale appearance in popular culture. The movement’s adherents are called hipsters, and their primary goal is to shun the mainstream as and avoid all things trendy.

According to the British newspaper The Guardian, a hipster is a “type of cool kid, keen on such low-tech status symbols as typewriters, fixed-gear bikes, and the kind of outdated instrumentation used on records by Arcade Fire, Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear.”

However, junior Ian Clark defines a hipster differently. “They have a style that was different from the norm, but now it’s a trend. So they’re distinguishable by their trendiness.”

Sophomore Micah Sattin said hipsters are always one step ahead of the game. “What is considered to be hipster now will be the norm, and hipsters will have created an entirely new lifestyle,” he said.

Interested in hipster status? Here are some tips for your quest to be a hipster.

Looks

One of the most important aspects of the journey to become a hipster is achieving the right look. A hipster tries to own as many vintage items as possible and looks as though he doesn’t have the money to buy anything expensive. Hipsters shun all major clothing labels, such as Abercrombie or Hollister. Doing so may require hours upon hours of thrifting (you might want to start at any Salvation Army store or, if you’re lucky, you can raid your parents’ closets for artifacts from the ’70s and ’80s). Too much bother? There are stores such as Urban Outfitters and American Apparel that offer vintage or vintage look-alikes. Just remember, you’ll have to be willing to spend the extra $50-$100. While you’re there, try to pick up a record player, typewriter or a plastic camera (these stores carry charming collections of hipster props, some of which are authentic).

Music

This area will make or break you. Hipsters pride themselves on their musical tastes and their ability to recall the lyrics, band members and trivia about all 60 of their favorite bands. Start with the more “mainstream” indie bands, such as Arcade Fire, MGMT and Vampire Weekend, then move to the underground acts, such as Sufjan Stevens or Warpaint. Make sure you’re able to recite all their lyrics and describe in detail your favorite of their albums and songs. Attending concerts is vital, so try the Beachland Ballroom or the Grog Shop on Coventry. The only skill you’ll need is to jump up and down and push your way to the front without falling over. Bonus points if you get the set list.

Where to Go

Cleveland hosts a fair number of hip spots. Remember, shunning the mainstream is of the utmost importance, so that $6 venti Frappuccino from Starbucks needs to go. Trade it for something from the local coffee shop, perhaps Phoenix. For your vinyls (you know, those thin disks from way back in the ’70s that you spin on your record player) try Music Saves, located close to the Beachland Ballroom, or even Urban Outfitters, the closest of which is, ironically, in very antithesis of hipsterdom, Crocker Park. Any business on Coventry Road is a good bet, as well as those in Lakewood. The Cedar Lee Cinema is great for seeing foreign or indie films — the only films you will now be able to watch. Make sure they’re intellectual, slow-paced and have as little or as unintelligible dialogue as possible.

All in all, there are few main things to remember if you really want to be a hipster. With clothing, vintage is key. The older and, in some cases the uglier, the better. Know your indie bands better than those vocab words. Make sure to carve out some time to visit Coventry or Lakewood, and try to throw in a trip to buy records. Most importantly, but also most ironically, never call yourself a hipster. Clark has the right idea. Asked if he would apply the term, he said, “No, but I would say hipsters try to be me.”