Act Like a Hipster

Hipsters are known for their appreciation of individuality, creativity, and the arts. Some possess a cynical, pretentious attitude, while others are idealistic and innovative. If you want to act like the stereotypical hipster there are a few dressing tips to follow. You may also want to find new interests and develop a hipster philosophy of your own.

Steps

Dressing Like a Hipster

1. Avoid the mall. Hipsters enjoy discovering new styles and brands. They also enjoy thrift stores. Malls are seen as too mainstream and associated with authority. You don’t want to buy mass produced products.
   • You want to think that your style can’t be classified or purchased at a single store. Designer labels are to be avoided.
   • Shop locally. Support your community and buy from local craftspeople and artisans. Shop at flea markets and garage sales. Read tags and inquire where things are made to ensure that your products are locally sourced.
2. Take pride in your outfit. Even though you want to pull off a look that seems casual with little effort, take pride in your outfits. You may find hard to find pieces or garments that are well-engineered but minimal in design. Keep informed on brands and designers that are creating the look you enjoy.
   • Don’t be afraid of cost. Many hipsters will purchase products that may seem overpriced but the fact that they are artisanal, local, or obscure may drive up there value. Make sure you know the value of the product, and be sure to invest in what makes your happy.
3. Take vintage and throwback styles. You may look back to your own childhood or even decades before. Shop at thrift stores and get inspired by a sense of nostalgia. You may even look in the closet of your parents or grandparents for inspiration.
   • Look like you’re not trying. The essential hipster look is to look like you’re not trying. You want your outfit to be carefree and relaxed. It’s almost as if you don’t care what your outfit looks like.
4. Wear a lot of flannel. Flannel is the go-to material for a hipster. You may get it oversized or tailored. It does not need to match the rest of your outfit. You may find good flannel tops at thrift stores or specialty stores.
   • Both men and women can wear sleeveless flannel or fully sleeved flannel shirts. You may also wear any coloured flannel with any outfit.
5. Protect your neck with a scarf. Choose a variety of patterns, colours, sizes, and shapes. You can be both stylish and warm with this neck accessory. You don’t have to limit yourself to cold weather either. Learn how to wear a scarf with any outfit.
6. Keep warm with varsity jackets. Even if you’ve never played a sport or aren’t a fan of any sports teams, you may wear a varsity jacket. This completes both a preppy and sporty look that some hipsters go for.
7. Make cardigans a staple. Button up any variety of cardigan. You may choose oversized cardigans of any colour or design. You can find them at most stores, but thrift stores may provide you with a vintage look that a lot of hipsters go for.
8. Wear comfortable shoes. Most hipsters look to old Converse runners or oxford style shoes. Usually black Chuck Taylor Converse or black or brown oxfords will work with any outfit. You also want to make sure that your shoes look worn in.
   • You may choose checkered or brightly coloured runners. Keds and Vans are also a good alternative to Converse. Make sure that your shoes look thrifty or vintage.
9. Add irony to your sweatshirts. Pullovers are popular with hipsters. There should be graphic designs and pictures of things that you do not normally associate with being hip like kittens or unicorns. There can even be phrases or words meant to incite irony.
10. Show off your legs in skinny jeans. Try to have a variety of skinny jeans but make sure you own at least one pair that are grey. Skinny jeans are exactly as they sound. They are tapered and conform to the shape of your leg.
11. Keep your pants up with interesting accessories. Wear eye catching belts like bottle caps or seat belts as belt buckles. You may also use suspenders. Thin suspenders may work well with any outfit.

Getting Your Head in the Game

1. Buy the right hat. Hipsters are known for two styles of hat: beanies and fedoras. Choose knitted beanies with a preference to gray. Fedoras can be bought at thrift stores or speciality stores. Try to find details like tiny feathers for your fedora.
2. Get an emo type hairstyle (women). Blunt bangs or hippy inspired styles are popular among female hipsters. Messy with long layers give the relaxed and casual vibe.
3. Tidy up your hair (men). Male hipsters are inspired by a perfectly styled coif. You may need to use a lot of product but work with your barber to get a neat side part and to style your hair to the shape of your head. Look to the 50s and 60s for inspiration.
4. Grow a beard (men). Hipster men have become known for bringing back facial hair. Whether you grow out a lumberjack beard or have a neatly styled mustache, facial hair is very popular amongst hipster men.
5. Wear glasses. Even if you don’t need them, use glasses as a fashion accessory. Choose frames that are thick and black. You want a vintage look or even ‘nerd’ frames.
   • There may be a plastic nose bridge on your glasses or you can also use Kanye shutter shades.
6. Be yourself. There is no rule for being a hipster. Dressing like a hipster is about being yourself and embracing individuality. Don’t worry about what matches or what is acceptable. Wear what’s comfortable and what makes you happy.

Finding New Interests

1. Ride fixies. Fixies are fixed gear bikes that have become popularized by hipsters. You can custom build your own or buy them online or at speciality bike shops. Remember that they aren’t like other bikes as they only have one gear and no breaks.
2. Smoke luxury cigarettes. Hipsters prefer brands like Dunhill and Parliaments. Clove cigarettes are good alternatives. Try to avoid menthol cigarettes.
3. Use Apple products. When it comes to technology, hipsters are synonymous with using Apple products. Whether it is using an iPhone, iPad, or Macbook, try to use Apple products.
4. Carry your accessories in a cross body bag. Cross body bags or satchels are a great accessory to carry your money, phone, and other odds and ends. You can purchase them online, speciality stores, or at your local thrift store for a more vintage or thrifty look.
5. Enjoy music. Only listen to artists from independent record labels. Try to focus on obscure bands or bands that are not in the mainstream. Go to a lot of shows and listen to podcasts.
   • Go to music festivals in the summer and even start your own music blog.
6. Take up photography. Tomographic aesthete photography is popular with hipsters but generally, photography is a popular creative outlet for them. Enjoy dark rooms and developing film. Learn how to create a sepia tone and scan negatives.
   • Instagram is a great social media channel to express yourself with photography. You may also use Tumblr or WordPress to start your own blog to showcase your work
7. Learn about film. Documentaries and foreign films are very popular with hipsters. Learn about film theory and aesthetics. You may also make your own short film or a documentary about a social issue.
   • Black and white classic films should inspire you. Using fisheye lenses and experimenting with different filming techniques should also interest you.
8. Get into typography. Enjoy letterpress and learn about bowls, counters, serifs, or ligatures. The art and aesthetic of print is very popular with hipsters so try to take an interest in
9. Rescue animals. If you have the time and space, opt for a rescue dog over purchasing one from a store or private breeder. You may also look to rescue cats or any other animal you think you can handle.
10. Discover alternatives to healing. Homeopathy is popular among some hipsters. Keep an open mind and learn as much as you can about alternative healing practices. Make sure you learn enough information to make an informed decision about your health.

Adjusting Your Diet

1. Eat locally. Try to construct your diet based on locally grown products. Support local growers, bakers, and chefs. Follow blogs, read magazines, and talk to well-regarded industry insiders about what’s up and coming in the local food scene.
2. Make an effort to enjoy vegan or vegetarian cuisine. While it may be difficult to fully change your eating habits, you may be able to find healthier choices and slowly transition into a healthier lifestyle. Look for vegan or vegetarian alternatives when you purchase your food.
   • Add a little spice to your food. Adding hot sauce like Sriracha or Frank’s Red Hot is popular among hipsters. Make sure you know whether you can take that amount of heat before applying it to your dishes. Be safe and taste a little drop before helping yourself.
3. Learn about coffee. You may find yourself spending a lot of time at coffee shops. Learn about what kinds of coffee you enjoy the most. Try different blends and ask about free trade coffee.
   • French press coffee is very popular among hipsters.
4. Sip on craft beers. Stay away from mass produced brands and enjoy craft beers. Ask your bartender what’s on tap or visit your local liquor store and check out the selection. Discover a beer that fits your taste.
5. Select organic or artisanal. Whether you’re choosing cheese, meat or bread, try to select artisanal or organic food. Visit farmer markets and read food blogs to find the best sources of local organic and artisanal food products.

Developing a Hipster Philosophy

1. Let music guide you. A musical hipster only listens to select artists and stays away from what’s currently popular. If you have a very specific musical taste, consider yourself somewhat of a musical snob, and do your best to discover obscure music that suits your taste, you may be a musical hipster.
   • You may enjoy vinyl records and actually be on your way to becoming an accomplished musician. If you are in several bands and enjoy experimenting with sound, you may also be a musical hipster.
2. Get political. Political hipsters have a cause or distinct political view. Keep up to date with both local, national, and world politics if you want to be associated as a political hipster. Keep yourself informed and take a stance when necessary.
   • The Occupy Wall Street movement could be seen as a political hipster movement.
3. Let your creativity flow. Artistic hipsters enjoy expressing themselves through a variety of medium. Whether you enjoy poetry, painting, photography or just creating art, express yourself.
   • Artistic hipsters want to express themselves as individuals. They may have tattoos, piercings, and coloured hair.
   • Hipsters are often categorized as creative types. Many of their jobs may be associated as being creative like designers, bartenders, or writers. You may look into freelancing to help fund your artistic endeavors.
   • You may see many hipsters at coffee shops are as servers.
4. Embody ‘adorkable’. Just like it sounds, ‘adorkable’ is the combination of being adorable and a dork. You may wear cute glasses and have sci-fi posters. The actress Zooey Deschanel can be inspiration as she is often described as adorkable.
   • Having a tattoo of a mustache on your finger or wearing quirky t-shirts are often associated with being adorkable.
5. Congregate with like-minded individuals. Find other people who you think are hipsters. You may have a neighbourhood in your city, store in downtown, or club at school that seems very hipster. Join the conversation and see what inspires them and what catches your favour.
   • Look on social media or forums to find like-minded individuals. You can also check out record stores, coffee shops, or art galleries as these are common interests of hipsters.
6. Question authority. Take up a social cause or inform yourself about politics and social issues. Hipsters value their role in society or want to effect change in the community. Have a stance and strengthen your voice when necessary.
7. Get involved with media. Hipsters are very media savvy. Whether it’s pursuing a career in media or developing an analytical eye, make sure that you understand the role media plays in the your life.
   • Have a strong social media presence and read blogs and forums that interest you. Participate in dialogue with other hipsters about topics that interest you like music or cinema.
8. Have a sense of irony. Let irony inform your style and your sensibilities. You may also use sarcasm when speaking. Irony is easily expressed with funny t-shirts or in your social media presence. Make sure you get the right context to express irony properly.
9. Take something from other subcultures. You may incorporate hip hop, skateboard, or preppy styles into your own. There are no rules for becoming a hipster. Discover what appeals to you and bring it into your sensibilities.
10. Don’t stick to stereotypical gender assignments. If you are male, don’t be afraid to wear clothes or take up hobbies associated with females. Likewise, females should feel free to take up style choices and interests more closely associated with men.
    • For example, women can wear baggy plaid shirts and enjoy beer and men can wear skinny jeans and enjoy making jewelry.

Tips

• Remember: Irony is your friend.
• Be unnecessarily sarcastic whenever you can.
• If someone ever asks you anything about your musical, movie, or literature preferences, respond with "I would tell you, but you've never heard of it/them."
• Always claim that you knew about [insert subject of conversation] first.
• If you get your coffee from a place like Starbucks, cover up the logo on the cup and claim it's from a local Indie cafe otherwise your alternative way of loving coffee will not be taken seriously.
• Show underground bands you have found to friends.
• Consider becoming a vegan.

Warnings

• People may become annoyed or angry with you.
• If you don't have any basis for your statements, or proof of what you're claiming to be, people will dismiss you as a poser.
• You may lose friends.

Related Articles

• Be a Hipster in High School
• Be a Hipster (Teen Boys)
• Be a Teenage Hipster(Girls)

Sources and Citations

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