Using the three primary elements of the liberal arts, classification,
collection, and appreciation, write a blog post that defines the contemporary
hipster. Besides an explanation of the category provide a series of links to
works that help define the hipster in the 21st century. Write a statement of
appreciation for each of the links you provide explaining the relevance and
value of the example to the notion of the hipster and to what is hip. This is
due next week, Feb. 25.
I see hipsters as more of a description of what someone
likes and dislikes. Someone hipster likes things that are avant-guard at the
time, but in a few weeks, the avant-guard becomes popular with the masses. By
that time, the hipster’s taste has since changed. I also see hipsters classified
as two categories. The first being the true hipster, the trend setter, the one who
is interested in things ‘before they are cool’. The second classification is
the fake hipster. The affect has given us what we believe the cause to be. In
other words, hipsters liked the look of old, nerdy clothes and accessories
(thick glasses, bow ties, suspenders, thrift store shopping) and over time,
their tastes started to change. Other people began taking notice and associated
this look with hipster and started to dress accordingly. By the time the
general public got on board, the original hipsters already jumped ship to a new
trend. To me, hipster is not a way of dressing or a particular style, but just
another way to describe a trendsetter.
A definition of a hipster can be found at urban dictionary:
The most voted definition is awarded as the ‘most accurate’,
however, if you scroll down, you can see other definitions provided by others
who view hipsters differently. Each definition has different ways to classify
and describe a hipster and ironically, each contradicts the other depending on
the upload time. For example, one explains how hipsters wear thrift-store
clothes, tight jeans, old school sneakers and thick-rimmed glasses while
another definition will describe a hipster wearing leggings, mini-skirts, leg
warmers and 60’s chic. The only fact that is re-appearing is the use of snob and
the fact that hipster will deny their hipster status.
The ‘your scene sucks’ website is a site that I remember
being sent to many a time when I was 14/15 years old. He is an artist that
satirically describes many different kinds of hipsters. His illustrations are
amazing and his details are to the point perfect. Feel free to look at the #1 Pete Wentz fan to learn more about me as a human being.
Finally, here is an article and spread from Paste magazine
that support my ideas and feelings on what/how to describe a hipster. As seen
in the photographs, the ‘hipsters’ from 2000-2001 involve the ‘emo’ approach,
but by 2005, the hipster is now more of a fashionista. There isn’t one ‘hipster,’
just people with a quick changing style taste with no limits (I mean really,
the wolf t-shirt?).
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