How To Be A Hipster In 6 Easy Steps

To find out how to become a hipster, one must first understand what a hipster is. Hipsters, as defined by Urban Dictionary, are a subculture of men and women typically in their 20s and 30s that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter.

1. To be a hipster, you must look like a hipster.

Go to a local thrift shop and look around. Not only is this economically friendly, but it is also a good way to save money. Throw the clothes in the washing machine at home and they will be perfectly clean, so no need to worry about the idea of wearing used clothes. The type of clothes you should be looking for are band T-shirts, big ugly sweaters, and baggy flannel that you can tie around your waist. Anything that has holes in it is a bonus, especially jean shorts. If you aren’t sure what color to get, black is always the answer.

2. You must listen to hipster music.

A good place to start is raiding your parents’ CD collections. If they have records, even better. Old music is very in again. Music blogs that have the name hipster in the title are another great place to discover some new jams. If nobody has heard of your new favorite band then congratulations, you are developing a hipster taste in music. If you really want to stretch your music tastes, try listening to your favorite genres of music — from other countries. Nothing says hipster like listening to some French pop songs that you can’t understand. For the very adventurous, I suggest jazz.

3. You must talk like a hipster.

Being witty is all about references. Watch some 80s movies or actually read those books that were assigned to you in high school. Holden Caulfield, John Bender, and Lorelai Gilmore are a few characters that know about wit. Learn from the best, memorize quotes, and throw in some of your own personality and you will be talking like a hipster in no time. You can’t be a hipster if you haven’t watched The Goonies, The Breakfast Club, or Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

4. You must be creative.

The best ways to become a hipster is to become creative. You kill that poetry reading at the coffee house. Go out and paint that masterpiece you have been dreaming of. Knitting is becoming fashionable again, bonus points if you wear something you have knit yourself. Being a musician is very helpful if you would like to be a hipster, especially if you play an instrument, although singing and joining theatre could be substitutes. Remember: if you are taking up a new creative hobby, it better not be a mainstream one like football or else you are automatically un-hipster.

5. You must care.

This one is something a lot of people forget when they try to become hipsters. People think it is cool to go out and forget what a GPA is and not care about politics or education. I am not saying to be that guy that lectures people on the bus about an article they read online last night about the new candidates in office. Just be aware, start to read about the world, and know what is going on. There is this ancient thing called a newspaper and dusting one off every once and a while isn’t such a bad idea. Brushing up on some history is also a good start. Just remember, intelligence is cool and the main goal here is constant consumption of knowledge.

6. You must keep an open mind.

The new cool thing is to see the world from other people’s perspectives and not just your own. If you want to be a hipster, you have to start being that annoying person on the quad yelling about stuff that actually matters. Get out there and fight for the LGBTQ community, don’t be afraid to speak up against someone who is being blatantly racist, walk for victims of sexual assault, don’t make jokes about mental illnesses, and promote peace, not violence. You can’t be a hipster if you rolled your eyes at any of the things listed above; sorry, I don’t make the rules. You can become the ultimate hipster by participating in a peaceful protest, picket sign and all.