We explain what a hipster is and what its characteristics are. Also, what is the hipster subculture and how the term originated.
What is a hipster?
With the term hipstercoming from English, is known as a subculture and an urban tribe typical of the late 20th century and early 21st century in Western countries, characterized by its distancing from cultural consumption practices considered mainstream (“dominant” or “commercial”), the valorization of vintage or retro, that is, what is no longer fashionable, and indie (“independent”).
The subculture hipster had its peak in the 2000s, in urban and bohemian environments of the upper middle class in which gentrification and smart growth predominated. Its presence was associated with “underground” or alternative spaces, sometimes even traditional, as well as with a very neat style of dress that was far from commercial fashion. However, the cultural consumption of hipsters particularly values the trends American urban areas.
The typical clothing of the hipster may vary, but generally encompasses the revival of old fashions, such as fedora hats, polka dot prints or checkered patterns, style sunglasses. wayfarerbow ties, and horn-rimmed glasses. Men generally grow long beards and wear lumberjack-style clothing (lumbersexual).
The result is a look bohemian with an intellectual touch, since fashion hipster It is not free of irony: “ironic consumption” is a typical behavior of this subculture, and consists of consuming cultural products of little value, as a form of mockery towards elite culture.
Origin and history of the term hipster
The term hipster emerged in the United States in the 1940s, as a deformation of the term hepcat used to name connoisseurs of the emerging African-American subculture, especially in the field of jazz. Different aesthetic and artistic movements were linked to what hipster at that time, as members of the beat generationFor example. In general, it was used to name white followers of the hot jazz and the boogie woogie.
However, At the end of the 20th century the term reappeared with current connotations, associated with young people under 30 years of age from the middle and upper classes, whose patterns of cultural consumption move away from what is established and pursue what is indie. The ironic attitude and a certain dose of narcissism became typical of this urban tribe often considered among the first to have its heyday and go out of style in the 21st century.
However, its presence was notable enough to inspire a series of books, manuals and creative approaches that attempted, ironically, to define what hipster and establish its aesthetic limits.
Characteristics of a hipster
Broadly speaking, a hipster It is characterized by the following:
- Taste for the ironic consumption of popular content and/or content considered alternative, indie, underground or that somehow escapes established trends.
- Eccentric but careful clothing in which out-of-fashion elements appear, such as bow ties, horn-rimmed glasses, suspenders, checked shirts, polka dot prints, wide-brimmed hats, and stylized beards and mustaches, reminiscent of those of the 19th century. Used clothing is very common in hipsters.
- Product preference green and for vegetarianism as well as responsible consumption and “progressive” trends in the commercial market, without necessarily going to the extreme of political activism.
- Valuation of objects vintage either retro such as record players, old cameras and other objects associated with past fashions.
- Preference for cafes and reading spaces linked to a certain “intellectuality”, above the bars. The taste for coffee is a common fetish, often accompanied by some barista training.
- Bohemian life proposal uninhibited, who rejects consumerism and tends to romanticize precariousness.
The subculture hipster
The subculture hipster It focuses mainly on the consumption of indiethat is, independent music and Lo-fi. in it The culture that is furthest from the commercial, poorly organized and with more “pure” artistic interests is valued.
However, their favorite musical genres can be very varied, ranging from contemporary variants of punk and rock (post-rock, grunge, alternative rock, indie rock, Britpop) to electronic music (trip-hop, techno, chill- out). In general, English-speaking independent bands like The Black Keys, Beach House or Bon Iver are iconic of taste hipster.
Regarding literature, the subculture hispter values the classics and cultivates a rather conservative taste despite the fact that disruptive authors and poetry from the mid-20th century tend to be valued. In general, it is a subculture artsywhich moves away from the commercial and business world, to rescue a more or less moderate bohemian stance.
Differences between hippies and hipsters
The hipsters and the hippies have in common their rejection of consumerism and the capitalist system and its businesses. However, the position of the latter is much more extreme, reaching the point of living in communes far from urban life and office work, embracing an ideal of free life and nature that does not seem to be among the interests of the hipsterschildren of the city and contemporary capitalism.
Ideologically, the position hipster seems to be that of responsible consumption, green activism and capitalism with a human face. Instead, Hippies propose to live outside of industrial capitalism.
Regarding fashion and cultural consumption patterns, hippies tend much more to New Age and the abandonment of Western aesthetic patterns: they cultivate a much simpler appearance, bordering on the careless, almost contrary to the careful vintage look that the hipsters They cultivate through old-fashioned clothes.
References
- “Hipster (contemporary subculture)” on Wikipedia.
- “Hipster m and f and adj.” on Neological Tuesday of the Cervantes Virtual Center.
- “Hipsters, the fashion of not being fashionable” in La Nación (Argentina).
- “The 'hipsters': the last urban tribe of the 21st century” in 20 minutes (Spain).
- “Hippie (subculture)” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica.
