Hipster 101

 passive voice

abstract subject

linking verbs

transitive verbs

This is a definition essay I wrote for a previous English class about the slang term Hipster.

You have seen them walking around [I'm not sure if this an example of passive voice so someone tell me please if it isn't!], the kids with the dim colored skinny jeans, grown out hair and fake glasses. They will also have giant burly beards and thick old fashioned mustaches and are very fond of thick cardigans and “vintage” Value Village clothes. These kids that you see are called hipsters. However, there is much more to being a hipster than just getting the look down. You need to know the diet of a true hipster, the correct transportation, preferred music preferences of their kind and overall the lifestyle in general--the idea is that to be a hipster you have to be as far away from mainstream culture as possible.

            To start off with, a true hipster knows that when you want to get from point A to point B you must break out your handy dandy BICYCLYE! Of course as you know, true hipsters are urbanites and also eco-friendly so for the most part they reject our nation’s lovable automobile. When I say usually, that means that the exception would be if your car looks vintage or you have a station wagon that has a bicycle rack because above the car hipsters still love their bikes. Going back to the bicycle, you will also want to make sure that it is also vintage looking; think 60’s bike. It is also required to be a fixie (a fixed gear bike) with funky handlebars in a nice pastel color. You can also add a basket on the front for you to carry your groceries or other purchases. Now, these bikes can be expensive so don’t worry, it’s common for hipsters to make their bikes from scratch. However, stores like Urban Outfitters do sell the model that is desired, although at a hefty price; so if you go down that road make sure you lie and say you got lucky and found it at a garage sale. 

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             Now we come to the lifestyle and mentality of a hipster. As described in Urbandictionary.com, hipster’s “value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter” including the reveling of all things that are “ironic”. One of the preferred activities of a hipster to show your creative side is photography. However, you must know to use vintage style cameras (like your bike) such as Poloroids, Holga design, Diana design, and lomography cameras---this way your art looks vintage as well. Disposable cameras are acceptable too because they “remind us of our childhood”. Other arts and crafts you can do in your spare time is knitting, crochet, drawing or some sort of wood work; heck make yourself some benches for you and your hipster friends to sit on. On that note, while with their friends and at social gatherings, hipsters love to drink PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon) beer and smoke cigarettes, preferably ones you rolled yourself but menthols or a European brand would work too. Hipsters also like to “flock to "ironic" locations” (Verbal Vomit). Think of places that you loved to go to as a kid such as the zoo, planetarium, aquarium and playground. They are fun because they remind you of your childhood which makes them “ironic” because you are now grown-up and returning to said places. While there, it is important to notice how sad it is to see all those wild animals locked in cages and be inspired to blog about how sad and unfair it is. Hipsters love to blog on sites such as Tumblr and tweet on Twitter. Hipsters also have a distinct music taste. Your music must be vintage (like everything else) underground, or indie (independent). These include bands such as Bon Iver, Iron and Wine, Fleet Foxes, and The Decemeberists. Vinyl records are also respected as being extremely cool. Even better yet, you can pick up your very own acoustic guitar and play along. The even cooler thing to do would be to start your own band with your other musical instrument playing friends; just make sure you make indie music with meaningful lyrics.