8.22.2007

Hipster Chronicles


I was just reading a post over at to live without regrets that was talking about hipsters and I have to say I think their hipster description is spot on. I once had a conversation with Alex in which I had to explain to him what a hipster was, Alex having claimed that he had never heard the term before. I was slightly incredulous at first, but then I thought about Alex, and how decidedly non-hipster he is, and then I went on to describe a hipster to him. I ended up coming up with something very similar to the aforementioned blog (although mine was fueled by beer at the Terrace, not martinis at Mickey's), but with one important, in my opinion, addition: a fixed-gear bicycle. Said bicycle can be either fully functional and for all intents and purposes a 5th (or 6th) bodily appendage, in the process of being acquired (most likely from some very hip, here-to-unknown to even the pseudo-hip, bike shop in southern Brooklyn), or a "work in progress" consisting of a frame, handle brakes with the brake cables unattached, one wheel, 4 different chains, and no less than 3 crank shafts. Regardless, every hipster has some relationship to a fixed-gear bike. It is part of their ethos.

Also, I once dated a girl who got called a hipster while drinking a PBR Light. This lead to a debate about her hipster status. She eventually got so upset she started to cry. Lame.

5 comments:

Thomas said...

howard,
don't you own a fixed-gear bike? And a white belt?

wb said...

No, actually I own neither. I own a single speed bike. Which, if I were a hipster I would be totally embarrassed about, and a green belt. I have contemplated the white belt though, I'll give you that Ansley.

The Moderatilist said...

Hipster girls need loving too!!!

Alex said...

Oddly enough, seeing the linked diagram of what makes a hipster from the aforementioned post in To Live Without Regrets, I'd say that both Tommy and Whitney may be edging in at about 20-25% hipster. Particularly Tommy.

In any case, absolutely honored that I'm mentioned in the blog. You have not forgotten me!

DarcyM said...

I recently went to a hipster party (i put it at 50%), where someone was NOT pulling off extremely tight pants. I think he may have had a chain wallet tucked in there somewhere, a sort of vestigial organ from his days of being straight edge. I felt out of place as i was matching and didn't have on any large plastic jewelry.