How to Dress Like a Hipster
Raid mom's closet for vintage tees., Keep your neck warm and your hip-stardom intact with a scarf., Get flowery with dresses., Throw out all your boot cut or flared jeans., Pile on the accessories., Mix up your past looks., Stick to anything but...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Raid mom's closet for vintage tees.
Ha, that's a funny way of saying "Go to any store that sells clothes for young adults." Never shop at "mainstream" stores (like Hollister, American Eagle, Aeropostale...) Have you not noticed the prevalence of pseudo-vintage tees everywhere? To be more, what's the word, authentic, shop at vintage stores, second-hand shops, or go around begging relatives. (Goodwill, Urban Outfitters, Miracle Hill) Surely one of them has an old Reading Rainbow tee in a box somewhere from when they were
12.
You want your tee to be either too small- chop off the bottom and make it a crop top, then throw it over that tank top/cami you hate- or too large,- tuck it into those high waisted pants you found at a garage sale- if at all possible.
But if you found a gem of a Davy Jones tee from your favorite aunt that fits you just right, by all means.
Davy's worth it. -
Step 2: Keep your neck warm and your hip-stardom intact with a scarf.
The great news here is that scarves go with everything.
EVERYTHING.
Wearing a tank top? Scarf.
Wearing a wedding dress? Scarf.
Is it 95ยบ out? Scarf.
Familiarize yourself with at least a dozen ways to tie your scarf.
If in doubt, just drape it nonchalantly around your neck, wrapped around once.
You don't care what it looks like.
You just love the comfy neck feeling, right? (Hipsters don't give a flip about anyone or anythings' opinion.) , Sometimes you like a healthy breeze down there, don't you? Dresses can be straight up more comfortable.
But just like a good tee, your dresses should evoke a feeling from a different era.
Flowery, vintage, and old-school is a safe bet.
The flowery, the better.
Did you find the perfect dress somewhere that's just a bit too big to be legal? Or maybe you found a dress that's too conservative and the sleeves need to be chopped off.
This is the exact purpose neon bras and bandeaus were invented.
Not kidding.
Look it up.
Too cold for a dress? Ha, good one! Have you not heard of wool tights? Wool, patterned, neon tights? If that doesn't solve all your problems, nothing will.
Plain black tights under thick hiking socks is another great look, too. , We know you have several pairs.
You've been buying them since you were 10, apart from that one time around 2006 when skinnies made a brief appearance on the scene, only to slingshot to the other side of the spectrum with disco-esque flares.
After that really confusing year, you just gravitated back to the safe boot cut.
We all did.
It's fine.
But now you've gotta throw those out.
It's skinnies all the way.
Nothing else.
Your ankles don't need to breathe! Have some jeans you like that don't make the cut (haha, puns)? Turn 'em into shorts.
The higher-waisted and more mom-ish, the better.
And when we say short, we mean short.
Show off those gams of yours.
Cuffs? Great.
White wash? Great.
Holes? Great.
As long as it's denim, you're in the clear. , Literally.
Grab a pile and put them on.
Play it like the claw game at the arcade (only you'll win every time).
Did you end up with a wooden tribal bracelet, your grandma's ruby necklace, and a lace choker? Great.
That works.
It's all about haphazard combos.
What may be outrageous to others is probably standard to you.
A giant flower chilling on top of your head? Sure.
A totally distracting enormous neon yellow hair clip? ...Why not? , Since you were twelve, you've gone through (in order) a Hello Kitty phase, an N*SYNC phase, an emo phase, a prep phase, a flannel phase, a grunge phase, and now you're here.
Wonderful
-- now grab a piece from each look and combine them.
Tada! Instant hipster.
As easy as cheese in a can.
Seriously.
Hipster fashion is about a mismatch and clash of cultures all rendered meaningless if you really want to put a label on it.
The main way hipster goes wrong is when people put thought into it
-- so if you haphazardly go about your closet, bullet dodged. , That's about the only rule for footwear.
If it's not a flip flop and not a heel, you're golden.
Loafers, cowboy boots, sneakers, it's all good.
Flats are adequately hipster, too! Who knew something so harmless could be hipster-y? Make sure it doesn't look super new, too.
If you just went out and bought a brand new pair of Chuck Taylors (you unique little snowflake, you), scuff 'em up.
Those babies gotta be loved before they can set foot into Cafe Foucault. -
Step 3: Get flowery with dresses.
-
Step 4: Throw out all your boot cut or flared jeans.
-
Step 5: Pile on the accessories.
-
Step 6: Mix up your past looks.
-
Step 7: Stick to anything but flip flops and heels.
Detailed Guide
Ha, that's a funny way of saying "Go to any store that sells clothes for young adults." Never shop at "mainstream" stores (like Hollister, American Eagle, Aeropostale...) Have you not noticed the prevalence of pseudo-vintage tees everywhere? To be more, what's the word, authentic, shop at vintage stores, second-hand shops, or go around begging relatives. (Goodwill, Urban Outfitters, Miracle Hill) Surely one of them has an old Reading Rainbow tee in a box somewhere from when they were
12.
You want your tee to be either too small- chop off the bottom and make it a crop top, then throw it over that tank top/cami you hate- or too large,- tuck it into those high waisted pants you found at a garage sale- if at all possible.
But if you found a gem of a Davy Jones tee from your favorite aunt that fits you just right, by all means.
Davy's worth it.
The great news here is that scarves go with everything.
EVERYTHING.
Wearing a tank top? Scarf.
Wearing a wedding dress? Scarf.
Is it 95ยบ out? Scarf.
Familiarize yourself with at least a dozen ways to tie your scarf.
If in doubt, just drape it nonchalantly around your neck, wrapped around once.
You don't care what it looks like.
You just love the comfy neck feeling, right? (Hipsters don't give a flip about anyone or anythings' opinion.) , Sometimes you like a healthy breeze down there, don't you? Dresses can be straight up more comfortable.
But just like a good tee, your dresses should evoke a feeling from a different era.
Flowery, vintage, and old-school is a safe bet.
The flowery, the better.
Did you find the perfect dress somewhere that's just a bit too big to be legal? Or maybe you found a dress that's too conservative and the sleeves need to be chopped off.
This is the exact purpose neon bras and bandeaus were invented.
Not kidding.
Look it up.
Too cold for a dress? Ha, good one! Have you not heard of wool tights? Wool, patterned, neon tights? If that doesn't solve all your problems, nothing will.
Plain black tights under thick hiking socks is another great look, too. , We know you have several pairs.
You've been buying them since you were 10, apart from that one time around 2006 when skinnies made a brief appearance on the scene, only to slingshot to the other side of the spectrum with disco-esque flares.
After that really confusing year, you just gravitated back to the safe boot cut.
We all did.
It's fine.
But now you've gotta throw those out.
It's skinnies all the way.
Nothing else.
Your ankles don't need to breathe! Have some jeans you like that don't make the cut (haha, puns)? Turn 'em into shorts.
The higher-waisted and more mom-ish, the better.
And when we say short, we mean short.
Show off those gams of yours.
Cuffs? Great.
White wash? Great.
Holes? Great.
As long as it's denim, you're in the clear. , Literally.
Grab a pile and put them on.
Play it like the claw game at the arcade (only you'll win every time).
Did you end up with a wooden tribal bracelet, your grandma's ruby necklace, and a lace choker? Great.
That works.
It's all about haphazard combos.
What may be outrageous to others is probably standard to you.
A giant flower chilling on top of your head? Sure.
A totally distracting enormous neon yellow hair clip? ...Why not? , Since you were twelve, you've gone through (in order) a Hello Kitty phase, an N*SYNC phase, an emo phase, a prep phase, a flannel phase, a grunge phase, and now you're here.
Wonderful
-- now grab a piece from each look and combine them.
Tada! Instant hipster.
As easy as cheese in a can.
Seriously.
Hipster fashion is about a mismatch and clash of cultures all rendered meaningless if you really want to put a label on it.
The main way hipster goes wrong is when people put thought into it
-- so if you haphazardly go about your closet, bullet dodged. , That's about the only rule for footwear.
If it's not a flip flop and not a heel, you're golden.
Loafers, cowboy boots, sneakers, it's all good.
Flats are adequately hipster, too! Who knew something so harmless could be hipster-y? Make sure it doesn't look super new, too.
If you just went out and bought a brand new pair of Chuck Taylors (you unique little snowflake, you), scuff 'em up.
Those babies gotta be loved before they can set foot into Cafe Foucault.
About the Author
Amy Edwards
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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