Niamh O'Donoghue
Hipster is a slang term that first appeared in the 1940s, and was revived in the 1990's and 2000's to describe types of young, recently settled urban middle class adults and older teenagers with interests in non-mainstream fashion and culture, particularly indie-rock, independentism, creativity and websites like instagram. In some contexts, hipsters are also referred to as gobshites.
Do you want to be hipster? Do you wish you could join those sparkling beautiful people that you see pedalling past your house on ridiculously pretty bikes? DO YOU SOMETIMES WONDER WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF YOU COULD CHAT WITH YOUR FASHIONABLE HIPSTER FRIENDS OUTSIDE RETRO CAFES ABOUT YOUR VINYL COLLECTION WHILE DRINKING OUT OF VINTAGE TEACUPS?
WELL, get rid of your TV, get yourself a an old or “vintage” rucksack and talk about everything as if you have a clue and read this short guide on becoming the horrible plague that’s taking over most of Dublin’s capital: A hipster.
There’s a fine art in finding clothing suitable to being a hipster or ‘out there’. If you don’t live near an Oxfam shop, raid your nanny’s wardrobe for some old, grubby, oversized shorts or cardigans. Don’t fear, there are plenty of shops around Dublin city centre and especially in Temple bar like FRESH and THE EAGER BEAVER which are located just behind central bank (the one with all the emo kids) who offer all you need to become super-dooper hipster! Don’t forget to stud everything you own. Everything. EBay offer bags of the yokes from little as €2 so get a bag and stud your jackets, your socks, your cat… you can also head into the Oh so fashionable Urban Outfitters which is also located in Temple bar and will only cost you an arm and a leg for half of a t-shirt.
Now if you’re a boy, remember that when you’re buying your jeans, be sure to get 3 sizes too small and if you’re lucky enough to have some manly chest hair, unleash it and let it blow free with a not-at-all-gay-looking V neck t-shirt. Even if you’ve never touched an axe in your life and don’t plan to become a lumber-jack, you can never go wrong with a plaid shirt and beard combo. Excess hair= TOTES TRENDY. Don’t forget your Jesus sandals. Yum
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If you’re a girlo, get your ma’s, da’s or your nanny’s’ nanny’s pair of old jeans and cut them to the outline of your knickers but do not fear your bum will stay lovely and warm in those see-through sheer tights that you can pick up in Penny’s for around €2. But surely those jeans will be too big you ask? Grab a belt too. The bigger, the better! Brown leather ones usually go down a treat. What on earth do you wear on top? If you haven’t ventured into fresh or Urban Outfitters yet, you can buy cheap bands T’s (that you’ve never even heard of before) all over the city. Georges street arcade offer tonnes at a cheaper price. Bras? Pfft, who needs um, head into American Apparel and get the shiniest leotard you can find. The shinier, the cooler you’ll be, honest. Don’t forget to wear as much jewellery as possible. About 10 rings should do it, the biggest loop ear rings you can find, even if they weigh your ears down. As for your hair? Crimp the fuck out of it until it can’t get any bigger. Then stick a random scrunchie in there, somewhere.
Take a look down at your feet. If you are not wearing the following you can never be hipster.: Doctor Martens(shoes or boots), Creepers; those weird shoes with the plat forms at the bottom, Jeffrey Campbell’s. Take note.
And finally, be sure to visit the hippiest hipster orientated nights in the capital like C.U.N.T and Bruce Willis, located in The Lost Society on south Williams street where you’ll learn from the best.
Here ends the brief chapter on Appearance in the series How to be a Hipster.
