Definition: Hipster - Word of the Week
Noun: “Hipster” is a word used to describe a group of people, usually between their late teens and early thirties. They lead alternative lifestyles and prefer fashion, art, music, food/drinks and films which are outside of the “mainstream”.
Today a hipster could also be described as “trendy”, “bohemian” or “cool”.
Example
“Ian loves that new indie band – he’s such a hipster!”
History
The word “hipster” started in the 1940’s, when the adjective "hip" was used to describe fans of jazz music. At this time, it was becoming a popular genre amongst young people who wanted to copy the lifestyle of the musicians.
The famous author Jack Kerouac described 1940’s hipsters as "rising and roaming America, bumming and hitchhiking everywhere [as] characters of a special spirituality”
Modern Day Hipsters
Today, the definition of the word is still the same; hipsters are associated with liking alternative music such as indie or jazz, and wearing colourful vintage outfits, which usually come with big 1950’s style glasses. This is a popular style, which can even be found in the Kaplan team!
Many people who would be considered hipsters tend to shop at vintage stores or small shops and are interested in buying food and other things from local and small businesses.
Hipsters tend to hang out in up and coming places, which are associated with being cool. San Francisco (especially in the Mission District and SOMA), Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon are 3 of the best-known cities for hipsters. However, other main cities have neighborhoods popular for hipster culture. In New York, two popular areas are Brooklyn and the Lower East Side, whereas in London, Shoreditch and Portobello Road are the main places.
Celebrity hipsters include Mischa Barton, Mark Ronson, Agyness Dean, Michael Cera, Zooey Deschanel and Ryan Gosling.
Would you consider yourself a hipster? Where are the cool places to hang out where you live?