The Millennial Craftsman: The Origins of the Modern Day Hipster

To begin: This is my perspective into how the interpretation of the modern day hipster came about. This is not some kind of proven science or nationally agreed definition. It is, however, the one that makes the most sense to me.

I know for certain that I do not have to give a visual to explain the common perception of a hipster, but I will anyway.

Act 1; Scene 1 – A man with a mid torso length beard trots into your local coffee shop.

You begin to get up from your chair to offer this poor homeless man a free cup of coffee. He’s dirty, his clothes are worn and he smells of some sort of natural oils (you blindly assume it’s his body odor.)

Suddenly, this man pulls a wad of dollar bills from his genuine leather wallet.

“That’s odd,truly” you say, “This poor homeless man has somehow been able to receive a steady income.”

Suddenly, it hits you. This man is not homeless…he’s a…he’s a…A HIPSTER!!!

End scene.

That was painful to write. So sorry.

Moving forward, we see how our common perception of the modern day hipster only reaches so far as to what a person’s outward appearance is. We fail to look beyond tight jeans and see the real characteristic that makes someone a hipster – craftsmanship.

It’s funny how trendy styles take so long to reach southeast. I remember seeing pictures of people wearing joggers on the west coast about 5 years ago. They hadn’t picked up down in Florida until 3 or 4 years later. This being said – I think it’s possible to assume that the isolation of the west coast made it hard for others to understand what the hipster lifestyle encompasses. You see – In the west coast, people have been dressing like “hipsters” for ages. If the same scenario were to happen in a coffee shop up in Portland, no one would think anything of it. It is the norm. This takes us directly to the roots of hipsterism.

You’re probably not asking yourself this, but I will pose this question to you: How do people in Portland or the west coast identify someone as a hipster? – Great question. Real proud of you.

Let me define it for you. The true definition of a hipster is a craftsman – someone who creates for a living. Examples of this can be someone as simple as a woodworker, or possibly a blacksmith, songwriter, coffee grower etc. These people are what fuel the communities around the nation who detest the thought of buying something mass-produced. They are the people who set extraordinary boundaries on things that make our lives easier and more enjoyable. However, they often get overlooked because of the large companies that overshadow them. No, I am not writing this to spark a debate on why you should buy only locally produced avocados. I’m just trying to give you some insight into the true hipster community.

With that being said – come on in. Start creating something of your own. You don’t need some ridiculous style or long beard. You simply just have to create and support others who create with you.