We all know at least one. An oxford-wearing, coffee-drinking, Indie-music-listening friend. I am that friend. One who most call "hipster". Yet as loosely as we throw the word hipster around, I wonder if we've thought about what being a "hipster" actually looks like... so naturally, I had to write out my definition of what exactly a hipster is.

1) Hipsters avoid mainstream like the plague. If there is any possibility that something or somewhere will become popular or busy, hipsters usually run in the opposite direction and find some less popular but equally high quality place to hang out or shop or study or eat. For example, Starbucks is popular. It is a chain that everyone knows of and is frequently busy. So hipsters stopped going there for the most part and switched over to small coffee shops and tea houses; less well known but equally or more so delicious. They look for undiscovered diamonds in the rough, and make those places their hangouts.

2) Hipsters have a tendency to enjoy pants with high waists, skinny jeans, crop tops, bro tanks, oversized sweaters, nerd glasses, beanies, bow ties, tribal prints, leggings, scarves, wingtips, oxfords, and combat boots. Their style is unique and sometimes doesn’t appear to match, but for some reason their outfits as a whole just… work.

3) Hipsters listen to a certain kind of music. Alternative, indie, singer/songwriter. They have this incredible ability to discover bands and artists that aren’t yet popular at all, but will be in the next three years. They help take the undiscovered brilliance of the music world and help to make it known, whether or not they mean to.

4) Male hipsters can make beards work. Facial hair just works on them, whether it’s slight stubble, French mustache, or full on Duck Dynasty beard; the difference between them and those who aren’t hipster but have facial hair is that hipsters take great pride in maintaining the luscious locks on their face. Duck Dynasty beards are unkept, but hipster beards are conditioned and trimmed to the desired shape, as are hipster mustaches and even slight hipster stubble. Hipsters care about the hair on their faces. And this point should only apply to hipster men. Ladies, if you have excessive facial hair, you should get that taken care of.

5) Another point about hipster hair: lady hipsters seem to be able to pull off almost any hairstyle, whether that includes bangs, dreads, braids, or long and luscious locks. Hipster males can pull off such styles as “The Quiff” (shaved closer in on the sides, but a bigger poof of hair brushed back on top. I imagine this requires lots of hair product but can look good if done right). Hipster hair.

6) Hipsters discover what is “cool” before the rest of the world does. This applies to fashion, music, trends, almost anything really. It’s like a gift that the true hipsters of the world naturally have.

7) Hipsters enjoy vintage things and vintage looks. Whether it be vintage music, or treasures found at a consignment shop, or vintage photos or antiques… they just think vintage things are both pretty as well as fascinating.

8) They have a thing for those backpacks with the buckles on the back, or square glasses, or big sweaters. Somehow they always look trendy.

9) They tend to like hanging out in urban places, and tend to be very on top of the newest thing in “green” eating.

10) Hipsters are very independent, unique individuals who know who they are. They are creative and often make their own music, movies, and books, they are drawn to one another, and like the word “Indie” as well as telling stories about how they did things “before” it was cool.

Basically, hipsters discover trends before the rest of the world, and when the rest of the world discovers them, they move on to something else until that too becomes popular. They are one step ahead of everyone else. I don’t think I'm hipster; maybe I have hipster fashion, and I love listening to alternative, less popular but still fantastic bands and artists, and I enjoy vintage things and cities. I have some hipster in me. But I am no means a complete hipster, although I know several people who are, and they rock it.

And here’s the funny thing about hipsters: hipsters themselves are becoming mainstream. Which means soon, true hipsters will start going by another name that isn’t mainstream. Because a true hipster is never found doing the same thing as anyone else.