Whether or not you consider yourself current with today’s fashion and style, you can’t help but to be influenced somewhat by your surroundings, fashionably speaking. If you live in a neighborhood like Williamsburg, Greenpoint or Bushwick, then you understand the demographic of the businesses of the neighborhood in which you reside.
The hipster movement started in the 1930’s and 1940’s with the nontraditional, sub-culture, non-conformist, ‘negro’ music loving, rebellious, ‘inappropriate’ bad boy who you would or could never bring home to mama. Some of these traits still stand true today with modifications of the 21st century. The hipster in today’s society has a job in the creative field of art, music, or fashion and can show their tattooed arms in the office without being reprimanded and told to wear long sleeves. Fashionably and culturally speaking, this generation of hipsters march to the beat of their own drummers. The “hipster” style can be classified in a number of ways, usually including but not limited to the following: several various visible tattoos, thick rimmed glasses, hand rolled cigarettes, the latest technological gadgets, a fringed scarf of some sort and a statement t-shirt or jacket. However, people who consider themselves hipsters have an individual sense of style that most of the time sheds a new light on trends and open gates to fashion freedom.
The greatest thing about living in 2010 is that some traditional fashion rules have flown out the window. For example, there’s no ‘tie width’ rule anymore; just wearing a tie is considered in style, regardless if it’s your leather skinny or your grandpa’s vintage tie from the 1970’s. Find these ties on www.Ties2Pillows.com and www.etsy.com.
For eyeglass frames, there’s no too big or too small. Oversized is in. Dainty is in. Glasses in general are now considered part of your ‘style’ and truly can reflect your personality. Find these frames at www.go-optic.com or “Recessionista” shop on www.etsy.com.
Dresses are short like the 1960’s, long and to the floor like the 1970’s and taffeta like the 1980’s. There’s no right or wrong, just how you accessorize can make or break the look. Find these dresses on www.vintagedressoutlet.com and www.rustyzipper.com.
Need some style inspiration? Check out these famous, black sheep, against the grain solo artists below that will educate and push you to your hipster style limits. These men are just a few of the well known pioneers of the entire ‘hipster’ generation of style, funk and not letting society influence their ideas, careers or fashion sense.
Famous Hipsters:
Norman Mailer; who some consider the messiah of the ‘hipster’ culture. Mailer was a remarkable essayist, novelist and co-founder of the ultimate New York City ‘go-to’ guide, The Village Voice. Having just departed this life in 2007, he was known as one of the first ‘hipsters’ to create a livelihood from his non-conformist works, actions, and political views. You can’t get more bad ass than this guy.
Jack Kerouac was considered a ‘hipster’ of his time and the founder of the “Beat Generation” which was a collaboration of writers that covered taboo topics of the 1950’s which included sex, drugs, promiscuity, racial integration, jazz and Buddhism. His daily wardrobe considered of what was easy and comfortable as he traveled quite a bit and wrote about his travels on the road. His notebook was as stable in his wardrobe as his underwear.
There’s no limit to where you fall or measure up according to fashion industry or society standards. Living in our beautiful neighborhood allows you to explore what fashion means to you and rock it without limits. Some of the best clothes and accessory shopping is right here in Brooklyn as there are new stores coming to Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Bushwick each year. Send us your fashion photos and we’ll profile you in the Greenpoint Gazette! Email photos to: holly@thedressrecycler.com.
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