What's all the fuss about hipsters these days? DW got to the bottom of what they actually are (you're probably more hipster than you think) and where they're all headed now that Berlin is out (watch out, Warsaw).
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How to define a hipster
Everyone is talking about hipsters. But no one wants to admit to being one. So what are they? DW's Anne-Sophie Brändlin went to Cologne's most hipster neighborhoods to find out how their international residents define the very thing they'd be loathe to become.
How to become a hipster in 13 steps
Seattle helped create them, Brooklyn took them mainstream and Berlin is their Mecca: Hipsters are everywhere. If you're not one yet, follow DW's guide to becoming a hipster in 13 steps. (Just 10 would be #somainstream.)
Image: picture alliance/dpa
Dress like your dad, or even your granddad
Fashion goes in cycles, so today's hipsters are really just dressing like their dad. Flannel shirts? Your dad wore them in the 70s. Fedoras? Your granddad had one. As a hipster you'll want to look like you randomly dug through your ancestors' closet. But it takes effort to look like you don't care - those skinny jeans don't put on themselves. Just take the band Fleet Foxes (above) as an example.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/Autumn De Wilde
Be vintage, baby!
It's also important where you get your clothes. If your hipster friends ask where you bought that awesome vintage floral lace shirt or the cool combat boots, you certainly can't say H&M. If it has to be a chain store, then make it Urban Outfitters or American Apparel. But of course thrift shops and flea markets are the way to go, that's really where you should spend most of your weekends.
Image: DW/C. Deicke
Wear eyeglasses all day, everyday
Every hipster needs glasses. And no, they don't have to be prescription glasses, or even contain any glass at all. The important thing is to have big colorful frames sitting on your nose. Whether they're shuttershades, oversized plastic glasses or authentic Ray Bans - you want them. They don't even have to flatter your face as long as they're oversized or shiny.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
Tote bag is a must
No self-respecting hipster leaves the house without a tote bag and that goes for guys just as much as girls. They're great for carrying around a Moleskin journal or your Polaroid camera. You can even jump around in them as long as your bag has an ironic saying or artsy print on the side. As the hipster parody TV show "Portlandia" would say, "Put a bird on it."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Mix but don't match
When it comes to accessorizing and wearing colors, anything goes - from large flower headbands, to neon nail polish. You can pair bright belts with long necklaces and colorful or patterned leggings. The secret is to mismatch and layer. Plus, always carry something that a kid would take to school, like an animal lunchbox. For inspiration, check out the hipster band Banda Uo (pictured).
Image: Banda Uo
Stay away from razors and hairdressers
A male hipster must be hairy. Whether it's a five-o'clock-shadow, a moustache, goatee, or an untamed full beard - male hipsters musn't go overboard with their razor. It's basically like participating in Movember (mustache month) all year. If you can't grow a beard, glue one on your face. And for a true unkempt appearance any hipster would die for, the hair on your head must look messy as well.
Image: Fololia/olly
Make your hidden tattoos visible
Hipsters define themselves as being individual and authentic. That's why they all have tattoos. You'll have to get one too, and the more ironic the better. But try to choose an unusual or even painful spot for your new ink like your neck, wrist or ankle. You could even go for an unusual place like the back of your legs, because a hipster wouldn't get a tattoo that doesn't attract attention.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
Wear your music on your wrist
If you want the Berlin hipster world to take you seriously, attend plenty of summer festivals. For some serious cred, don't take off your festival wristbands. Ever. The filthier they look, the better. True hipsters collect and wear them until they fall off. But be sure to choose the right festivals - Melt is too commercial, Fusion too mainstream, but Nation might still be alternative enough.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
You are what you drink
Your beverage sends a message, so you can't just walk around with any drink in your hand. The number one hipster drink in Germany is Club Mate, which you can find in any corner shop in Berlin. It's a caffeinated sparkling beverage made with yerba mate extract. It's also popular mixed with vodka. This magic drink is now sold in hipster cities all over the world.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
Grow your own food or go to farmers' markets
As a hipster you have to be aware of what goes into your stomach. Your veggies are locally grown, organic (of course), and purchased at the farmers' market. You also look down on meat eaters. Drinking coffee is like a hipster's tea ceremony. You know all the latest beans and roasts and you only drink organic, fair trade coffee from the local underground coffee shop.
Image: Johan Töpel/Image Bank Sweden
Despise anything mainstream
As a hipster you listen to music that nobody knows, so you obviously go to the underground club no one has heard of. It's probably in an old warehouse that just opened yesterday but will be closed again in two days. Hipsters despise anything mainstream, so don't even think about going to Berlin's former insider club tip, Berghain - it's become so "touristy and pedestrian."
Image: Getty Images
Flashback furniture
What some consider rundown, the hipster sees as vintage and "shabby chic." As a hipster your natural habitats are backyard sales, flea markets and thrift stores. Must-haves for any hipster apartment are grandma-style lamps, sofas from the 70s, and antlers on the wall. The latter is very practical to hold your glasses while you're not wearing them - which should hardly ever happen (remember?).
Image: picture alliance/dpa
An Apple a day keeps the non-hipsters away
A good spot to find hipsters is a hip hole-in-the wall urban café where they stare at their Apple laptops while sipping a Chai tea or artisanal soy latte. After all, hipsters must update their virtual hipster lives at all times, whether posting their latest vegan cuisine on Instagram or their emotionally charged poetry on Tumblr. So what's the last step to being a hipster? Sharing this gallery.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
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Should you nevertheless consider adopting this intangible trend yourself, then follow our 13 steps (just 10 would be #somainstream) to becoming a hipster with the picture gallery on the left.
While Berlin, the world's reigning hipster capital for years, is said to have lost its mojo, insiders are now saying Warsaw may be the next alternative hot spot.
DW's Laura Postma checked it out. But please don't go there, lest it also head down the path of gentrification like the German capital before it.