Am I a Beardless Hipster?

Reading yesterdays paper I discovered there is a new subculture out there.  Well when I say discovered, I had been aware of the proliferation of beards and checked shirts, but I didn't know there was a name for them.  Even more surprising there is a backlash against them, Will Self being a particularly vocal opponent, calling them 'dickhead hipsters' who are taking over areas in cities.  How did I miss all of this?  I'm a social research graduate for goodness sake and I was unaware of this social unrest.

So what is a hipster I hear you ask.  Well according to The Independent, hipsters list of things to like includes gourmet burgers, fixed gear bikes, craft beers, pop ups, vintage shirts, independent coffee shops, truffle oil, bric-a-brac, granny's glasses, Bikram yoga, vinyl records, instagram selfies and  rooftop bars.  From personal knowledge of hipsters I would probably also add, anything made from old pallets and listening to bands with strange names that no one else has heard of.  Dress as above, and beards, the bigger the better, waxed moustaches and shaved hair on the side and floppy on top.

Well, I conclude from the above list that I must be a hipster.  I like gourmet burgers from the pop up burger bar in an old container in the city.  I used to like craft beers (can't drink them anymore because of the gluten) I like vintage clothes and independent shops of any kind,  things made from pallets and I listen to 6 music which seems to be a favourite with hipsters.  Oh and I like 'granny' glasses.  I have to admit though I don't like the beards.  I look at the young men and think, you would look a lot better without it.  Even though OH has a beard, and has had one the whole time I have known him.  I don't think it is particularly 'hipsterish' these days, being trimmed regularly.  Having said that, I recently found some photos from the 80's and there he was with check shirt, baseball hat and beard looking very much like the hipsters of today.  Perhaps he is the 'original' hipster!  However the flaw is, he doesn't like most of the above.  So I am probably more of a hipster than he is.  Are there female hipsters?


So fashion wise  I have been a skinhead (before all the BNP crap)  with a Ben Sherman shirt, I wasn't allowed the 'feather cut' and couldn't afford the jacket.  A greaser, jeans and leather jacket.  A 'hippy' when I was a Uni, all tie dyed and D.M.'s. I was always a punk but more for the music and attitude. Now I live in jeans, so I don't really fall into any category, but if I get a checked shirt I could be a beardless hipster.

Tell me about your former selves, any hippies, punks, new romantics, goths out there?

Chickpea xx