by Molly Brodhacker| Staff Writer

Hipster; defined as someone who has an over stated love for jazz, or one who follows trends. In today’s society, hipster has taken on a new meaning and a whole slew of characters. Being a hipster is certainly a unique way to represent yourself, but the careful balance between hipster and hippie needs to be monitored. Follow these simple steps of being a hipster, and you’ll find yourself in organic clothes and iced coffee heaven in no time.

1. If anyone accuses you of being a hipster, or asks if you are a hipster, say no. Hipsters never admit to being what they are. By saying “no” the person will know you are indeed a genuine hipster.
2. Whenever in a group and a song plays and someone reacts with “ I love this song!” or anything similar, get upset and annoyed and say, “I heard this song like two years ago, I knew this band way before they got popular.” This is essential even if you have never heard the song in your life.
3. No matter what your eyesight is, it is imperative you own a pair of large, thick retro frame glasses.  These will not only make you appear genius-like and sophisticated, but solidifies your status as a “grade A” hipster.
4. In general, try to appear tired, grungy, disheveled, and out of it, even if you are perfectly engaged. If someone asks why you appear so tired, one might say “I was at the coffee house chatting with friends all night,” or “I was at an acoustic guitar show downtown.”
5. If you have any free time, you should spend your time at a coffee house, Starbucks is way too mainstream for the true hipsters. But, if no other options are available, it’s better than nothing.
6. Clothing might be the most important characteristic of a hipster. Shopping at Goodwill and thrift stores is a sure fire way to earn the respect of fellow hipsters. Even if you have a shirt from the mall, it’s a good idea to say it’s from a thrift store to seem more resourceful.
7. Hipsters may or may not be athletic, but either way today’s hipster should own a letterman jacket, but not for your local high school. The ideal letterman jacket should be for no school at all, just a random letter with random colors (currently found at stores such as Forever 21.)
8. When in despair, step back in time about 30 years and there is your inspiration. Hipsters commonly raid their grandmothers closet, finding priceless oversized sweaters, bowling shoes, and gaudy jewelry.
9. Overall, the room of a hipster should more resemble a museum than one’s bedroom. Lots of books, art prints, candles, and overall dark feel to the room will accomplish the desired effect.
10. Possibly the single most important aspect of a hipster is the cat. Pet cats, pictures of cats, shirts of cats, cat jokes, talking about cats, and of course blogging about cats. It is highly recommend that every hipster owns a pet cat, preferably fluffy and cute with a very vintage name like “Alfred.” If a pet cat is not possible, pictures of cats wearing glasses or doing human activities usually accomplish the task.

By following the above tips for the average joe you can become the hipster pro you never knew you wanted to be.