Welcome to the next installment of my whenever-I-feel-like-it series, Confessions of a Meta-Hipster. I sincerely appreciate all the positive feedback I received from Episode 1: The Hipster Menace, so I’ve decided to give it another go.
The goal of this new fashion project is to establish a unique identity by way of appropriation - individualism-through-collectivism - the epitome of my own neo-bohemian ethic. What better execution of the post-modern "meta" than to hold a consciously-"reflective" mirror up to the hipster culture and to the other affiliations I cited, as a continuous, living work of performance art?
Upon further examination of my newly-proclaimed meta-hip mantra, I quickly discovered that looking forward was not in the spirit of the hip ensembles I sought. Rather, as Reynolds described in his aforementioned work of cultural criticism, Retromania, all I need is before me.
So I began to survey my my wardrobe for previous incarnations of this newly-discovered theme. It quickly became apparent that I’d been executing this mantra all along. (I’m so meta I was doing it before I thought of it.)
One example of such a cultural appropriation is this bohemian gypsy ensemble I sported on August 6th, 2015. I dubbed this look, “The Artful Dodger.” The outfit comprises distressed flare jeans with a pair of Beatle boots, a fitted brown tee portraying a silhouette of the gravel-throated demigod Tom Waits smoking a cigarette, a threadbare brown velvet jacket worn in all the right places, and a thin dark purple scarf with reflective elements nearly reminiscent of Steven Tyler or Robert Plant. The outfit is finished off nicely with a similarly-tattered velvet top hat, weathered from the 15 years I’ve worn it proudly since it was gifted to me by my oldest friend. Accessories include a few black leather bracelets, a number of costume jewelry rings, and my Ben Franklin spectacles. All together, the ensemble celebrates the thrifty lifestyle of the neo-bohemian gypsy, the bold and independent flare of the retro rocker, and a touch of audiophile retro-symbolism and steampunk funk with the amplifier tube necklace. The outfit proclaims confidently that “I’m here to have a good time.”
But on to the more recent fashion statement already in progress…
After piecing together some versatile elements I immediately fell in love with a simple fashion formula (previously pictured), consisting of a fitted black custom-printed tee, black skinny jeans, a charcoal slouchy beanie, thick black glasses, black fingerless gloves, a black cowl neck sweater, and one of various Keffiyeh scarves I procured from Amazon.
In a pretentious effort to out-indie my hipster brethren, all of the tees I’ve interchanged with this basic formula are on-demand one-off direct-to-garment prints of my own designs via Redbubble. Their shirts are ethically-sourced and sweatshop-free, appealing to the socially and environmentally conscious millennial demographic, and the slim-fit super-soft cotton is on par with textile wholesaler American Apparel (right down to the nylon rectangular copycat tag). Better still, using my own art gives me complete control of my under-the-radar subject matter, and aligns well with the DIY element of the artisan culture.
Color Palette:
Basic black (like my soul). The color is indicative of my “hip-New-Yorker-who-knows-his-way-around-a-turntable” urban sensibility while the earthtone accents and accessories are reflective of my eco-conscious values and rustic mountain man aesthetic. (See also: beard.)
Footwear:
I considered a pair of Converse All-Stars but I really think the whole return to the graphic tee universe is a venture far enough into “I’m still in my 20s” fashion. I’d like to be taken a little more seriously than I would be in a pair of Chucks. My Chelsea boots / Winklepickers don’t quite fit with the relaxed image so I’ll likely land somewhere in the middle in a black pair of 1990s-era Doc Martens. Their classic 8-eyelet 1460 boot is the ultimate blend of durability, function, and style. Just remember - buy them in black. You don’t want to be mistaken for Eddie Vedder. (Waist-tied flannel optional.)
Accessories:
Vintage typewriter key rings add a subtle touch of industrial and steampunk influence, but wear no more than one per hand to keep the effeminity to a minimum. (You’re already a small-framed coffeesnob dressed in black… that’s more than adequate.) A custom ring fashioned from a coin sourced from the Principality of Sealand stealthily communicates my pirate pride to those savvy enough to notice. It’s a wonderfully covert way to identify my sort in the wild.
The slightly-tattered pair of black fingerless gloves speak of my gutterpunk-spirited affinity for thrift-economics, while simultaneously serving a practical function of keeping the ever-present artisanal coffee from burning my sensitive-artist hands. (Cue the King Missile track.)
The Epiphany:
I had tremendous difficulty searching Google and Pintrest for the style I was wearing. It wasn’t quite hipster. It was too polished for gutterpunk, nu-grunge, or rocker. It wasn’t goth or any number of other trends. But this evening, I happened upon a link in my search for bohemian fashion which landed me on the video for The Dandy Warhols’ “Bohemian Like You.” And a few clicks later, I had it.
INDIE. How could I have forgotten the music scene of my college days? Upon entering the term into Pintrest, I was met with a flood of fashion ideas. A graphic tee can be dressed up with a nice velvet sports coat, or down with a cardigan and wool cap. Below are snapshots of my favorite fella and lady from my “indie” search on Pintrest.
In a sweet moment of nostalgia, I felt a rush of artists come back to me - records I hadn’t spun in years. Ass Ponys, Afghan Whigs, A Band of Bees, Album Leaf, American Analog Set, Andrew Bird's Bowl Of Fire, Azure Ray… (and those are just a few of the “A”s!)
It’s really been some time since I rocked out to… well… rock. Other than frippertronics I seldom make time for music featuring a guitar so I’m going to revisit my college radio days this winter. Maybe break the shrink on the sealed Elliott Smith LP I picked up at the Goodwill.
Cheers everyone!