Hipster alert: out with the new, in with the old
by Lexi Alvidrez, Staff Designer
Photo: Pinterest
Record players. Wingtips. Film cameras. What used to be toys we played with when visiting grandparents are now items we marvel over in thrift shop windows.
History seems to repeat itself when it comes to fashion and trinkets. Even as society becomes more technologically advanced, stores like Urban Outfitters sell revamped film cameras and vinyl records. There’s no doubt the chunky and vibrant retro and the worn and lacy vintage styles are coming back, but what makes this way of life so appealing to young people?
The infamous term “hipster” originated in the 1950s as a name for innovative jazz musicians. Today, the term is used to describe the unconventional vintage, retro and generally unique emerging subculture.
Vintage inspired products reflect different eras while still looking modern. ModCloth.com is a popular online company known for supplying vintage, retro and indie products. Tracy Vaughan, customer advocate, product knowledge specialist and “modstylist” for the company recognizes that our generation is more likely to incorporate our parents’ clothing into our own wardrobe. She believes every kind of fashion is represented in all generations; some are just more prominent than others.
“Fashion is about saying something about yourself by taking pieces of everything that you like and putting it together,” Vaughan said.
People are associating themselves with past eras and expressing individuality through dress. The irony is that people are just as eager to fit in as they are to be themselves. While we search for ways to stand apart by wearing absurd outfits from a different decade, we also pressure ourselves to belong. Pretty soon, we’re all searching for the same red oxfords and thinking that no one else is doing so also.
As an advocate for retro fashions, I sometimes find myself wondering where my sudden interest in saddle shoes and other obscure items came from.
A Generation’s Expression
Jordan Sager, senior graphic design major and lover of vintage fashion, believes the emerging trend is a subculture that’s new and different and attracting the more mainstream clothing brands. “I think it’s more personal and authentic,” Sager said. “[Vintage fashion] is just another avenue of expression.”
Dillan Forsey, a sophomore film production major who once sported a curled handlebar moustache, said, “It’s hard to say why ‘hipster’ is in right now. Perhaps it’s our generation striving to hold onto something from the past while we plummet deeper and deeper into the digital age.”
“Mainstream is like the enemy,” Samantha Paul, junior social work major and dedicated thrift shopper, said. “For this specific subculture, I think it’s apparent that the stereotype that comes with it is, ‘it’s cool to be different.’” Thrift shopping supplies an outlet for people to be creative by taking something used and worn, adding it to their outfit, and tailoring it to themselves.
Forsey has worn second-hand clothes for the majority of his life out of necessity and now chooses to continue doing so. Since budgeting is important to college students, thrifting provides an inexpensive way to look great as individuals who stand out.
Alma Cervantes, fashion merchandising major at Fresno State University and strong supporter of indie clothing, said clothing styles run on a constant cycle and are highly influenced by the media. “The media says, ‘We haven’t [promoted] this [style] in a while,’ and pretty soon famous role models like Zooey Deschanel are wearing high-wasted shorts. Suddenly, everyone else is too,” Cervantes said.
When taking a step back and objectively looking at my own closet, the answer is plain and simple. Every individual is constantly searching for themselves in a crowd of people. As college students under the pressure of being different, our biggest nightmare is blending in. We are all innovative jazz artists. We all have the same mission and are all fulfilling it. Although the general vintage theme seems to be popular, we are creating our own identity in hopes of standing apart.
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