How to Be a Hipster Girl

Last Updated: May 6, 2021

Being a hipster girl is more than just wearing the right clothes; it's also about adopting the right attitudes and starting to dig deeper into hipster communities and cultures. Hipsters, who are typically in their early 20s or 30s, are defined by their distinctive clothing and style, which expresses their goals of staying out of mainstream trends. To become a hipster girl you have to start somewhere, and changing your appearance and style is a good place to begin. Once you've done that, you can work your way into having a hipster lifestyle, which might include going to art shows and film screenings, getting involved in local politics, and drinking lots of coffee!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Dressing Like a Hipster Girl

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Shop at secondhand stores and independent shops. Rather than conform to the norm of shopping for new, full price items at big box stores or the mall, head to your local thrift store for secondhand clothing. Most hipsters do not have a lot of extra cash for clothing and often shop at charity stores to save money and find unique items no one else will have.
- You can also go to independent clothing shops in your area to support local businesses and vendors. Hipsters value independent thinking and independent business, so supporting local clothing stores is one way to give back to the community and avoid corporations and big business.
2
Look for vintage dresses and band t-shirts. Many hipster girls wear vintage dresses in floral patterns or other bold prints with black or colored tights. Look for long floral dresses and shorter print dresses or shift dresses that you can pair with tights or knee socks for cold winter days. You can then wear the same dresses with bare legs and sandals in the summer.
- Vintage band t-shirts are also popular with hipster girls, especially shirts that feature bands from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, like the Rolling Stones, Cream, Blondie, and The Cure. Look for vintage band t-shirts at your local thrift store. You can also find band shirts online through online vendors who specialize in vintage band t-shirts.^{[1]
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  Expert Source
  
  Chloée Ohayon-Crosby
  Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist
  Expert Interview. 23 October 2020.}
- Fitted blouses with interesting details and striped tops are also popular items for hipster girls. Look for tops that have a bit of flair, but keep in mind that you can also dress up your clothing with accessories to complete your hipster girl look.
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3
Buy jean cut offs or make your own cut offs. Many hipster girls will wear jean cut offs during the warmer months with a band t-shirt or a crop top. You can buy jean cut offs at a local shop or thrift store, or make your own cut offs by cutting up a pair of old jeans.
- The typical hipster cut off style for girls is at the mid to upper thigh. You can get a more tomboy look by wearing cut offs that are just above your knee.
- In the colder months, you can wear tights underneath a pair of cut offs for a look that is comfortable and warm.
4
Combine skinny jeans or leggings with oversized tops. A typical everyday outfit for hipster girls is a pair of blue or black skinny jeans worn with an oversized plaid shirt or sweater. You can also wear a pair of black leggings with your oversized sweater or shirt. Black leggings are staples in a hipster girl’s wardrobe.
- You can find vintage plaid shirts and sweaters at your local thrift store, often in fun and unique designs. Oversized plaid shirts can be found in the men’s section of thrift stores. You can also tie plaid shirts around your waist to really nail the hipster girl style.
- The more masculine look of flannel shirts is a staple of the hipster wardrobe.^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  Chloée Ohayon-Crosby
  Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist
  Expert Interview. 23 October 2020.}
- Look for sweaters that have funny, ironic sayings on them or cute images of animals. Ugly Christmas sweaters are also popular among hipsters, during Christmas and in the off season.
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Wear denim vests and leather jackets. The layering garment of choice for hipster girls is a slim denim vest, worn over a band t-shirt or a vintage dress. Top this look with a vintage leather jacket with interesting details like zippers, buttons, studs, or fringe.
- You can also layer multiple items for a more unique look. For example, you can try layering a leather jacket over a plaid shirt, or wearing a jacket and tying a plaid shirt around your waist.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Adding Hipster Girl Accessories

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Go for vintage boots or oxfords. Look for vintage leather boots, short and high, at your local thrift store in black or brown. Short boots, or booties, are a popular look for hipster girls, usually worn with tights and a vintage dress. You can also look for vintage oxfords or loafers in brown or black leather.
- Some hipster girls favor comfort over appearance and will wear Converse sneakers or Vans sneakers with skinny jeans and a band t-shirt for a more casual look.
2
Shop for long necklaces and unique accessories. Many hipster girls will wear long necklaces that sit a few inches above their waist line with a simple pendant or charm in geometric shapes. You can also look for necklaces with crystal pendants or unique designs at your local thrift store.
- Accessories like beanie hats and fedoras are popular among hipster girls, especially slouchy beanie hats. You can also dye your hair a bright color for a committed hipster look.
3
Add pins and buttons. Many hipster girls also collect pins and wear them on the lapels of their coats, such as pins from bands or with ironic, funny sayings on them. You can also decorate your handbag with pins or your backpack with pins for a fun, hipster look.
- Try buying a pin every time you visit somewhere new or go to a concert. Each time you get a new pin, add it to the lapel of your coat or vest.
- You can also collect antique brooches if that is more your style. Wear a different brooch every day of the week for a vintage chic look.
- Leather bags are a great vintage accessory choice.^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Chloée Ohayon-Crosby
  Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist
  Expert Interview. 23 October 2020.}
4
Wear a scarf. Decorative scarves are also popular accessories for hipster girls. Look for scarves in thrift shops and independent clothing stores. Choose scarves that have unique designs, bright colors, or bold prints.
- You can wear a scarf with just about any outfit. For example, you can dress up a plain t-shirt and jeans by adding a scarf, or wear a solid color scarf with a floral dress.
- Choose lighter fabric scarves in the warmer months and knit scarves during colder months. You may even consider learning how to knit and making your own scarf for extra hipster girl credibility.
5
Get some cool sunglasses or wear your real glasses. Quirky sunglasses and thick rimmed glasses are also common hipster girl accessories. Try wearing a pair of heart-shaped shades, some John Lennon style round sunglasses, or a pair of oversized black sunglasses.
- If you actually wear glasses, then your glasses can help you to achieve a hipster girl look. You may even want to consider getting a pair of glasses with thick frames so that they are extra visible.
- If you don’t wear glasses, but you want some to complete your look, then you can always buy some non-prescription clear lens glasses.
6
Carry an interesting purse. Hipster girls often carry interesting looking purses, such as oversized messenger bags, extra small cross-body bags, or glittery clutches. To complete your hipster girl look, make sure that you are carrying a cool looking purse.
- Fanny packs have also gained some popularity among hipster girls.^{[4]
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- Try looking in vintage stores and locally owned shops for unique purses.
- Lots of hipster girls enjoy doing DIY projects. If you are crafty and you want a truly unique purse, then try designing and making your own purse.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Embracing a Hipster Lifestyle

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Read about pop culture and art. Hipsters are often very well read and well versed in current pop culture trends and influences, usually through online blogs and online media. Read up on what’s going on in the world of the internet, such as the latest memes, viral stories, and viral videos.^{[5]
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- There are certain websites known to be full of hipster information, such as Vice.com and Pitchfork.com. These sites provide up to the minute information on the latest trends and influences happening in pop culture.
- Hipsters are also often interested in the art world and contemporary art. Take a trip to your local museum and find artists you admire through online art blogs. Try to immerse yourself in the art world and expand your knowledge of contemporary art.
- Hipsters are noted as interested in excellent food and drink. This includes restaurants, cafes, bakeries, coffeehouses, pubs, and food trucks. Hipsters are also often patrons of farmer's markets, CSAs, upscale food markets, and ethnic markets.
  - Hipsters are noted for a preference for food that is local, organic, and artisan made.
  - A good hipster approaches eating with a sense of adventure. Whether it is trying Ethiopian cuisine or trying to make homemade cheese, a hipster tries new things.
  - The food rules are not entirely hard and fast when it comes to fine dining. Hipsters also have a soft spot for places which have plain, good food and an atmosphere of authenticity. "Kitschy" eateries such as truck stops, diners, and the like are also acceptable places.
2
Expand your knowledge of film, music, and television. Hipsters usually have extensive knowledge of film, music, and television, new and old. You can find out the latest, hottest shows for hipsters by asking hipster friends for recommendations or searching online blogs for the shows everyone is talking about. Hipsters also enjoy old films, specifically independent films by directors from America and Europe. Strike up a conversation with the clerk at your local video store, if it still exists, or go online and search the top American and European films.^{[6]
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- Search music blogs online for recommendations on hipster music and independent or alternative music. It may help to focus on a particular genre or style of music and a particular artist or group. Hipsters often listen to alternative and independent music, as well as rap, hip hop, soul, and progressive rock.
3
Learn more about social and political movements in your area. Hipsters are often aware of the social and political issues of the day, and may be involved in protests or grassroots movements in their area. Think of a cause you feel passionate about or are interested in, and join in an online discussion about the issue or go to a protest organized in your area. Getting involved in social and political movements is part of the less superficial aspects of being hipster, where you are an informed and involved individual in society.^{[7]
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4
Focus on ways to be sustainable and environmentally friendly. Many hipsters strive to live a sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle, as they believe in caring for the environment and being aware of the effects of climate change. This may mean recycling, composting, or donating old clothing to charity rather than throwing them away.^{[8]
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- You can also look at ways to cut down on the amount of greenhouse gases you produce by biking or walking to work instead of driving or taking the bus. Hipsters are known for their passion for biking, and you can join in this element of hipster culture by getting a bike and using it year round.
5
Display confidence and independence around others. Hipsters are known for their unique sense of style and for having an independent streak in their approach to life. Confidence and independence are two key elements of acting like a hipster.^{[9]
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- This could mean being confident around others or confident in your abilities as an individual, as well as focusing on how you can live and work independently. You may decide to try to work for yourself or work flexible hours so you have more freedom and independence in your career. Or you may decide to be more independent and confident in your current work situation where you take more initiative and try to climb the career ladder.

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How can I be a hipster?

Chloée Ohayon-Crosby
Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist
Chloée Ohayon-Crosby is a Costume Designer and Wardrobe Specialist in Los Angeles, California. With over eight years of experience in fashion consulting, Chloée specializes in personal, film, theater, and commercial styling as well as image consulting and costume design. Chloée has worked as an assistant designer for the distinguished fashion house Chloée and as a freelance stylist with Glamour Italia. Chloée studied Fine/Studio Arts at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and Fashion Design and Merchandising at the world renowned ESMOD École Supérieure des Arts in Paris, France.

Chloée Ohayon-Crosby

Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist

Expert Answer

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Well, if you'd like to dress like a hipster, start out by getting some flannel shirts. You can pair those with graphic t-shirts, especially those with old bands and vintage brand names. Lastly, leather bags, oversized glasses, beanies, and berets make great accessories.