Hipster: This obscure term dates back to the 1940s, when it was used to refer to young people who chose to isolate themselves from the mainstream society.

Today, the definition of a hipster has not changed much from what it referred to in the 1940s – hipsters today still ooze a sense of uniqueness and individuality.

Some students at SF State were asked how they defined the term hipster:

“A hipster is someone who rejects the main trends and decides to follow sub trends and sub genres and lives accordingly by the standards of this counter culture. There are definitely demographic things that classify someone as a hipster, like the way they dress.” – Ricky Ramos, 21, sociology student

“It’s a fashion statement and a lifestyle. If you’re like super hipster, you are totally off-brand, vegan, environmentally conscious.” – Cesar Chavez, 20, marketing major 

“When I picture a hipster, I picture someone riding a super cool bike with a couple cool tattoos, and they shop at urban outfitters/goodwill.” – Sylvia Gin, 18, undeclared

“A true hipster is a guy or person who does whatever the fuck they want regardless of how it’s seen by other people. I think a lot of it is just being cheap.” – Matt Muños, 24, English grad student

Is hipster used as a positive term or a negative term?

“When people call me a hipster sometimes, I kind of take offense to it. Because like I wouldn’t consider myself that, but I am just a person who likes cheap things and that happens to be hipster things. I would say: a guy with a mustache or a beard, glasses, drinking a PBR, and wearing some obscure band shit. That’s like the prototype now.” – Matt Muños, 24, English grad student

“To me, it is sort of a negative connotation, someone that takes being unique a little too far.” – Anthony Burt, 22, chemistry major

“I don’t think it’s a negative term. Its just like another label how people identify themselves.” – Cesar Chavez, 20, marketing major

“In general people thing negatively about them because they are rick but they try to dress like homeless people and they think its cool. But they do look really cool.”
– Zehra Sezginer, 22, Chemistry Major, exchange student from Turkey

“They wear glasses a lot. They eat at certain restaurants. Not name brand restaurants, more like local places. They support local businesses. I think its more of a positive term.” – My Ho, 19, Buisness Finance Major