DIY: Do it Yourself (a Memoir on the Trendy race)

I was fortunate enough to snag tickets for the Sufjan Stevens show in Richmond this fall...

Most people at the show could be described as “hipster” “trendy” or “indie” (these words are NOT interchangeable- thanks for the insight Barefoot)

This is why: They were all so cool.

I decided to find out the secret ingredient of what made them so “trendy”

I searched urban dictionary and found that “A Hipster ideally possesses no more than 2% body fat” but I knew there was more depth into what it meant to be truly “indie” so I asked my colleagues what they thought. Hipster Sean Carter says, “One of the most important parts about being indie is saying you are not indie.”

Me “Is that all you have to say?”

Mr. Carter “Yes, because I’m not Indie”

Clark ‘Griswold’ Adams “That was so indie”

My research left me with these steps to becoming Indie:

Step 1: road bikes

Step 2: flannel is crucial

Step 3: goodwill

Step 4: starbucks chai tea

“Starbucks sux, except those chai teas they are real good, I drink like 20-26 venti chais a day” – Josh Leslie

Step 5: listening to music like Mumford & sons, Sigor Ros, Josi… or anything on vinyl

Step 6: oversized glasses

Local independent musician Clint Mann says of oversized glasses, “They make you look like really cute, they make you look like you don’t care what people think, plus they make you look super indie like Ben Folds and he’s indie as crap. LOL."

Step 7: anything black and white especially photography

Step 8: beards, unkept hair

Step 9: vegan, going green, climbing things

Step 10: skinny jeans, urban outfitters [v-necks]

Step 11: Liberal Arts degrees

Step 12: INDIEpendence, counter culture

Follow these 12 easy steps and you are on your way to becoming the coolest cat on the block!

DISCLAIMER: being indie is rejecting the cultural norm, or doing what is expected, it is a frame of mind, so actually following these steps will NOT make you indie.

Other findings:

• ·Things that are almost indie or pseudo-indie: Death Cab for Cutie, OK go, skateboards, etc...
• ·Things that are exact opposite of indie: fall out boy, sports, listening to the radio, mainstream, The Gap, etc….

The truth is we all have something cool to offer this world because"we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works..." Eph. 2:10- our value is not in what music we listen to or how vintage our clothes are, we are all knit together by the Lord of the universe, and that is significant.

A special thanks to these sources:

 "Ben Folds - Way to Normal." Exclaim! Canada's Music Authority. Web. 14 Nov. 2010. <http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/PopAndRock/ben_folds-way_to_normal/>. 

"Urban Dictionary: Hipster." Urban Dictionary, November 14: Bacontarian. Web. 14 Nov. 2010. <http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hipster>.