Your Dad Was Living The Hipster Life Before You Knew What It Was

“Your dad went green before it was cool, and he has the t-shirt to prove it.”

Sophia

• Published in Interesting
• March 31, 2024

Listen closely, because what I'm about to unveil might just topple the very foundation of your carefully curated, oh-so-unique hipster identity. You might spend your days priding yourself on a collection of vinyl records, sporting meticulously groomed mustaches and flaunting those vintage short shorts, all while savoring your lavender-infused espresso.

In your quest for a unique blend of modern-day beatnik with an air of misunderstood originality, you've overlooked a crucial piece of the puzzle. The truth? The original hipsters weren't found at the latest underground music scene or artisanal coffee shops.

They were likely reclining in your living room, reading the newspaper. Yes, I'm talking about your dads.

Surprised? Brad Getty, an author and adept copywriter, decided to illuminate this overlooked fact in his insightful book, "Dads are the Original Hipsters". Getty's work compellingly argues that the quirky, individualistic lifestyle you're striving for was already perfected by the previous generation.

Hipster culture, characterized by its appreciation for alternative music, vintage fashion, and a penchant for organic, artisanal foods, has roots that trace back further than the modern interpretation suggests. In the 1940s, the term 'hipster' originally described jazz enthusiasts who adopted an unconventional lifestyle, rebelling against mainstream societal norms.

Fast forward to today, and while the definition has evolved, the essence remains the same: a desire for authenticity and a deviation from the mainstream.

The book gathers an iconic selection of hipster dad photographs, enriched with Getty's incisive and sometimes NSFW annotations. Here's a look at some top picks.

“Your parents had a non-traditional wedding before you did, and their marriage might not be legal to prove it.”

“Your dad sucked at his job before you did.”

“Your dad was a street artist long before you put up your first shitty wheatpasting.”

“Your dad went green before it was cool, and he has the t-shirt to prove it.”

“Original at everything since ’76.”

Yet, as Getty humorously points out, today's hipsters might not be as pioneering as they think. From the flannel shirts to the appreciation for vinyl records and everything in between, our dads were embodying these traits before it was considered 'cool.'

They were the original advocates of the DIY ethic, proponents of sustainability before it became a hashtag, and curators of an eclectic taste in music that would form the playlists of many a hipster café.

“Your original hipster dad and his crew of dirt balls.”

“Your dad had hangovers, and the worst part was realizing that the mistake he made last night was making you.”

“Throwback Thursday to when your dad was a DJ before you were, and he played music so obscure that you’ve never even heard of it.”

“Hipsters, your shit-whip will never compare to your dad’s badass ride.”

“Fall/winter 2014 look book.”

“Your dad was a struggling indie artist before you were.”

So, next time you're tempted to boast about your obscure record collection or your knack for finding the most avant-garde coffee flavors, remember that dad was there first, setting the trends without even trying. Eat your hearts out, hipsters; the first movers in your culture were indeed your dads, effortlessly cool and undeniably original, long before it became a trend.

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Sophia