A person who follows trendy, alternative styles and interests, often before they become mainstream, and may be perceived as trying too hard to be different.
From 'hip' (aware, knowledgeable) + '-ster' (one who does something), originating in 1940s jazz culture. Originally meant someone who was aware of the latest trends; the modern meaning solidified in the 2000s to describe young people adopting alternative fashion and indie culture.
Hipster culture actually reveals something cool about human psychology: we all want to feel unique, but we also want to belong to a group—hipsters just make their tribe more visible by wearing the same 'unique' clothes! The irony is that trying to be different in exactly the same way as others is basically the definition of a subculture.
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