20 May 2012

Dear Hipsters.

I've longed to have this expressed.  I know it sounds crazy that I could be passionate about a style or movement or whatever hipsters are.  But I love them.  I love them.  I want to be them.  I seriously do.  But only the ones that, as Amy put it, don't think they are better than me for being a hipster.  Only the ones that are just so true to all things beautiful and colorful and artistic and absolutely ravishing.  That's the only word for you sweet/real/beauty-loving hipsters: ravishing.  And I don't give many things the title of ravishing.  But hipsters= deserve it.

I remember watching "my girl" years ago on Thanksgiving Day. (never to forget the loner seat that Jody sat in when we went).  I loved Vada's style.  It was artistic.  I told my mom I wanted clothes like hers.

And then there was and forever will be Punky Brewster.  She (or her character anyhow) was so entertainingly mismatched.  The piecework colored clothes and skawampous (no clue how to spell the word) pigtails were my favorite.  I thought I was Punky, with the truth be told.

But the hipsters got it all.  It combines the perfect mix of the vintage and retro and funky and classy and nerdy and hot and colorful and dull and does the mismatch better than Punky herself.  It's like this deliberate and well executed blend of colors and shapes and styles.

And I love it.

I told my friend the other day I am the type of person who appreciates order in a very vivid way.  I gave her the example of how on Cougar lane every time I drive along there is this manhole cover that makes me want to pull over and park and just rotate it about 64 degrees.  It falls on a middle yellow line of the road, and was apparently painted before it's most recent opening.  And whoever put it back was more of the SB make and I'm sure didn't think twice about the fact that order-appreciating individuals would drive by on a daily basis wondering why on earth it was too difficult to just take 7 extra seconds to align it so the yellow stripe would be one continuous line down the road.

SB says it's because I'm "tight."  He, as a self proclaim artist (which I proclaim of him as well, but there are no boards to take to gain a 'sculpt-out-of-your-garage' license), always explains to me that artists come on a spectrum: from extremely tight to extremely loose.  He falls just short of Picasso on the loose side of things.  We've decided the new slogan for Farmboy Enterprises should be "comes with a wonk."

And though I'm not Matt, I love Matt.  And even appreciate his style.  I just wish his wonk was more intentional sometimes.  I think that's why I love the hipsters so much.  It is organized wonk.  This planned looseness.  No where near the tightness of someone who is completely boring, but shy of the Punky B looseness that gives them a perfect amount of order in their colorful chaos.

Wherever they fall on the spectrum, they fall perfectly.  Which much like SBs self proclaimed title of artist, I therefore have to think I am a hipster at heart.  It resonates with me.

So when I'm hip again, you can bet it will come in the form of the hipster.

And I don't care if my local friends feel like I am jumping on board a bit late.  I spotted it a decade ago in Scandinavia and loved it as much then as I do now.  And my locals that may think I'm slow on the uptake didn't seem to mind it took years to travel here from over yonder.

Long live the hipster.  I love you.

3 comments:

  1. Dear Leslie,

    I love YOU. You are the perfect combination of energy and compassion and productivity and it is wonderful that you can thrive on order and yet be so willing to disorder your life for so many things... projects, finger painting, making cupcakes, cleaning up food (**it is only 2:50 p.m. by the way and I have already swept my floor 3 times, and I still can't walk across it without getting crumbs on my feet and it is driving me crazy**) or more projects. Projects for other people that you take on and pour your whole soul and creativity into in inspiring ways. I like that you can create experiences for people. I enjoy the experiences you've created (I remember having dinner cooked in a pumpkin once... and UK imported balloons and curious george coloring book party favors) and I am inspired them because you have ideas that I don't think of, or even if i did, I'd think it wasn't worth following though. But you are the queen of details, and you've taught me that details matter. Little candy dishes with valentines-themed, or halloween-themed, or christmas-themed or spring-themed, candy in them are a little spot of brightness in a day and that matters. I sound a bit gushing, I know. But it is all true. Might as well group the letters of things and people and styles to admire in one place, right? Oh, and also you always have the perfect accessories. Long dangly necklaces with bright colors or pretty earrings or whatever. You've convinced me accessories are an important tool. Plus fun for the kids to play with.

    Secondly, have you ever seen much of Zooey Deschanel? She is ultimate hipster. I was annoyed by her once, but not anymore!!! You should watch some online episodes of "New Girl" , the sitcom she is in, because i think she really exemplifies the things you're talking about. Plus, apparently she said this: "Being tender and open is beautiful. As a woman, I feel continually shhh’ed. Too sensitive. Too mushy. Too wishy washy. Blah blah. Don’t let someone steal your tenderness. Don’t allow the coldness and fear of others to tarnish your perfectly vulnerable beating heart. Nothing is more powerful than allowing yourself to truly be affected by things. Whether it’s a song, a stranger, a mountain, a rain drop, a tea kettle, an article, a sentence, a footstep, feel it all – look around you. All of this is for you. Take it and have gratitude. Give it and feel love."

    Love,
    Amy

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  2. Totally had to wikipedia "hipster" so I could make sure I fully understood who/what you were talking about. Ha ha. Does that solidify that I'm not one? Either way, I love your style. I'm always impressed with your fashion choices and the great taste you have. I also love that you want to pull over and fix the non-straight manhole cover. I think it would drive me crazy too. You know all the green highway signs that tell you what exits are coming up and stuff like that? They're all square pieces of metal, but for some reason the white sign border has a rounded edge on the corners, leaving these little hangnails of green corners sticking out on every one (see what I mean here: http://usopenborders.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/17518904_BG11.jpg). I constantly wish I had one of those scrapbooking corner punches that was big enough to clip them all. How "tight" do you think I'd rank on Matt's spectrum? Ha ha.

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  3. I['m so the same way. Man hole covers that don't line up make me cry!!!Oh and by the way Target had a punky brewster movie in their five dollar movies about six months ago I bought Hailey and she watches it non stop! I love it!

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