Posted by christine

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There's a fair amount of moms out there who call themselves "hipster moms."  They dress in skinny jeans, not sweat pants, and they listen to Phoenix instead of the sounds of Barney.  But is it really important to still be "hip" and a mom?  And are "hipsters" and "moms" oxymorons?



Sure, I believe one shouldn't be entirely ignorant of pop culture.  I personally consume it like oxygen and can't imagine anyone, for instance, not enjoying the brillance that was "Pants on the Ground."  Popular culture is a unifier in our increasingly divisive society.  But a hipster is a totally different animal than the average pop culture lover.  For one thing, hipsters generally disdain most popular culture.  They dig the "underground" scene and wear ironic clothing (see: cat sweatshirts).  Have you checked out the site Look at This F***ing Hipster (Possibly NSFW)?  Should a mom dress like these people?  Actually, should anyone?


Being a "hipster" is about being better than thou.  If a mother is concerned about being too cool for school, she's sending a dangerous message to her kids.  We should be teaching our children to be inclusive rather than exclusive.  After all, if you want to witness the peril of exclusivity, check out the girls with a VIP room at their Sweet 16 party (see: horrible MTV reality show).  No one in their right minds wants their children to be as bratty as those kids.


And should a mom really care about being a hipster anyway?  Isn't trying to be a "hipster" just a desperate attempt to hang onto our youths?  Or to be seen as relevant to a small subsect of people?  Or to feel like we're still cool?  But did Carol Brady care about being "hip?"  No... and that made actually her cooler (well, that and her shag).  And, of course, the hazard of labeling yourself a hipster is that people will judge you if you appear to do something unhip.  And you very well could be accused of trying too hard.  Or trying to be "young." (Ouch.)


So, moms, it's fine to enjoy pop culture, cool music, and fashion.  Just don't worry about being "hip."  That worry is the realm of teenagers.


In other words... be yourself.




Showing the Latest of 14 Comments

THE GUYS
7 months ago
I agree. The funny thing is, people think by being a hipster they are shunning popular culture and being unique. But actually they are just joining another group and conforming in their own way. Humans naturally gravitate towards people that are like them. I think it's important to "keep current." That means, being on top of what's going in the world of your kids. If you become a dinosaur you lose important opportunities to connect with your kids. And isn't that what we all want? To have great relationships with our kids? One with open communication and trust. And that allows us to teach our kids what we value. And maybe they'll even let us hug them. I don't think they'd want to hug me if I had a nose ring! :) www.theguysperspective.com/theguysblog
 
sonalisa
7 months ago
As a mother and by all conventional standards a "hipster," I find this article poorly thought out and extremely offensive. I'm not sure how you've formed the opinion that having interests outside of parenting makes anyone feel better than thou, and more importantly why any woman's choice of clothing and music would undermine her parenting abilities. I love being a mother but I don't let that define me. While it is probably my most demanding and important role, it is also the one of many. I did not stop being the person I was before I got pregnant, nor do I choose to stop having hobbies and interests outside of parenting. I personally feel like I'm doing my son a great service when I teach him about real music, be it rock n roll or classical, instead of only exposing him to "the sounds of Barney." Ick. The same goes for food, art, places, people, and activities... When I put on my "skinny jeans" in the morning no part of me is "trying" to do anything other than get dressed. If there was a memo stating that all new moms need to check their jeans in for sweatpants, I certainly missed it. I dress the way I dress because that's how I feel comfortable. How hypocritical of you to end such a judgmental article by telling people to be themselves, when "yourself" only applies to whatever skewed ideas you have about what a mother "should" be like. I personally don't raise my son to have a better than thou attitude, I try to expose him to a wide variety of culture and hope to turn him into an open minded and well-rounded adult. I don't expect that he will ever have a "too cool for school" attitude, if I have anything to do with it. With your attitude on the other hand, I am a little concerned about how your offspring will treat and accept anyone/anything slightly different from what they're used to. I may not have put away the records that Iistened to 3 years ago, but you're clearly still hanging on to the same attitude you had in your high school lunch room. Sad.
 
dosergirl
7 months ago
I too find this article offensive. I don't even consider myself a hipster, because i'm not in high school any more so fitting into a clique isn't of much importance. You would probably lump me into that category though, because you are judging people based on how they dress.If they have tattoos or not. The music they listen to. Isn't that exactly what you don't want your children to do? I think that you perceive the so called "hipsters" being better then thou because of just that, your perception, not any actual knowledge of what these mothers are like. Have you taken the time to talk to them at the playground or museum. Personally, I encounter many more so called "regular" moms that turn their noses up at this tattooed mom. More of them have given me the "i am better then you attitude" by far. And that is based on actual interaction. The mothers i know, with their tattoos and skinny jeans...they have been the best mothers i have ever met. They love being mothers. They take the time to actually think about the culture and experiences of their children and have not simply opted to go with the masses. They expose their children to real music, real art, real theatre and are not happy with just putting on Barney and walking away. Sacrificing your sense of self, makes you a bad parent, not a good one. Teaching your child about self expression, the actual culture around you (not simply children's culture which is often associated with commercialism) and leading by example, if those things make me a hipster, then i'm proud of that. Now i'm off to read an educated view point over at http://www.thehipstermom.com Kim http://www.thegirlisamom.com
 
mommydearest
7 months ago
Really? Are we really having this conversation Whether you call yourself a "hipster mom" or a "soccer mom" it really doesn't matter. As long as you give the best love, nuture, education, and discipline to your child, isn't that what really matters? Instead of wasting your time on this bullshit, why don't you give some of your attention to your kid?
 
christine
7 months ago
Trying to be hip (and labeling yourself "hip") and actually *being* cool, hip, what have you, are two different things.
 
no.
7 months ago
you mainstream trixie, what the fuck are you talking about? do your damn research. look up the etymology of "hipster." tellin' me interesting, progressive woman can't be M-O-M-S, but some sorority whore is fit for mother of year? horseshit.
 
christine
7 months ago
What sorority whore?
 
DomesticRockstar
7 months ago
This article completely reminds me of being in High School and all the titles and labels that get thrown at you because of how you dress, what music you listen to and so on. I think this is taking the label of "hipster" and misconstruing it and also comes across very hypocritical. In one sentence you're judging women who dress a certain way and then in another you're telling them to be themselves. I believe this sends a dangerous message to children. I highly doubt you want your children pointing and laughing at the kids who wear different clothes then the masses and or listen to different music. I am a mom and I am in a local band. I could easily get mis-judged by the standards of your article. I dress different than most moms, I have different interests than most moms, I'm tattooed but by no means am I "worried" about being cool nor do I believe I'm any cooler than any other mom. I'm being myself and I have taught my son to do the same. I believe mothers who are "worried" about judging others instead of teaching their children that everyone is different is much worse than wearing Skinny Jeans and listening to Phoenix. www.domesticrockstar.wordpress.com
 
thehipstermom
7 months ago
This article is ridiculous and pretentious. Please read my response here: http://www.thehipstermom.com/?p=2215
 
BuenoBaby
7 months ago
Moms are just women. Some are hipsters, some have Coach purse collections and some wear pendant necklaces that dangle over the tops of their turtleneck sweaters. And by the way I find the pendant-necklace-over-the-turtleneck-sweater-look much more irksome than a tattoo. But NO. ONE. ASKED. ME. Anyway, most of us are just shells of the women we once were - before having kids. I just remind myself that...once a dork, always a dork. www.buenobaby.com
 

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