Dear readers I am very sorry that I haven't blogged since May, but I simply just haven't had any inspiration. However, since having a gentle nudge from Hannah ( excitedandinspired.blogspot.com ) I decided to blog about a topic that has been on my mind recently:
indie-ness.
Being indie or hipster, as the americans like to call it, is a genre that includes music and fashion and is widely considered to be a social identity to young-ish people. I personally like the 'indie scene', (it's so not indie to say that though, real indie kids don't ever admit their indie), because it generally falls into the style of fashion and music I already liked. However, it seems that some aspiring teens have made it their aspiration in life to be as indie as possible, and frankly they have just taken it too far.
I have compiled a list of things that entitle people to fall into the indie category.
Some of these things really annoy me.
1. Ray Ban Sunglasses/Glasses Without any Lenses
It is fair enough for Ray Ban's to be in with the indie kids. They are nice sunglasses and some people really suit them. However, I do think it is a little silly that every tween/wannabe who wants to be indie will go out and purchase said sunglasses and parade around with them in the boating shoes (see more on these bellow). Especially as they are rather expensive and are infact, not trying to show off their style (which isn't really their style anyway as they are just copying the exact colour and model of sunglasses as everyone else), and are in fact just trying to showcase their wealth.
There is no excuse for wearing glasses with no prescription on them or ones completely without lenses. It just looks plain silly. Especially if it's a clear plastic lens and you can't see their eyes because the light keeps glinting off them, and you know in your heart of hearts that they bought those for £12 in Topshop and thought 'oh I'll wear these with my ripped tights and denim shirt, and it'll totally complete the look'. *Sigh*
Well I suppose it could be worse, they could have gone for the "Get 3 for £5" offer down in Camden market. Then they'd have them on rotation throughout the week.
2. Guy's Clothing Options
Well if you are true indie then you can just go into vintage shops or raid your attic for your cool dad's old '80s stuff and throw it all together into some divine retro/clashy/slighty-camp ensemble, that'll have all the indie girls aloofly lusting after you.
But if you are an annoying Topshop boy, who basically only buys clothes from said shop, and only creates outfits from the male indie staple items list, then you will be dressing only by these few items:
Striped Sailor Style Longsleeved Top
Turned-up Skinny Jeans Without Socks.
The More Ankle on Show The Better.
Boating Shoes
Denim Shirt. With Top Button Firmly Done Up (It's What Makes The Outfit).
3. Girl's Clothes Options
Anything from Topshop, Urban Outfitters and vintage shops (because you love mixing highstreet and vintage together and you get that little pang of satisfaction when someone asks you where something of yours is from and you reply with "sorry it's vintage").
Look like you've got dressed in the dark, and kind of pull it off if your true indie, but don't pull it off and just look like you've clashed a load of prints together, if your a wannabe.
Top it all off with a denim shirt as a jacket, ripped tights, brogues, over-the-body satchel, and hippy elastic head band over back-combed hair.
4. Indie Music
Bands you have to love if you are indie:
a) Bombay Bicycle Club
b) Vampire Weekend
c) Foals
d) Arcade Fire
e) Mystery Jets
f) The Maccabees
I happen to love these bands. But they have all become extremely indie mainstream, with the Ray Ban loving hoards, who walk around in their The Smiths t-shirts but I swear wouldn't even know that 'Stop Me if You Think You've Heard This One Before' wasn't by Mark Ronson (Who I love, wasn't trying to put him down). If you are extremely indie, you will only like B-sides and say things like "oh yeah I only liked their demo, I went off them when they went mainstream". You will talk about completely and utterly underground bands who no one has ever heard of, and you will enjoy the look clueless look on people's faces when they ask you who your favourite band is and you reply with "The Momoraths, you've probably never heard of them, they're quite obscure".
(The Momoraths are actually a really cute band, look at their site!)
5. Indie Attitude
Finally we have the indie attitude. Basically, to be truely indie you have to be incredibly aloof (to the point of almost looking rude). Be awkward, quirky, and skinny. Look as though you really don't care about anything as your hair is always limp and cut in an out-there style (usually involving a large fringe or cows lick). And you pose in a languid model-esq manner around boutique clubs and bars, ordering Corona and Red Stripe.
I think that has covered everything, and although this kind of turned into a cutting rant of the indie kids of our times, it seems I have a love/hate relationship with the genre as a whole.
To be honest, I love indie. I'm just so indie, I don't say I am.
xxx
