A year ago if you asked me what a Hipster was, I’d have probably replied that is was a style of jeans rather than a subculture people. While they’ve been around for a long time, Hipsters have come into the forefront a style revolution with their distinct fashion – often stereotyped by vintage thrift shop shirts, rolled up jeans and dark rimmed glasses. Love them or hate them, Hipsters have become the pioneers and leaders of our latest cultural and fashion trends. We can thank them for the surge of distressed jeans, leggings, plaid flannel shirts and old concert tees found at H&M, Forever 21 and American Eagle.

For me, not knowing what a Hipster was, had more to do with being unaware of the current label placed on this group. Before the term Hipster was coined, waaay back in the early 90s, the style was simply called “Alternative”.  As in alternative to the mainstream – which at the time was the uniform of Polo shirts and penny loafers. In those days, the smell of teen-spirit had saturated the air thanks to Nirvana and somewhere in between Polo preppy and Seattle-grunge, “Alternative” was born. Which looking back, makes me one of the original Hipsters, what with my fake black-rimmed glasses, unisex plaid shirt and tapered jeans. (Back then they were called tapered. And we ‘tapered’ them ourselves, sometimes just using a shit-ton of safety pins.)

Here’s some Hipster inspired fashions that I currently love at Forever 21. Mix them up with some vintage finds for create a look that is unique to you.