Representation: Millennials/Hipsters

         Since one of the magazine genres I am considering for my final project is about the hipster lifestyle, I want to address how the media portrays them. First of all, the stereotypical image that comes to mind when people think of hipsters is of a man with a bushy beard sitting in Starbucks working on his MacBook while wearing a red plaid shirt, boots, and round glasses. This used to be the image until the concept began to evolve. It has not moved too far from it though, as hipsters are still characterized as coffee-lovers and are often pictured with glasses. However, they now fit into other trends such as the eating-healthy trend or the living-sustainably trend. They are also drawn to fashion from the 80s and 90s and they listen to alternative music. All of these characteristics are associated with the group that ranges from mid-20s to mid-30s and has become obsessed with living a happy, sedentary life. 

       One example of this representation of the group is in the TV show New Girl in the episode "Neighbors." In this episode, a group of hipsters with eclectic names such as Fife and Sutton, move in next to the main character's apartment. The group is portrayed as being very down to earth and uninterested in corporate jobs. They all dress with odd clothing and the men have long hair. Overall, they seem like a group of immature adults that hide under their elevated tastes and weird jobs. I think this is an unfair representation of the group, although I understand why it is portrayed like that. Being that this was for a comedy show, the aspects about this particular group were over-exaggerated. Another example of media representing this group is through awareness ads. Often times, in ads that talk about reducing phone usage or criticize our dependency on technology, the people portrayed are millennials. Again, I do not think this is a fair representation of the group. Their association with being tach-savvy is also correlated to other criticisms made to the group, saying they are entitled and lazy. This is a generalization that is not based on any facts and fails to appreciate all of the hard-working millennials.

    There is some truth to these representations in the fact that this group of people is concerned about society and their place in it. For these reasons, they may decide to become vegans or start buying organic food and reducing plastic waste. They also want to stand out and think they are less 'mainstream' for wearing clothes from a different decade and listening to anything that is not on the radio. In this search for individuality, they can often find themselves lost amongst a sea of thousands of others going through the same process, making their "individuality" more common and relatable. When I represent this group in my magazine, I want to challenge the representation media outlets have given them of being lazy and too reliant on technology. I also want to show that their fashion taste goes beyond what can be found in a rack at Urban Outfitters and can actually extend to ethnic clothing and sporty clothing. My main goal is to make sure that more niches within this group are represented so that they do not feel limited by a broad representation of the whole.