Why Do Hipsters like Triangles?

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Why Do Hipsters like Triangles?

Hipsters can be seen wearing second hand clothes from thrift stores, drinking coffee in small neighborhood coffee shops and more often than not, has a camera with him at all times. They are active citizens of the Internet usually blogging about their lives and posting pictures that they took on Tumblr or some other website.

Hipsters are also often considered to have their own beliefs and ways of living. The triangle has a New Age symbolism that perfectly describes their way of life. They want to be apart from the norm that is why they tend to do things their own way, listen to non-mainstream bands and appreciate popular art.

They are often associated with the figure of a triangle as evident in the pictures that they take and the writings on their blogs. You can call it an obsession but basically it is a symbolism of what they are. When you research about hipsters and their fondness for triangles, you will be bombarded by lots of reasons from the mundane to the philosophical.

One of the reasons is that the band YACHT played a significant role in their affinity to this shape. The band leader has triangle tattoos on his arms. This band is quite popular in the Hipsters circle that is why a lot of them have come to love this shape to show their support for the band.

Other people say that the triangle is an irony of what they really are. A triangle is a tessellate shape that fits everywhere. However, this is not the case for hipsters because a lot of them are often ostracized. Many people perceive them as weirdoes with outfits that are 20 years late making them not welcome wherever they go.

Hipsters and triangles are two things that will always go together.

Author: maureen

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41 Responses

  1. Graham

    May 20, 2011 12:07 pm

    I believe this article would be more informative if it noted the important role of HEXAGONS in triangular geometry. Any regular hexagon can of course be subdivided into tessellate triangles, and likewise any triangular tessellation or lattice can be inverted to form its hexagonal counterpart. The width-to-height ratio of regular hexagons and equilateral triangles is identical (half the square root of 3). And so forth. It is particularly important I feel that this information be imparted to the hipster community, that they may make more informed polygonal choices in the future. Thank you.

    Reply
  2. Ty

    October 22, 2011 4:32 am

    YACHT isn’t meant to be written as ‘Yacht’, because YACHT is an abbreviation, and when it is written as ‘Yacht’ the meaning is lost.

    Please fix this to keep this article accurate.

    Reply
  3. wrong wrong

    December 20, 2011 3:15 am

    This is wrong. No hipster would ever call himself a hipster so there isn’t a culture, belief or collective thing at all. Hipsters are just a bunch of trendy people with an even bigger bunch of followers (aka wannabees). There are so many different types of hipsters and the word is used as an umbrella term for quirky, fashion-conscious young people. The triangle was just a cool shape that got hip.. just like those stupid wayfarers. You could see it being used everywhere in fashion and contemporary design/illustration. A trend. Simple as that.

    Reply
  4. Ushiku

    April 3, 2012 12:02 am

    I’d call them fashion unconscious if I were honest.

    They tend to follow what other hipsters do, if they were really unique they’d spend less time talking about it on their tumblrs and they’d just do it.

    Reply
  5. Georgie

    April 11, 2012 12:59 pm

    @wrong wrong: “A cool shape that just got hip” HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…….HA.

    Reply
  6. fran

    April 29, 2012 10:06 am

    I have recently got triangles tattooed, because i liked the shape, i like all geometric shapes but i thought the triangle to be the best. I have just discovered that it has HUGE connotations with hipsters?! who sound like idiots! i dont want to be known as a hipster or people to has judgement on me, i just thought it made a nice pattern on my skin…

    Reply
  7. tristan

    May 16, 2012 5:19 pm

    Hipsters don’t try to be hipsters, they just try to be different than others. Calling a hipster a hipster will offend them, because they don’t like being categorized.

    Reply
  8. Mike

    June 27, 2012 3:47 pm

    The modern definition of a “hipster” is someone who does something because it is considered “cool” or “ironic” and not whether they actually like it or not. It does not mean they like triangles, indie music, tumblr, polaroids, etc. That version of “hipster” was around years ago and has since been taken up by the johnny and jane come latelys. Essentially, a true hipster is someone who discovers trends, makes them popular, and then moves on by the time Urban Outfitters has caught on.

    Reply
  9. Ahmed

    August 12, 2012 11:41 am

    Well, I’m sorry to discourage the hipster community, but being a hipster is officially a trend. Every “so-called” hipster, follows the same line of vintage clothing, posing with a geometrical shape, “liking” sophisticated and ironic music and are all trying not to appear liking the same items, because that is considered “too mainstream”. I’m sure actual hipsters feel considerably offended by this, as society are all trying to start up new trends which have already caught on.

    Reply
  10. Joan

    September 13, 2012 4:50 am

    As someone who is often classified as a hipster, but in no way would ever admit to being one, seeing as Im just being myself and loving what i love, Ive always Loved Triangles, because of the 3 most common shape i.e Squares, Circles, and Triangles, Triangles are the most alternative of the three I mean you see squares everywhere in design common windows are either square or in rare cases and boats circular, but who’s ever seen a triangle window on your average house? I think they just identify with triangles because the triangle is somewhat of an uncommon shape, and hipsters I suppose love uncommon things or something like that. Hipsters don’t exist, only cool people who dress cool, make art and drink coffee & tea etc. etc.

    Reply
    • Aaron

      September 17, 2012 3:42 pm

      @Joan Is this meant to be satire? Sounds like a parody of what a hipster would say about themselves. I don’t even know where to start.

      Reply
  11. Tony

    December 14, 2012 6:11 pm

    Hipsters do NOT want to fit in, they could easily do it, but they don’t want to because:
    1. They like to feel socially uncomprehensive, as a way of grabbing attention (that’s why they used such awful clothes), and by this they think it makes them look “deep and smart”.
    2. They think they are smarter and more open-minded than “ordinary” people, so as a way to highlight and separate from stereotypes, they have a desperate need for trying to be the most different they can.
    3. They don’t care being criticised or hated by most of society, as long as this makes them feel more special. (“haters gonna hate”)
    Instagram, Twitter, hastags (#YOLO, #Swag, #toomainstream), popular art, under, unpopular modern / alternate music, cultural plays, unknown books, weird i-sat movies, Buddy Holly glasses, bow-ties, tight skinny jeans, moustaches, etc etc etc.
    Long story short: WEIRDOS

    Reply
  12. A Horse of Course

    January 29, 2013 7:13 pm

    Hipsters dress unfashionably ironically… which is trendy. How original. Now lets all get off that bandwagon and go listen to some dubstep…

    Reply
  13. Nova

    February 27, 2013 5:27 pm

    The triangle has nothing to do with a one culture. It has spiritual meanings. Most say that it is linked to the illuminati/free mason. They are said to have a background in the occult. The symbol is said to be a passive symbol that lucifer is now more prevelant than ever in our society and has a strong hold over our culture and entertainment industry unknowingly to us.

    Reply
  14. FrostAce

    April 16, 2013 10:32 am

    I don’t know what to think anymore yes I believe that Hipsters are a ridiculous and meaningless part of this modern day age but at the same time they help the American economy with all their purchases of good old American made Products I mean thats confusing are Hipsters good or bad someone just please help with this conundrum

    Reply
  15. Pepper

    July 24, 2013 10:11 am

    Wow. The need for categorization of every person and everything is so awful for the evolution of humanity to be who we truly are. Fear is rough people. Real rough, let it go and allow people to live without so much judgement. Hipster is a “word.” Trying to put a label on a PERSON is ridiculous. Save the labels for boxes of macaroni and the sort, where they belong. Just my thoughts.

    Reply
    • Teran M. Stark

      May 29, 2014 9:06 pm

      Why is “word” in quotation marks? Do you mean that it isn’t really one? Why not? If that is not the meaning you were going for, please learn when to use quotes and when not to. There was an episode of Friends called The One Where Emma Cries where Joey had the same problem. I don’t remember if there was any useful advice, but I’d suggest you at least take a look, so as to avoid this sort of confusion in the future.

      Reply
    • Teran M. Stark

      May 29, 2014 9:12 pm

      Also, the reason labels exist is to help us understand more about the labeled noun without having to delve into every aspect individually. For example, instead of saying that Spot has four legs, a tail, white fur with black spots on his body, a head, a torso, teeth, two eyes, a nose, and so on, we can say that Spot is a Dalmatian, and the rest is implied. Much easier.

      Reply
  16. nintengeek

    February 28, 2014 5:59 am

    maybe some people wear thrift store clothes wear them cause theyre budget is low. and maybe some people drink coffee cause it tastes good. and 95% of people carry around a camera cause its automatically built into their phone. I dont think hipsters are even real. maybe theyre mythical creatures.

    Reply
  17. Suz

    June 4, 2014 2:31 am

    I was actually Googling what the triangle tattoo means, as I’ve seen it in pictures with deer – which I found out is a symbol of masculinity (or femininity for inverted triangle), in Celtic culture it apparently symbolizes birth (renewal), death (closure) and life (transcendence). It also symbolizes a deeper connection with nature, and different triangle formations represent the different elements – air, wind, earth, fire, water; and both triangles together (right side up and inverted on top) represent unity/balance with nature/self. I wanted to get a tattoo of a stag with antlers that turn to branches, with the triangle to symbolize my connection to nature.

    But now I’m disappointed that hipsters have found some way to make it lame. Also, the comments on this article are friggin’ hilarious! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many laugh-out-loud comments in one place before. You guys had me cracking up! Thanks for the laughs. 🙂

    Reply
  18. mibs

    November 25, 2014 5:21 pm

    @Suz – your tattoo idea sounds awesome! Whether it’s hipster or not shouldn’t matter – tattoos are for life and have to only be meaningful to you 🙂 at least with this tattoo you know what stereotype it is associated with! Imagine you got a butternut squash tattooed thinking “that’s not related to any trend”. Then a new subculture comes along that call themselves ‘squashies’, they use butternut squash as their symbol and go around doing something really horrible that you do not want to be associated with, such as spraying all sidewalks orange and destroying skate parks and general vandalising! (General vandalising, I salute you).

    Reply
  19. daniela_og

    December 29, 2014 11:39 pm

    @nintengeek you are so lame, i feel for you. Hipsters might not be an actual thing but just open your mind. Your stuck in the idea that everything has to have a reason to it just chill back and relax.

    Reply

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