Introduction: Hipster Bingo
First of all, the term 'hipster' doesn't apply to you. You, of course, are an independent-minded rugged individualist whose personal sense of style and taste is obviously superior to that of the poseurs who have coopted your fashion over the past several years. You are authentic and are not subject to the vicissitudes of contemporary popular culture. You prize authenticity and originality but you despise pretension. In this project I'm putting the spotlight on the over the top examples of hipstertude and calling attention to the pretentiousness of the hollow hipster. You? You're cool.
Grab your fixie bike and head down to the local dive bar and play along with free printable boards, all you need is a marker.
Automatic board randomizerwhich you can print, courtesy of the very clever member steveturri
Ready? Set...Hipster!
Step 1: What Is a 'hipster'
What makes a hipster, a hipster?
Hipsters, like trendy coffee shops and Justin Bieber singles, are everywhere. I had to condense exactly what made up a hipster. What were the defining qualities?
I spent some quality time in dive bars, bike shops, and record stores to really get deep into the concept. There's plenty of things we can define that could be 'hipster', but an epic beard doesn't automatically qualify someone as a hipster. There needs to be more to this counter-culture trend.
Step 2: Brainstorm
Knowing I wanted a 5 x 5 matrix, just like a real BINGO board, I started brainstorming ideas that embodied what it means to be a hipster. The items on this list had to match the fashion and lifestyle of the hipster, but also had to translate into an easily identifiable image that could be widely applied across the genre.
Here's some of the ideas for hipster BINGO tiles:
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Important note:
It's important to know that any one of these qualities doesn't make you a hipster, but when compined with several other identifiers you can safely establish who is (and who isn't) a hipster.
Step 3: Make the Board
Playing games is always more fun with friends, so I made 2 boards that are different. The 'free space' in the middle is obviously the iconic cornerstone of hipsterism: the waxed moustache.
These boards are printable on any standard printer.
Download and play today!
Step 4: How to Play
Take turns circling an attribute you notice on a hipster that matches a square on your sheet. It helps if you're out at a social event so you can play the game passively during the evening. It's important to know that you don't have to find all the images in one person.
Just like in regular BINGO, when you score 5 in a row in any direction, you win!
In case hipsters in your neighbourhood are different than the ones I see, I also included a blank BINGO board for you to fill with your own regional quirks.
Happy making :)
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53 Comments
3 years ago
Gahhhh! How had I never seen this project before?!!!! I'm laughing out loud at work. My next night out in Oakland I'm gonna kick-ass at this game :) Thanks Mike. Sooo good :)
6 years ago on Introduction
My friends and I used to play this years ago in a coffee shop in Berlin... You've probably never heard of it.
I'm far to hip to type a sideways smiley face.
Reply 5 years ago on Introduction
You sir have won the internets
Reply 6 years ago on Introduction
Acknowledging emoji
5 years ago on Introduction
Love it! I might use the blank form to make Comic Con Bingo for july...or "aspiring actor" bingo for Los Angeles every day.
6 years ago on Introduction
I do not hang around enough hipsters, but I my use your inspiration and blank card for my "recent art school graduate" friends! Very fun way to while away a few tequilas. (I will not make the claim that there is no overlap between these two groups)
Reply 6 years ago on Introduction
OK, I am not a drawer, so I used words. This was a lot of fun. And as I said there is overlap between art school grads and hipsters, but there are also several distinctions.
Reply 5 years ago on Introduction
HAHAHAH loudly vegan ftw
Reply 6 years ago on Introduction
This is awesome!
Enjoy the patch and 3-month Pro Membership
Reply 6 years ago on Introduction
Those are all hipster things
6 years ago
Now an app needs to be made to be played on the trendy iphone
6 years ago
I have been camping outside my local starbucks and apple store, luckily theyre right across the streat of each other.
Am having a blast playing this with my friends.
You are a genius.
6 years ago on Introduction
I think one of the squares should be someone playing Hipster Bingo.
6 years ago on Introduction
I drive by Franklin BBQ every Sunday on my way to church. I wonder if it would be considered a sin to make a quick stop, snap a few photos for my board just to try to win a 3-month Pro membership.
Reply 6 years ago on Introduction
BBQ and hipster sightings...it's like dinner and a movie!
6 years ago on Introduction
I definitely need to update this for London hipsters. We don't have PBR here so they drink Red Stripe. I've not noticed many key rings on belt loops either - regional variations should be celebrated, though!
Reply 6 years ago on Introduction
Red Stripe is a good regional difference. Got a few more to populate your own board? I'd love to see it!
Reply 6 years ago on Introduction
Hi Akki, just to say I saw the hipsterist thing ever(!) at Secret garden this year --I watched a London hipster combing his beard in the wing mirror of a original 60s VW camper van!! As someone from the regions i was overwhelmed with this UBER Hipness, I was forced to drink heavily for the whole weekend...(us friendly euphemism) ;)
6 years ago on Introduction
Did something similar when in the Army. We had to stand up every time we asked a question in class and the guys who asked the most questions were called "spring butts". We made BINGO cards with random class members names on them. Then, each time a "spring butt" popped up, you could check off their name on the card. If you got a BINGO, then the way you called BINGO was to raise your hand and get called on by the instructor. Calling BINGO was to say "Let me say this about that..." and then finish it off with any other statement. The "BINGO Caller" was one of the guys who was not a spring butt who kept a chronological list of the various spring butts names as they asked questions so that we could validate the winners at the end of class. It was so funny and contagious, that even some of the instructors began playing.
Reply 6 years ago on Introduction
Ha, that sounds like a fun game