When I was in my late 20s and early 30s, living in Philadelphia, I fancied myself a hipster. Whether I was one or not and whether this was a desirable thing, that was how I saw myself. I no longer do. Not only that, but the trappings of hipsters have changed over time, so, to be honest, I was a little fuzzy on what it currently means to be a hipster and had to Google a bit!

When I think of hipsters in the ’90s, I think of indie music, ratty jeans, ironic t-shirts, Pabst Blue Ribbon, tattoos, messenger bags, and an aloof attitude. The hipster subculture of that era, of which I tried to be a part, was equal parts “cooler than thou” (evidenced by knowledge of obscure films, preferences for obscure music, and shunning of pop–unless it was embraced ironically) and anti-capitalist. Hipsters followed a do-it-yourself ethos, feminist and liberal politics, and intellectualism. They also tried to co-opt some parts of Eastern and Black culture without much multicultural awareness. There was a lot of grunge and punk influence, as well as some leftover Beatnik flavor. I think of the movies Singles and Clerks as pretty emblematic of hipster culture.

The irony that hipsters tried to seem nonconformist in personal style, media choices, lifestyle, and ideas while totally conforming to the subculture rules is not lost on me now, but it was then. But, I suppose any subculture has its norms and rules. A true nonconformist would not adhere to any particular culture, whether it’s “sub-” or mainstream.

When I observe the more recent hipster culture, I see elements of ’90s hipsterism, but with some differences. The do-it-yourself vibe is there (think “artisan” everything), as is the desire to stand out from the mainstream. However, 2000s hipsters have appeared to me to embrace capitalism more by seeking out the eco-friendly product market, technology, product-heavy mustaches and beards, expensive haircuts, and fast fashion (and expensive indie fashion) with a hipster aesthetic. True, thrift stores and DIY fashion have been a part of neo-hipsterism as well, but a lot of the trappings of later hipsters are more commercial than the grungy stuff of the 1990s.

I guess I can’t judge myself or others too harshly for jumping on the hipster bandwagon. After all, most of us want to belong to something, and the way we present ourselves can serve as a shorthand to let others know what we’re about. That handlebar mustache says “I make my own pickles and like obscure bands–let’s go shop for vinyl together.” Trying to fit in to a subculture allows you to meet like-minded others who share some of your passions and dislikes.

So, if you are a former ’90s hipster, current hipster, wannabe hipster, or hipster hater, you do you. As for me, I don’t know if I fit in to any one subculture or scene and am not trying to. I know that I am no longer a hipster, if I ever was one. But I do still love me a cool PBR from time to time.