How to Be a Shameless Hipster in Atlanta

So you're in Atlanta, and you're trying to figure out the best way to find and impress like-minded trendsters. Here, we'll discuss where to buy your ironic tees, where to find the clubs with the most hipster saturation and where to go for your favorite PBR specials.

Things You'll Need

• Lots of cash
• <br>Penchant for overpriced boutiques
• <br>Tolerance of mediocre electronica/Brit pop
• <br>Devout reverence for all that Pitchfork says

Instructions

Where to Buy Your Duds

1. Of the utmost importance for any hipster is where to shop. How are people going to know how cool you are if you're not wearing some overpriced aviators and a $30 T-shirt with witty words on it? While other breeds of fashion victims try to find high-end-looking clothing for moderate prices, the Hipster seeks the opposite. This is why marked-up retail shops such as Urban Outfitters, American Apparel and The Clothing Warehouse (located on the Corner of Moreland and Euclid in Little Five Points) are such havens for them.

2. Little Five Points is a natural place to begin your search for the quintessential hipster outfit and you will see many like-minded and like-dressed kids in this area. Check into The Clothing Warehouse for color-coded thrift store items that you could probably find at Goodwill for 1/6 of the price. Also check out their awesomely ironic buttons and accessories. Stroll on past Little Five Coffee and impress all the other young dudes with your "Frankie Says Relax" tee pulled tight over your white skinny jeans. Head on over to Rag-O-Rama for some more thrift store pieces for more reasonable prices. Also note that often the men's selection is better in here than the women's. Right next door is American Apparel, where you can find high-quality, American-made basics such as solid colored hoodies, pants, underwear, etc. The quality of clothing is better than you're going to find in most other hipster shops, but the prices are pretty steep. To top off your outfit with some much-needed accessories, try Junkman's Daughter (which carries a variety of knick-knacks, shoes and clothes) and Psycho Sisters (they've got uber-cheap costume jewelry).

3. If you're really hardcore and you want all your new Atlanta buds to know it, go to Kolo for a trendy piercing or Holy Mother for a tattoo by a very skilled artist. Seriously though, if you get tattooed in Atlanta, go to either Holy Mother or Liberty or go by the recommendation of someone whose ink looks good.

4. Venture out of Little Five Points just a tad and check out Urban Outfitters (which only opened in 2008) near the corner of Ponce de Leon and N. Highland. Make sure you've saved up enough for a couple of things here, like a faux-retro hoodie or a pair of brightly colored sneakers; careful though, this sum can easily eek its way into the triple digits!

Where to Show Off

1. The majority of what the essential hipster looks forward to each week is his opportunity to impress and mingle with other hipsters. These occasions are pretty abundant in Midtown, Little Five Points and East Atlanta. First of all, you need to know that hipsters don't wait until the weekend to party; if you're near the Midtown area (or can get there on your retro bicycle), Wednesday night is your big night.

2. Start off at the Local (on Ponce) for some pints of Miller High Life, and then make your way over to MJQ, which is about 200 meters away. Make sure not to go to MJQ before midnight or 1:00 a.m. though as Atlanta hipsters should never give off the impression that they don't have something better they could be doing. Wednesday night at MJQ is "Brit Pop Night," although this seems a rough translation for "A Variety of Electronica and Indie Tunes, Some of Which are Sub-Standard." While inside MJQ, you'll have the opportunity to dance with other hipsters so find one with a similarly edgy haircut who appreciates the same brightly colored clothing as you, and go for it. Also, try to avoid being seen drinking an expensive beer or cocktail. Yes, we all know that you're a trust-fund baby, but stick to PBR to boost your cred.

3. Usually, you'll want to arrive late and leave late. If you become threatened by the high-level of cool kid saturation, feel free to go hang around "ironically" at the sleazy Clermont Lounge down Ponce. You could also head back over to the hipster mecca near Urban Outfitters and satisfy a late-night craving for greasy diner food at the landmark Majestic. If you're in this area on a Friday night, check out the weekly midnight showing of Rocky Horror at the Plaza Theatre.

4. Rinse and repeat. Other places to check out if you want to get a good hipster-to-regular-people ratio include The Earl (in East Atlanta), The Glenwood (also in East Atlanta), The Righteous Room (off of Ponce, near Urban Outfitters), The Star Bar (L5P), Corner Tavern (L5P), and 97 Estoria (Cabbagetown).

Tips & Warnings

• Don't bring any non-hipster baggage with you (i.e., friends that don't adhere to the dress code) unless you really want to lose some cred.

• <br>If you become aware that you've committed a hipster faux pas, just pass it off as being ironic.