A look at blog Hipster Is the New Homeless

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Aaron Small and Jessica Rosenberg, collaborators on the eyebrow-raising hipsteristhenewhomeless.com, describe themselves as ‘cultural anthropologists with an eye for plaid.’ The website recently went live, and is quickly garnering reactions like ‘Totes epic’ and ‘Quit your day job,’ from a growing band of followers.

Call it hipster fatigue or sheer trend-spotting genius, there’s a can’t-look-away concept to the blog.

We caught up with co-founder Small during his visit to our own hipster-heavy Los Angeles.

All The Rage: How did you come up with the idea for Hipster Is the New Homeless?

Small: Both of us are on the fringes of the scene; we can dip into the culture without reeking of PBR and cigarettes. There’s a charming hypocrisy of looking sloppy but doing it with precision. Some clearly go overboard to achieve the look. The blog documents people that blur those lines.

What are favorite outfits that you’ve discovered?

Hiked up ‘mom pants.’ Beards that sustain new life forms. Thick gold chain necklaces draped over skinny bros in tank tops. Anything neon.

Are there any websites that inspired your own?

LATFH.com has great photos and writing. Peopleofwalmart.com is hilarious. The New Yorker caption contest. Google.

What do you think the appeal is of having a ‘homeless’ street look?

The ‘lived-in’ look carries a very sexy nostalgia. Everything from shoes to wallets looks better scuffed up. It’s visual street cred that says “I didn’t come prepackaged. Look at me, but know that I don’t want you to.” But like any trend, the look became a uniform when retailers caught on. Now it’s difficult to distinguish yourself from mannequins at Urban Outfitters. It’s a nice surprise to see how creative people can get to broadcast identity.

Where do you get your images from?

It’s split between Flickr images and our own neighborhood adventures. Every city has its own haunts. People love having their picture taken. Jess usually snaps. If I do it, I have to say “I work for a fashion blog” or else people think I’m a creep.

How did you two come together as collaborators?

I’m a copywriter finishing my portfolio at the Creative Circus. We met in the kitchen at Crispin Porter + Bogusky, an advertising agency in Boulder. Jess worked there as a designer. Meeting people comes naturally to us. With a camera, we have more of a purpose.

-- Sophia Kercher