Yupster: The next logical trend.

2010: Alec- Hipster, Ted- Yuppie.

The men from opposite sides of the tracks reconcile their differences and establish Canberra’s leading creative boutique.

Since 2007 the trend in mainstream fashion in Canberra has moved from some kind of fun-boy mullet filled, prada-glasses-wearing, ed-hardy-t-shirt-designed sh*t, to a trendy, hipster style. Guys who called skinny jeans gay are spruiking jeans so tight they cut off circulation to the feet. Those who asked Alec why he’s wearing a granny shirt are wearing plaid shirts like their life depended on it. People who laughed at Levi’s brown suede shoes wear the things to the beach.  And the fringe they once tried to relegate to the back of their head is now creeping ever far forward. Yes, unfortunately for people like Alec who respected their own image in 2007, and sought to find an image with in a sea of mullets are now just another brick in the wall. Fortunately, Alec met Ted and is no longer like people like Alec. He is a yupster.

Today these (awesome) guys are probably wearing skinny jeans and a plaid shirt.

“A whaaaaaaaaat?”

A yupster. One who who keeps their creativity and individuality within the context of a sharp suit. How sharp? Very sharp. But, please do not think this new exterior image is “yuppie”. Even Ted who once carried himself like a law abiding Patrick Bateman, realises the yuppie image provokes a sense of arrogance and superiority, something that helped Ted rise through the ranks of his previous job, but not a representation he would like to inhibit at the socially progressive AnthonySchumann office. So Ted and Alec (who had to admit himself was a little too casual at our client meetings – awesomely cool, but too casual) sat down and crafted their new image. Actually, that is a lie, they never sat down, rather one night they shared a dream and the next day the yupster image was born. Sharp suit, brown suede shoes, plaid shirt, skinny tie, slim, tapered pants, non prescription Oliver people glasses, a poncho if its cold. The Yupster image.

The Poncho- the distinctive outerwear item in yupster fashion.

Sure, if you look on google you may Yupster already defined on urban dictionary (something I was just recently made aware of). Yes, the definition given there contains somewhat of the essence that Alec and Ted seize when they dress themselves each morning. But, that’s all it is, an essence, a concept. Alec and Ted have made the thing a reality, an image. A brand identity even. And by realising a definition that may or may not have been thought of parallel to Alec and Ted’s discovery of it, they have found that it is so much more than a word than some computer geek thought when he combined yuppie and hipster. He wrote a definition- that is all. We made it a trend.

It’s a big call. And in reality it isn’t a trend yet. I speak as though we are anticipation of it, because, in fact, it is inevitable. Who would have thought the bohemian styles of east village in New York- an image inspired by punk rockers in 1970s London, would be dressing mannequins at “Industrie” stores- the lowest common denominator when it comes to fashion trends and selling out to make a buck (in the same way their customers sell out their previous image to try and stay cool*).

The Jonas Brothers are Hipsters. "We are so not mainstream, I mean, just look at us" Yeah, sure.

AnthonySchumann prays to god everyday the yupster image avoids the trend killing fate which is being sold in an Industrie store, but it is unavoidable. The hipster image, once thought the last frontier- too alternative, too individual to be made so horrendously lame by Industry, is being made horrendously lame by Industrie. Yupster is the only cool fashion choice left standing. The hipster image is taking a beating at the moment. It will get so badly bashed that it will be left bloodied and broken on the street because its looks too gross. Only then will it have time to rebuild and become what it used to be- but it will need a stint of intensive care then many years of rehabilitation to recover. The real hipsters will take it in- the Strokes-listening, non-deoderant-using, converse-wearing guys and girls who will never give a shit about how society perceives them (yet really do). But during this period Yupster style will come to the fore. It has to. Alec and Ted are too public, too influential for it not to be noticed. It’s a cool niche now, a point of differentiation. But it will become mainstream.

But don’t fear loyal followers of the AnthonySchumann blog site. Alec and Ted will have something new to wear when places like Industry eventually take notice and makes the style lame. But that’s a while away (they really are the last to catch on) so until then, enjoy being a yupster- you won’t be an individual forever.

-Ted Anthony

Out of fear of Industrie researches finding our site and attempting to copy the Yupster image, we have not provided any pics. Instead I have provided a link to the song that aurally describes this style. It is also the song played in our lobby. Use it and the descriptions above to create your own unique yupster style.