August 3, 2010

TRIXSTERSTEIN.

TRIXIE: Also, from Wikipedia, a trixie is a generally derogatory slang term referring to a young urban white woman, typically single and in her late 20s or early 30s. The term originated during the 1990s in Chicago, Illinois. The term was further popularized by a satirical website dedicated to the Lincoln Park Trixie Society, a fictional social club based in Chicago's upscale Lincoln Park neighborhood.[1]

Trixies are typically depicted as "social climbing, marriage-minded, money-hungry young ladies that seem to flock to the upwardly-mobile neighborhood of Lincoln Park."[2] Another description calls them "the women with Kate Spade bags for every day of the week; the ex-sorority girls still lusting after big, dumb jocks; the women who go to law school to find husbands."[3] The stereotypical counterparts of Trixies are the men they usually end up marrying, referred to in slang as "Chads".[4]

According to National Geographic, the Trixie stereotype describes a "blond, late-twenties woman with a ponytail who works in PR or marketing, drives a black Jetta, gets manicures and no-foam skim lattes."[5] Trixies typically also have a small dog (a pug, puggle or shiba inu) and know all of the other neighborhood dog owners by their dogs name.

As such, "Trixies" are not unique to Chicago but representative of a stereotyped subculture in contemporary America. However, the term's use is specific to the Chicago area.


HIPSTER:
(According to the very reliable Wikipedia) A hipster is a slang term that first appeared in the 1940s, and was revived in the 1990s and 2000s often to describe types of young, recently-settled urban middle class adults and older teenagers with interests in non-mainstream fashion and culture, particularly alternative music, indie rock, independent film, magazines such as Vice and Clash, and websites like Pitchfork Media.[1] In some contexts, hipsters are also referred to as scenesters.[2]

"Hipster" has been used in sometimes contradictory ways, making it difficult to precisely define "hipster culture" because it is a "mutating, trans-Atlantic melting pot of styles, tastes and behavior[s]."[1]


MISH (me): I actually haven't ever looked up both of those words. I think if anything I would be a Trixie+Hipster+Jew (thus, Trixterstein, the title of the post--"Stein" was much more fun than "Jew" or "Jewish"). Despite the fact that the Trixie definition is pretty close of a descriptor to my general lifestyle and persona (fortunately/unfortunately), I'm going to take the challenge to take a dip into the less mainstream food, clothing, music, etc, to see if I can grow my pool of interests from Frank Sinatra, any Duran Duran song, and awesome (lame) early 90's movies that I watch 3 times a week (at least) to new things (it was a good start on Sunday when I was with Doug--the true hipster boyfriend--at a restaurant, and actually new the Raconteurs were playing while we ate our brunch together at JAM) .

Good bye to Lincoln Park (I have lived there/around there since 2007), the land of uniform Kate Spade, Herve Chapelier, Lucky Star drawstring pants, thick Jewish girl headbands (it's okay, I can say that since I'm Jewish), and Frat parties. We are moving on!

1 Purpose of the Post: Perfect way to be J Crew lover + fit in at the Wicker Park Festival this weekend? Good old J Crew Gingham shorts. I even got a compliment
from a girl with a dragon tattoo on her neck. Hip hip hooray!

Another Purpose of the Post: Try the Egg White Omelet at Jam. You won't be disappointed.

...And Finally: Be nice to preppy looking people who live in Wicker Park. We can't help it if we ended up there and I'm sure we are trying hard to learn new things and enjoy the coolness of the neighborhood.

Cheers and Mazel Tov,
Mish


1 comment:

  1. You guys do know that Wicker Park is the new Lincoln Park right?

    ReplyDelete