What exactly does it mean to be a hipster? We have now reached the global conclusion that a hipster is a person belonging to that certain sub-culture which prides itself on following the latest trends, but not those that are mainstream. What does this mean? It can mean a number of things.

For example, as far as fashion goes, a hipster might adhere to the latest trend that says denim is back in, but he won’t wear skinny jeans because they are too mainstream. Instead, he will try to revive the 80s high-wasted large ones, which are a lot more selective. Building on that, here are 5 classy-casual hipster backpacks you must have if you’re thinking of adding a bit of spicy hip to your life.

1.    The classy, yet geeky backpack

Did you ever think there was a way in which you could combine classy and geeky? There is, and hipsters have perfected it. We thank them for it because there are many people out there who are die-hard fans of movie, books and comics such as The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Star Trek and so on.

Usually, fans don’t get a chance to show their love and appreciation towards these franchises because they live and work in environments where it’s inappropriate to do so and where you are required to adhere to a certain dress code. But there are solutions, such as this amazing dark green mini backpack, that resembles The Lord of the Rings. It’s both casual and classy, not to mention cool and hipster.

2.    The casual, clear backpack

Entirely made of plastic, this hipster one of a kind piece is really taking the world by storm. It’s medium sized and completely clear, without skimping on any of the required details and storage spaces it needs. However, you must keep in mind that this particular backpack will not only reveal its entire contents, but it will reveal a lot about you as well.

The contents of a person’s bag, be it man or woman are extremely personal. From your wallet and keys to intimate objects you might be carrying around, medicine, and the book you are currently reading, they all paint a vivid picture of who you really are without you even saying a word. So make sure you’re ready for that before you purchase this clear cute piece.

3.    The retro, leather backpack

There’s nothing that says ‘cool’ better that a beautifully crafted retro leather backpack. It’s just one of those items that never goes out of style, like the little black dress, the high-heeled pumps or the silk scarf. And hipsters all over the world, much to everyone’s delight, reinvented it and brought it back into the limelight. So much so that it’s one of the biggest trends for the spring-summer 2016 collections, as presented on the runways at the fashion weeks.

Almost all the famous designers and brands have included at least a few leather backpacks in their shows. Fendi and Moschino gave it their own fun and playful touch, as they always do, but the basis is still the very beautiful and classic leather backpack. Therefore, one way in which you can make sure to stay on trend this season and still not be mainstream, as the hipster sub-culture dictates, is to add a leather backpack to your accessory collection.

4.    The checkered shirt backpack

There’s nothing that spells out classy-casual-hipster better than the squared backpack. This has to be the most plastic way of bringing these three concepts into light. You have the casual translated into the beautiful colors and the fact that it’s a backpack per se, the classy, ensured by the fact that this rucksack is actually a shirt, and the hipster element, which is covered by the plaid design. 

The lumberjack look has been big within the hipster community in the past few years. Squared shirts took the world by storm and now they’ve broken the clothes barrier as well and entered the domain of the accessories.

This particular backpack is bold and very cutting-edge. It’s also somewhat masculine, so it’s designed either solely for boys or for girls who have the personal style to pull it off. Men can wear it with anything. Girls could always pair it with a pair of boyfriend jeans and a loose men’s shirt. Never wear it with high heels, but always with sneakers or converses.

5.    The staple hipster classy backpack

Here is a final example of a backpack that is, by design, a mix between casual, classy and hipster. It’s also a staple of the hipster trends. It’s made of canvas, but it has an almost Oxford-like feeling to it. Because of the pattern and color, rainy gray mixed with tea-leaf maroon, it gives the onlooker the feeling it’s a backpack made from an old tote bag Oxford boys used to wear in the 50s or 60s. Perhaps that was exactly what the designers were going for, seeing as one of the main traits of the hipster movement is to breathe new life into vintage things.

The front of the backpack has a series of hipster elements you might have recognized at first glance: the Jack Russell, a preferred dog breed among true hipsters, the flamboyant and very stylish bowtie, the huge, retro glasses and the small fedora hat, speaking of elegance and a time long forgotten when men used to wear hats.

Here are five gorgeous ideas of classy-casual hipster backpacks that you can wear anytime and anywhere. Make sure to incorporate them properly in your wardrobe and everything should go according to plan. The true beauty when it comes to these backpacks is that they are androgynous. This means they are perfectly suited to be worn by both men and women, with the same rate of success.