The world can always use a little peace, love and understanding.
And there’s no better group of individuals that represents these ideals than the noble hippie! So, why not join them?
Here’s how to be a hippie in just 10 steps! Hippie culture is yours for the taking and the hippie movement is as welcoming today as it always has been.
How To Be A Hippie? Get Your Groove On
You don’t have to reinvent Woodstock to get your groove on (or go through the Vietnam War for that matter), though you can watch most of it on YouTube (below) to set the tone.
If you’re more of an audiophile we suggest you grab a copy of the 50th Anniversary 10-CD set called Woodstock – Back To The Garden. It’s worth every penny. This is the quintessential spirit of the hippie counterculture, modern hippies need classic hippie music if they really want to have a good time.
But you want to set the vibe with a little Dylan, Donavan, Joni Mitchell, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, and you absolutely can’t miss the Grateful Dead. If you’re looking for something a little more modern – and psychedelic electronic music is for neo-hippies.
Enjoy Today
The retrospective doesn’t need to last forever, either.
Hippies are always happy with anything that brings a little love, peace, and happiness into the world.
That includes today’s music because that’s the music of a modern soul. The neo-hippie doesn’t have to have long hair or wear long skirts and bathe in essential oils, either, though it can help to set the scene.
Immerse Yourself In Counterculture
To get to grips with the essence of being a hippie we’d start with watching Woodstock the movie (it’s on Netflix). Modern hippies will find that the hippie thing is best explained by this occasion of smoking pot and chilling to tunes on Mother Earth.
Then we’d take a deep dive into the words of that generation.
Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and Hunter S Thompson are all good places to start.
The hippie lifestyle stems from the thoughts of those rebelling against the man.
Don’t miss the Electric Kool Aid Acid Test which was the book of the movement.
Talk To The 60s Generation
It can be really useful to connect the ideas of the past with the issues of today, while the underpinning force of love never changes, we’re not fighting in Vietnam and the civil rights movement is more Black Lives Matter than Martin Luther King.
Talk to your parents or grandparents – what was a 60s hippie like?
Then think about how the modern hippie might get their hippie thing on. Will you wear bell bottoms, flowing skirts or colorful clothing?
Bring The Hippie Way Of Life To Life
That means live in harmony with the earth (start by reading more articles on this blog!) and recycling and repurposing where you can. Hippie girls don’t need to won clothes in volumes, many hippies share their clothes communally.
Start to barter for goods rather than buy them. Volunteer your time for good causes.
Get The Clothes
Then it’s time to adopt the uniform and you definitely don’t want to be splashing out the big bucks on a brand-new wardrobe – buy secondhand and upcycled clothes instead.
We’d recommend starting at BOHO thrift shop for that. Flares can still be groovy!
Campaign To Make The World A Better Place
The world won’t magically turn into a nicer place without a little effort for those of us who live in it – a hippie understands this to their bones and is always ready to take a stand for the issues that matter.
One major issue for hippies tends to be the “War on Drugs” and they’d rather see reform rather than criminalization of drug users.
Choose issues that you think matter and campaign.
Let Go Of Crass Commercialism
We know you probably love shampoo and deodorant but you don’t need to buy them. Make them and enjoy them.
If you fancy giving up on shampoo (you seriously don’t need it) then you can always decide to opt for the old hippie favorite – dreadlocks.
Drugs Are Not Mandatory
Sure, there were plenty of hippies who like a little pot and many others that experimented with psychedelics, but this is not required.
In fact, many old school hippies encouraged you to get your high from the real-world using meditation instead.
Natural living is good for you.
Go Vegan
If you want to reduce the harm you do to the natural world, then it’s nearly universally agreed that the biggest step you can make for that is to go vegan. It’s super healthy and there are so many tasty vegan options now that it’s not a huge sacrifice to make.