The Face of Hipsterdom, B.A.F.

“B.A.F.,” of course, stands for Before Arcade Fire. As this dusty article from the Morning News so lucidly demonstrates, 2004 was a very different era:

You wore a pair of GAP jeans to a party, and when no one noticed they were from the GAP you made sure to work the point into conversation.

Within two weeks you go through goth, country, and preppie phases, each involving a completely new record collection, wardrobe, and haircut.

Must’ve been strange, buying clothes before American Apparel. Then again, some things never change:

You started a band last week—actually three bands. Two broke up because you couldn’t agree on a name and the third disbanded because you couldn’t find anyone to be in it, and because you couldn’t agree on a name.

Peep the rest of the warning signs here.