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Pabst recently re-launched Schlitz in limited markets, and has been pleasantly surprised by the hearty demand for a beer so bad it went out of production in the '80s. Potential explanation? The brew is a prime target for hipsters—those disaffected, trend-setting urbanites with a penchant for irony.
Here are some other brands that have gotten a similar tongue-in-cheek treatment, and laughed all the way to the bank.
Hush Puppies
Hush Puppies: "It's ironically hip because my grandpa wore them."
Brushed suede Hush Puppies were a leisure staple of the 1950s and 1960s. The shoes dwindled into obscurity until 1996, when they were appropriated by male hipsters, and fashion designers quickly followed. It's important to note that due to their return to mainstream popularity, hipsters no longer find Hush Puppies cool.
Wayfarers
Wayfarers: "It's ironically hip because they're so establishment."
Ray Ban Wayfarers were the shades of choice for the affluent in the 1950s. In the past few years they have become fashionable with male and female hipsters alike, because of their earnest and unfashionable clunkiness, as well as vintage appeal. In 2007, Ray Ban re-launched the classic style of Wayfarer in response to consumer demand.
White Castle
White Castle: "It's ironically hip because it's lowbrow."
White Castle is the oldest fast food restaurant chain in the U.S., and has spent most of its 87-year existence with a reputation for puny square-shaped burgers and low prices. Then the 2004 film Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle reminded hipsters of just how ironically hilarious it would be to patronize the mediocre, predominantly Midwestern chain.
Sperry Topsiders
Sperry Topsiders: "It's ironically hip because they're preppy."
Sperry's iconic boat-shoes-cum-loafers have been a wardrobe staple amongst East Coast preppies for generations, so much so that they are now totemic of the group as a whole. We can only assume that their recent rise to hipster chic is a commentary on the nature of stereotype itself.
Members Only Jackets
Members Only Jackets: "It's ironically hip because they're so ugly."
A big hit throughout the '80s and a frequent subject of ridicule in the '90s, track jackets made by Members Only have recently seen a resurgence in hipster interest. With Members Only apparel, a hipster is showing that he or she is too tragically hip to bother with looking cool.
Malls' Empty Halls
