About Alexandra Heep:

Alexandra Heep is a longtime writer, chronic over-thinker, and recovering content mill survivor. Her work has appeared in literary journals, anthologies, and online platforms where words are still respected. She writes children’s books, health reflections, and the occasional blog post laced with humor and hard-won honesty. After years of illness, detours, and navigating the noise of modern wellness, she returned to writing with the firm belief that stories—like people—don’t have to be perfect to matter. She publishes under multiple pen names and drinks more goat milk than you’d expect.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Dark Hippie



While I normally resist labels, if I had to pick one, I’d say I am a dark hippie. I coined that phrase about three years ago, or so I thought. Despite some of my friends’ initial insistence that you can’t be a dark hippie, I actually found the word today in the Urban Dictionary. Hey, they forgot to credit me!

Actually, the dictionary has two definitions: “A person who follows both the Goth scene and the neohippie movement at the came time, also called a Gothic hippie;” and “a word we use to make fun of goths, emo, etc.” Oh dear. Those labels I do not like.

Now, I do not “follow” anything, nor do I know what a neohippie movement is in the first place. Also, I am not Goth, even though I have been known to secretly listen to some of what could be considered Goth and even Emo music. But, I also listen to music like Iron Butterfly, the ultimate in heavy psychedelic, although I would not be caught dead wearing those outfits. Actually, looking at them too long would likely give me seizures. So, I need something to balance that out – and that is black. While I like to wear black, not everyone who does so is dark, Goth, or Emo just like not everyone who wears bright is a hippie. At least in my opinion. 

How do I define dark hippie? Well, on the outside, I choose several ways to express that. I like black clothes, but I will pair them with something bright, usually a beaded necklace – I make those myself by the way – or a bag or shoes in jewel-tones. Not just any black will do, it has to have some frills to it – that is what gives it the vintage appeal. I also have a teal-colored, fringed leather jacket that is quite old. Now, of course I do not dress this way to go the grocery store. These used to be my going out clothes.

What is a dark hippie on the inside? To me, it is someone who is in balance. The happy, tree-hugging hippie who enjoys peace and love, but with a dose of reality because let’s face it: We have created a pretty messed up environment.

I am not the only one who considers herself a dark hippie. My daughter and a lot of my friends, who felt lost when asked to describe themselves, love this phrase and can identify with it. Also, I share my birthday with Jim Morison, perhaps one of the first, and best, examples of a dark hippie. So, we are kindred spirits, minus the substance abuse of course.

2 comments:

Glorygarden@msn.com said...

Hello, Dark hippy...meet flower power Glory! Hee-hee!

Diane said...

Since you're taking about descriptive labels, make mine "Grey ONATAH"-- Iroquois name meaning of the earth." I don't fit the hippie mold exactly, and didn't in the 1960's either.

Check out some cool (and funny) Native American names here:http://www.bronsonbattlecreek.com/services/birthcenter/nativeambabynames.shtml