13 Style Lessons From Baristas

Baristas around the world have their specific niche in hipster style: fashionable and functional with hairstyling and beard game on point. They’re only behind punk rockers and pirates when it comes to tattoos and piercings. Also, they have apron swag like you would not believe. In fact, they are apron swag.

Here are some of the style tips we can learn from baristas—along with a few we’ll happily leave out.

1. Apron Exhibit A: Full Coverage Leather Apron Swag.

DO: That apron. Buy one for any amateur chef in your household who likes to get their hands dirty. But only if you love them because $$$$.

DON’T: Pull a ball cap so far down that people literally can’t see the upper half of your face.

2. Indo-bro Gunshow

DO: Flaunt it, if you’re ripped like that. Maintain the shirtsleeves, though, for sanitary reasons.

DON’T: Do not do the “flirtatious tongue-poking-out smile” if YOU ARE A GUY.

3. Light Socket Not Pictured

DO: The one on the right is totally the type of boy you’d take home to meet mom in high school.

DON’T: The hair on the left. No. And also: How? According to all of Newton’s laws, that shouldn’t even be happening.

4. Apron Exhibit B: Manic Pixie Pattern Twee

DO: Love the apron, love the hat, love the top and skirt, love the boots – as individual pieces.

DON’T: Not sure how we feel about the layering, but this is a judgment call. Depends on your comfort level with mixing patterns.

5. His & Hers Topknots!

DO: Everything about her is barista perfect: the pinstripe top; the micro-bangs, the tattoo just peeking out.

DON’T: Is that a man-bun we spy, sneakily cut out of the frame? Sigh. Well, okay, he can get away with it—as long as there is not a tiny hat on top of it.

6. Smizing And Double-Fisting Gadgets

DO: This is the classic low-key barista look: hoodie, some sort of stylish trouser, a bit too much facial hair but he makes it work…

DON’T: Skinny pants. We would just like to thank this man for not wearing them. Some would, with that body. They would be wrong.

7. Apron Exhibit C: Apron As Mini-Dress

DO: She could wear this outfit as-is to pretty much any nightclub and get in. Is there a shorter skirt under the short apron? Don’t know, don’t care. The hat makes it a little more daytime. The wrist cuff: want.

DON’T: It would have been nice to see the shoes, is all.

__8. Alternative Rockstar Wannabes __

DO: If you’re going to be hipster poster boys even down to the angle you tilt your head toward the camera, be self-aware and self-deprecating. That makes it charming, and we can admit you’re cute.

DON’T: Even a sense of humor will not make us overlook that red chest hair front-and-center. Put. It. AWAY.

9. Hypnotic Clean-Cut Shirt

DO: Go for a totally clean-cut, slim-fit, designer shirt look. It shows diversity among the entire subculture.

DON’T: Not just skinny trousers, but cropped ones! Agh. Obviously, our memo hasn’t reached Southeast Asia yet.

10. GRR BABY! VERY GRRR.

DO: This guy has fully accepted his barista hipster lumberjack style. And it works for him.

DON’T: That better not be hair gel causing the glossy sheen. Lumberjacks don’t wear hair gel.

11. Tomboy Style With No Attitude.

DO: The backward ball cap works. Cute top too, from what we see.

DON’T: Not exactly DON’T, but WHY the tiny square of blond at the bottom? We’re thinking she went ombre, then grew it out, and was like “I could trim these blond tips off, but why bother?”

12. Be Ryan Gosling – With Tattoos

DO: If you were considering sleeves, this is strong visual proof that they can fit into a sensitive/intellectual/sexy/cheffy look.

DON’T: The world is still not ready for knuckle tattoos, though.

13. Effortless Barista Style

DO: Everything. The smile, the natural face glow, the v-neck, and the hair. Although most humans cannot do that hair, even if they want to.

DON’T: Don’t hate on this girl, even though you will never, ever have that skin … or that hair.