About six years ago, I tripped in a Ross’s dressing room trying on women’s jeans. About five years ago, I spent a hard-earned $25 on a pair of non-prescription glasses, which I then wore to school for the rest of the semester. About four years ago, I bought a fake loop nose ring, secretly wore it around my house, then one day lost it due to an incidental sneeze. It’s safe to say I had things figured out.

Throughout high school, as an aspiring creative, it was imperative that I convinced my peers that I was creative. The problem was—instead of writing blog posts, taking pictures, or making music—I told myself that the prerequisite to being creative was looking creative. I wasted years focusing on looking like a creative person, instead of actually creating. Thus, tripping in a Ross’s dressing room, wearing non-prescription glasses, and taking selfies with a fake loop nose ring.

As years have passed, and my jeans have slightly more legroom (upgrading from women’s jeans to Levi 510 “super skinnies”), I’ve learned a valuable lesson about creativity: Looking like you’re creative doesn’t make you creative. Though, considering how difficult accessing those precious flashes of creativity can be, I often wish my TOMS/oxford button-up combo was enough. When you’ve mastered the creative’s appearance—Clark’s desert boots, skinny jeans, wide-frame glasses, etcetera—we, myself included, convince ourselves that while we haven’t wrote, drawn, or photographed anything in several weeks, our appearance metaphorically says, “I look creative, therefore, I am.” But, we’re wrong. Hugh MacLeod, a famous cartoonist, has a special definition for the wannabe creative who solely looks the part. Hipster: “An artist who hasn’t done the work.” What a brutally honest definition. But he’s right, isn’t he? Let’s think about what constitutes a creative. We’ll look at three creative types: Writers, painters, and photographers.

1. Writers

Writers are creative because writers write.

2. Painters

Painters are creative because painters paint.

3. Photographers

Photographers are creative because photographers photograph.

A creative isn’t defined by the clothes they wear. Instead, they’re defined by the creative skills they’ve developed through simply doing their craft. Day after day. Because they write, they’re writers. Because they paint, they’re painters. Because they photograph, they’re photographers. On the contrary, recalling Hugh MacLeod’s definition, a hipster defines themselves by their appearance, hoping they can persuade others, and themselves, that cuffed jeans, a deep v-neck, and a pompadour haircut is close enough to actually doing creative work. Again, “An artist who hasn’t done the work.” Sure writers, painters, musicians, and other creative types can rock as many variations of the classic hipster look as they’d like, but, for the sake of your sanity, don’t let your appearance become a prerequisite to doing creative work, or worse, think it’s enough. You may score a date with a girl at your local record shop, but in the process you’ll poison your creative drive.

You’re creative because you create, not because you look the part. When you dedicate yourself to doing creative work—whether it be writing, painting, dancing, singing, etcetera—your work will speak for itself. No more having to worry about maintaing your facade of a reputation. You’ll no longer be a hipster. You’ll be a writer. You’ll be a painter. You’ll be a photographer. Hang up the women’s jeans. Grab your notebook. Get to work.