Published in 2013
242 pages
Leandra Medine is an American author and fashion blogger best known for The Man Repeller, a humorous website for serious fashion.
What is this book about?
The bold voice behind the popular Man Repeller blog shares humorous and deeply personal essays demonstrating that what we choose to wear may hold our dearest memories.
Silk parachute pants. A gold lamé jumpsuit. Ankle boots with fringe. Were these fashion-forward items sending men running in the opposite direction? Maybe, but Leandra Medine never cared.
Slipping into drop-crotch shorts and a boxed sequin blazer in the dressing room of Topshop in downtown Manhattan, a brokenhearted Leandra had an epiphany. Looking in the mirror, she suddenly realized she didn’t have a boyfriend because of the way she dressed. And the more she thought about it, the more she realized that such outfits said a lot about her life-romantic and otherwise.
Now, in her first book, the acclaimed blogger and fashion darling recounts her most significant memories through the lens of her sartorial choices. With her signature sass, blunt honesty, and some personal photos, Leandra shares details of the night she lost her virginity right down to the pair of white tube socks she forgot to take off, as well as when and why she realized her grandma’s vintage Hermès ostrich skin clutch could hold much more than just keys and a cell phone. Through it all, she proves you don’t need to compromise even your most repellent qualities to find your way into that big white dress (and an organza moto jacket). See? You can have your yeti and wear it, too.
Showcasing the singular voice that has won Leandra millions of fans, this book is a collection of awkwardly funny experiences, a sweet love story, and above all, a reminder to celebrate and embrace a world made for women, by women.
Great review with context by Ella Scott from goodreads:
If you’re going to pick up this book, I think it’s important to remember that Leandra Medine, former operator of Man Repeller, was only 23 when it was published in 2013.
Girlboss mentality was in full swing and the internet was a totally different place than it is today. Putting this all together really makes Man Repeller: Seeking Love. Finding Overalls. a product of its time. While it does have some well-written essays, this book contains lots of questionable moments and some thoughts/feelings that (hopefully) wouldn’t get published in 2022.
Overall, Man Repeller: Seeking Love. Finding Overalls. leaves you with the thought that you and Medine definitely don’t live in the same world.
