Leandra Medine, the mastermind behind the lifestyle/life mantra blog, the Man Repeller and my personal sartorial hero, recently wrote a piece for GQ Magazine called, “In Defense of the Slutty Halloween Costume.” Wait, what? Man Repeller writing about “man getting” sartorial choices? Yes.
Apparently 17 year old Medine was encouraged by her friends to discard her man repelling pirate costume for a more revealing flight attendant get up.
Long story short – Medine met a man because he liked her flight attendant outfit and now, six years later, she’s MARRIED TO HIM ( I know, I know, man repeller’s clothes post-Halloween apparently couldn’t keep this one away.)
But Medine’s larger point is that she had choices. She could exercise her own free will, flex her agency, and dress as whatever she wanted – whether she wanted to wear more or less clothing, be man repelling or man getting. Above all, she was happy with who she was – and I think that that translates largely to the rest of her time outside of Halloween costumes, when she wears fantastical outfits that most people wouldn’t even dare wear on Halloween.That fearlessness and confidence I think, is what her future husband saw – not just the flight attendant costume. Let’s take a page out of the Man Repeller’s book – do what you want, but do it for you.