Those of you who visit my blog regularly will be aware of my
love for the one and only Man Repeller, Leandra Medine. I think she is
wonderful, I think her writing is wonderful and I think her take and attitude towards
fashion is wonderful. Also, considering she didn’t run away calling for help,
when I overenthusiastically came running across the street to say hello while wandering the Meatpacking District in New York, I think she has a
wonderful relationship with her fans. Over excited or not.
When Medine first announced she was writing a book to be
released this year I was over the moon. I was excited to take a piece of the
Man Repeller and keep her in my life forever. Since first stumbling upon Man Repeller
a few years ago I was hooked, my constant go to blog for fashion, but mainly
for Medine’s refreshing, witty and humorous writing.
As a budding writer myself, I have taken a lot from her
style of writing. She is personable without revealing too much, she is honest without
being too harsh, and she is humorous and willing to poke fun at herself. There are not a lot of people out there that
manage to get that balance right. But my does she smash it! (Well I think so
personally and if you have an issue with that it’s your loss because you have
no idea what you’re missing out on, she is amazing!)
So the book, ‘SeekingLove. Finding Overalls.’ It was a long and tedious, three week wait for it
to be delivered to my door. After some hiccups with the post office and one particularly
incompetent postie I finally had the highly anticipated book in my hot little
hand.
It took me five days, five highly enjoyable days to finish.
I am generally a fast reader, but when you factor in that I was working those
five days, it was a massive effort to finish it so fast. That said it was hard
not to want to read it in one sitting. I was devastated when the last chapter
came around. Funny, honest, open, witty, enjoyable and highly relatable, I
loved every sentence Medine wrote.
Medine has written on what I assume are some of the most
significant moments in her life, from her first love giving her “cooties”, to
her first kiss, “my first kiss was with a boy who had seamen issues at a club
called cream”. To her being told that the reason she was so hopeless with love
was because of her clothes and nothing else.
I could relate to her stories, as she wrote about things all
girls have gone through, weight issues, love, loss, falling in love with handbags
and accessories, deciding a pair of shoes are more important than food. So on
and so forth.
The chapter that I loved the most was “The Peplum”, which was written about her engagement to the one boy
who loved her enough to see past her man repelling tendencies. From reading her
blog I had seen the post on her engagement when she announced it to her readers,
I was so excited for her. But I was totally unaware of the barrage of negative
feedback she received after sharing such happy news.
As Medine does refrain from sharing too many personal and
intimate details about her life, so this was a big moment. To read that she
had received negative and hateful feedback after sharing some of the happiest
news one could share was upsetting. However for her to be so open about it and
writing it in her book, calling those who hated on her 'assholes', goes to show her refreshing and humorous take on writing about her life.
I have always been a fan of Medine and always will be. Regardless
of whether you are familiar with Man Repeller or not, I highly recommend giving
her a book some time. It will leave you smiling and also remind you that there
are many out there that have experienced the same awkward moments in life as
you and I both have.
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