when i heard that the man repeller was coming to vancouver, i knew i couldn’t miss the opportunity to attend. but as i stood in line to meet her, i couldn’t help but wonder what to say to the person who has inspired me most to start a career in fashion.
i first discovered leandra’s website when i was a blogging rookie. among the vast sea of fashion blogs, i instantly identified with the premise of hers – i, too, “man-repelled” while dating – and ultimately had a relationship go sideways over my frequent wearing of high-waist pants & skirts. over and above the obvious fondness for her closet and wardrobing skills, i recognized a confidence within leandra that i have long been striving for. having gone through adolescence with low self-esteem, i gathered inspiration and a newfound sense of courage from the quirky blog. MR parades her sartorial choices in front of the entire world wide web i.e.. wearing bras on top of t-shirts, head-to-toe denim, gaucho pants, etc. that takes major guts, guys!
i explained this to the man repeller herself when i finally reached the end of the line, and quickly burst into tears. yes. tears. i wish i could’ve kept my emotions under control, but i won’t change anything about our conversation. she was just as i had pictured, and more. so gracious and normal and encouraging.
- photo via alicia quan –
