Written By: Bronwyn Hendry
Who do you really dress for?
As I sit down to write this post, I can’t help but laugh at my outfit choice de jour. I am currently sporting unisex blundstone boots, a floral blouse with exaggerated poofy shoulders, and a white t-shirt tucked into dropped crotch trousers. These pants are so unflattering that you really can’t tell that I have a vagina. Who knows what I could be hiding in all that harem goodness? Girls love them and ask where they can get a pair. Guys- well let’s just say I’ve never received a compliment on their end. The closest was from my brother when I wore them to a family dinner- “Wow, Bron. Those pants are, uh, interesting.” Thanks bro, love ya too.
My current relationship status, combined with the current state of my wardrobe have left me wondering- does a correlation exist? Do I dress too much for other girls and not at all for guys? Now don’t get me wrong, I own the body-con dresses, the low cut shirts, the tight jeans and the short skirts- but I seem to always gravitate towards my man repelling gear. What may you ask is man repelling gear? The term man repeller was coined by fashion blogger Leandra Medine. It means to “outfit oneself in a sartorially offensive way that will result in repelling members of the opposite sex.”
Some Examples:
Boyfriend Jeans
Birkenstocks
Harem Pants
Clogs
Maxi Skirts
Mesh Cut Out Leggings
High Waisted ‘Mom’ Jeans
“What the f*** are you wearing” I’ve heard that phrase too many times to count. It seems this is a common problem among sartorially savvy gals. But I’d sooner break up with the dude then change my style. I mean a girl’s first love is her closet, right?
In reality, the guy hot vs. girl hot debate comes down to confidence. You could be wearing a brown paper bag and seem like the coolest cat in town if you simply own it. While it’s true you should aim to bring out the best in each other, no relationship should cause the other person to change entirely. From style, to hobbies, to more complex things like morals and values, it’s key to stay true to you.
Betsey Johnson said it best “Girls do not dress for boys. They dress for themselves, and of course, each other. If girls dressed for boys they’d just walk around naked at all times.” True dat. Ladies, tell us, do you have man repelling style? Gents do you hate it? Or do you secretly dig a good pair of overalls?
