Leandra Medine's Blog, page 624

Instagram Bans the Hashtag #Curvy

Instagram has banned #Curvy from its hashtag repertoire. Protests broke out among users of the photo-sharing platform almost immediately upon discovery, as did objections from body positive activists.

When questioned by Mashable, Instagram commented that #Curvy has been blocked due to the pornographic material the phrase was often linked to. “It was being used to share content that violates our guidelines around nudity,” an Instagram spokesperson responded. “Please note that the block has nothing to do with the term ‘curvy’ itself.”

Instagram’s logic is confusing: #clitoris, #dildo, #fat, #whorebag and #peniseverywhere are still up for grabs. #Vaginaboob is too. So what “social media science” is Instagram using to determine which hashtags stay and go? After all, this is the same company that briefly outlawed searching the eggplant emoji hashtag. That’s right — the purple, friendly-looking nightshade vegetable was used so frequently to tag lurid, phallic content that Instagram deemed it downright improper. Feel safer?

When you do try to unpack the reasoning behind the #curvy ban, it is discriminatory against plus-sized body types. Business Insider quoted Sarah Chiwaya, who blogs about plus-sized fashion and feels that curvier figures are consistently deemed more overtly sexual than svelte ones. “I think what this boils down to is the fact that curvier bodies are simply treated as more obscene than thin bodies,” she said, “even when there is just as much exposed.”

As someone who has always had a curvier figure, I agree: if I’m not careful with my tailoring and layering, an outfit that appears casual on one woman can make me look like I’m about to wash a car in a TRL-era music video.

Physically, fuller-figured women have more prominent hips, thighs and breasts which are more likely to be judged as overtly sexual — but whose fault is that? Curvy women, or the people passing the judgements?

And in this specific Instagram ban, who is being punished more by removing the #curvy hashtag — the lewd users who can jump to any of the other many available sexual hashtags, or the women who have now lost a hashtag used for building a body-positive community?

Neither curvy women nor the administrators at Instagram can control what words people attach to inappropriate images. The internet is a dark, dark place, and people’s brains work in mysterious ways. (I mean, eggplant emoji). To go about this hashtag policing part and parcel, banning various words in an effort to lock up a dictionary of inappropriate terms is a fool’s errand and a misstep for Instagram.

Their removal of #curvy serves as a good reminder that as it stands in America and within giant, corporate owned applications like Instagram, a woman’s body is still not really her own, but rather subject to the mercy of labels others bestow upon her.

Follow Margaret Boykin on Twitter.

Illustration by Elizabeth Graeber. Follow her on Instagram @elizabeth_draws.

The post Instagram Bans the Hashtag #Curvy appeared first on Man Repeller.

MR Writers Club: the Worst Advice You’ve Ever Received

Well-meaning friends have been known to give awful advice. I once told a close comrade she’d look excellent with bangs — she did not. I once suggested that a friend calm his nerves with a day spent petting horses — he needed an EpiPen.

I’ve heard of naive companions coaching trusting pals into accidental breakups with their boyfriends, of BFFs sending their better half to the hospital, and countless instances of people failing to take magazine sex tips involving cinnamon with the required grain-plus-spoonful of salt.

The best part is that after the emergency room bracelets come off and the bangs grow back, the stories end up being wildly funny.

And so, since you’ve already told us the best advice you’ve ever received, it’s high time you tell us the worst. In under 500 words, send your submission to write@manrepeller.com (oh! and no PDFs please!) by Thursday, July 23 at 12 p.m. EST.

Because laughing and misery love company, I cannot wait.

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ICYMI: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler & A$AP Rocky Are Funny

Have a serious case of Thursday Brain? Same, but we’re here to make communication a little bit easier. Here’s what to say…

To the coworker in the bathroom with you:

“Have you noticed we’re on the same pee schedule? We’re like sisters. Did you read that Writers Club story about sisters on Man Repeller? So us. Wanna hang out later? Can I borrow a tampon?”

[YouTube]

To a date who won’t loosen up:

“Did you hear that Portland has dildos mysteriously swinging from telephone wires? Let’s exchange theories! Here’s mine: some middle-schoolers decided our world could use more mischief and then, like a branded trend, the desire for mischief caught fire.”

“…Check!”

To a male taxi driver: 

“What do you think of my outfit?”

If he gives you the thumbs up, he gets it. If he asks for your opinion on his outfit, he’s a keeper. If you’re in bumper to bumper traffic, further the fashion convo with this dreamy Miu Miu AW15 campaign video.

To your Uber driver:

“Can we actually make two stops please? I need to pick up Rod Stewart and A$AP Rocky for our family karaoke band.”

[The Late Show with James Corden]

To the only other person in a slow elevator: 

“Does your cat’s asshole freak you out?”

Now you freaked them out. Press every button so that you’re in it for the long haul and whip out your phone to show them the twinkle tush:

And for those of you who don’t feel like talking at all…

Let’s trek on down to teet town with this guide of big breast styling tips. Once you’ve got your undergarments on, think about what to wear this weekend with a little help from Instagram. (Once it’s working again.)

Here’s another thought — why not just wear khakis and a white shirt? That’s almost more Martha Stewart–core than your aunt’s DIY ink blotter. But enough about Marcia, Marcia, Marcia, Martha, Martha, Martha. What I really want is that kimchi in Jayne Min’s fridge. I know it’s an acquired taste, so if pickled cabbage isn’t your thing, perhaps five days of surfer-girl style will do ya.

What about a week of denim?

A week without it?

Oh fine. Just put your swimsuit on and get out of here, Soaprah. I give up.

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Watch Leandra Ask a Bunch of Dudes About Her Outfit

“She who outfits herself in a sartorially offensive mode that may result in repelling members of the opposite sex.” This is what the term Man Repeller originally meant.

It has since gone on to embody a whole variety of empowering notions that include, but are not limited to: self-respect, doing the damn thing, doing you, sisterhood, stand-up comedy, sit-down conversations, and the relentless microphone that is womanhood in the millennial aughts. Still, though, it always comes back to the fashion.

…Which took us to Bryant Park last month with its field of midtown men for this week’s edition of “Ask a Guy,” where Leandra asked the burning question upon which this very blog was essentially founded:

Gentleguys. Dude people. Alternatively-chromosome’d humans: “What do you think of my outfit?”

Watch:

Now voice your own opinions/llamas/GIFS in the comments.

Top by Ellery, Pants by Rosie Assoulin, jewelry by Aurélie Bidermann

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Your Mid-July Pick-Me-Up: What to Wear This Weekend

You’ll start with the American fabric of summer dressing, a pair of denim cut offs, like you are Anja Rubik in France (what? It was Bastille Day this week) without the exotic “J” in your first name. Though she paired hers with a Chloé vest and silk shirt, you can make up your own. If you don’t have black string to tie around your neck, rip some off the nearest curtain and call yourself a criminal with good intentions. You can later rip the string further apart and DIY your own gladiator sandals.

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Still stuck on vests, now fade to white. Remember that good ones make good layers and that the best ones make bars of 24 karat gold. Enlist your favorite white t-shirt, eschew the heels — tomorrow will find you espousing all kinds of folklore in your so-easy-the-message-must-be-complex, mid-length dress which should have also made copious alcohol consumption the night before go down all the easier.

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What?

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As is always the case with romantic summer weekends that come replete with good clothes, before you can say “Man, this is fun,” your eyes are being flung open (ostensibly by a third party alien who shall remain anonymous but has been seen keeping jackets firmly planted on the shoulders of various fashion personalities) on a Sunday morning to the sound of Monday’s smog. Under that circumstance, the remedy is only a Victorian looking bib-blouse that might have spent some time in Portofino on its way over to you, and an elaborate skirt + shoes-to-boot-but-not.

Oh, I’m sorry, you’re on beach?

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There’s a bar for that!

The post Your Mid-July Pick-Me-Up: What to Wear This Weekend appeared first on Man Repeller.

Big Boobs: Tips and Tricks

Nothing brings me closer to a shot at jail time than my reaction to unsolicited advice regarding how to “play up” or “tone down” my hefty bust. (Who went and made you the boob police, drugstore magazine?) That said, after a decade of personal trial and error, I’ve almost mastered the art of dressing my 30E — yes, E — chest.

While I work on removing the “almost,” I feel it’s my duty to help those still struggling (who would like to avoid jail time, too). So without further ado, I present my tips and tricks to styling big boobs.

Tip 1

Go vintage shopping. Vintage finds are great for us bustier lads because earlier eras emphasized a full chest. No stores around you? Try eBay, Love Miss Daisy, 1stdibs and Etsy.

Tip 2

Chances are your back is sore by the end of the day due to the monumental weight of your pecs. Though counterintuitive, ditching your bra once a week helps. To dress commando boobs, opt for loose, off the shoulder garments.

Warning: going braless increases the likelihood of displaying breast sweat and nipilitis. Consider this a prime opportunity to remind all nipple-fearing humans that laser-sharp areolas are good, not evil. As for the sweat, dust your skin with a preemptive cloud of baby powder.

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Tip 3

Sports bras produce a flattening affect perfect for squeezing into the kind of garment that fits everywhere save for the the prominent region between your chin and Kyle XY’s belly button. Keep in mind that if it’s too small, your boobs might crawl up to your neck and choke you.

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Tip 3 ½

Being big-breasted and prone to laziness is a paradox I have yet to transcend. The thought of trekking it to the tailor gives me goose bumps, but the quick fix of a button or zipper is worth it. Befriend a seamstress now.

Tip 4

Aside from the occasional mishap at airport security, an underwire lace bra will end up being a wiser investment than a padded one. Lace is more flexible and wire will hold you in without birthing what I like to call The Rosemary’s Baby of Undergarments: the four-boob.

PSA: the feeling of being sentenced to mild death by a corset is indicative of good fit. That’s code for the tighter, the longer lasting.

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Tip 5

Break the rule that tells our kind to exclusively wear form-fitting clothing. It’s shortsighted; there are plenty of other options that will flatter our shape. And not to over-estimate my influence on earth, but the world would be a far scarier place if I only wore tight-ass dresses. Playing with proportions is fair game for everyone, not just linear folk.

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Bra in feature image by Fortnight

Photographed by Krista Anna Lewis

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A Martha Stewart Style Retrospective

I once lied during a job interview and plagiarized Carrie Bradshaw’s inane claim that Vogue fed her more than food. I said that I “grew up browsing its pages” before I could even read and that it was how my mother and I bonded.

What I actually grew up on was Martha Stewart Magazine. What fed me was its library of recipes as cooked by my mom, and what bonded us was a mutual appreciation of creative halloween costumes and aspirational craft.

In his book Don’t Get Too Comfortable, David Rakoff wrote that he loves Martha Stewart because, “she advocates mastery and competence over purchase. Martha Stewart has taught scores of people — and I’ll go out on a limb here and call them women — the value of doing things for themselves.”

That’s a feminist message right there.

Unlike Rakoff and my own mother, I do not enjoy the art of the DIY. A turban I can handle, but my patience is limited when it comes to festooning jars with sprigs of holly. Still, I take pride in the notion that you need no man to use a hammer. Strip the wood yourself. Change the lightbulb. Caulk to your heart’s content.

I also appreciate that Martha Stewart can laugh at herself.

But what’s so funny about my love of Martha is that it took me a while to consider her style. If only I’d realized sooner that her affinity for the basics, pearls without irony, cable knits, button downs, khakis – hey Leandra! and Snoop Dogg offers just as much inspiration for one’s wardrobe as the pages of ye old fashion bible.

Which is why today we celebrate the look of Martha in a slideshow.

Every so often I wonder a la Bradshaw: had I told the truth, would Anna have given me the job? But things happen for a reason. I’m here, after all. To quote Martha Stewart herself, “It’s a good thing.”

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What’s in Your Fridge: Jayne Min

Remember Jayne Min? A week ago we perused the designer/creative consultant’s maximalist approach to minimalism courtesy of her LA Closet and cool ass style. Today we raid her fridge with The Food Life. We’re calling this: the maximalist approach to West Coast feasting. Take it away, Jayne.

“The fridge is the quickest way to assess how busy I am. If it’s messy, I’m busy. If there are a lot of take out containers, I’m busy. Or lazy.

At any given moment you will find kimchi, kombucha, and eggs [in my fridge]. If I ever run low on these (or god forbid, run out), it’s an emergency. Also on rotation are leafy greens, cheese, lactose-free milk and fruit. The wild cards are probably 35mm film, face mask sheets, and Bio-K capsules. And there’s always chicken, veggies and yogurt for my dogs because I’m psycho.

I think the same rule applies to both my closet and my fridge: as long as things can be taken out and put back easily, all is good in the world. It’s trouble when you forget what’s lurking in the back.

Right now there’s a Fourth of July leftover pizza in there, but otherwise my fridge is usually split between Korean food and attempted healthy food. I try to stock ingredients for ‘pile’ nights when we throw things into a bowl: sautéed kale, quinoa, hummus, beets, sweet potato, tuna and avocado. And then there are staple Korean banchan (side dishes) and different kinds of kimchi. Deep in the back of the fridge you’ll find a jar of overripe kimchi reserved for stews and fried rice.

I was raised to not waste food so I’m programmed to always bring home leftovers, but for some reason I just don’t like to eat them. It’s not that I don’t enjoy leftovers (I’m about to finish off this pizza right now) — I just don’t like to eat the same meal twice in a row.”

Images by Lauren Levinger of The Food Life Follow Jayne Min on Instagram, Twitter, and check out her website, Stop It Right Now.

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What You Want to Wear: Khakis and a White Shirt

Three things.

1. I recently realized that my continuous pursuit of a uniform that will stick is not at all the fault of fashion fatigue so much as it is a function of growing up, or being in the process of growing up — and as a result of that, thinking to myself: I have so many decisions to make everyday (including should I or should I not eat a cupcake for breakfast?); should what I wear really be one of them? I just want to trust myself/style and know that I’ll feel good about that trust every time I catch my reflection.

2. Summer is proving itself as the unsung hero of important-decision-making vis-a-vis what you put on your person. How? Because you’re in a different form of survival mode. Instead of covering it all up like you are an onion and the world is a vegetable knife out to cut you, you peel it all away, thinking of nothing more, nothing less than how you perceive the intersection of style and comfort to look.

3. This is not entirely unique. Just last week I overheard an editor and a designer explaining that when it comes to getting dressed (as opposed to designing and styling and manufacturing its fanfare), all any woman really wants — even if she doesn’t know it — is the unofficial uniform of retired gym teachers and on-duty soccer moms alike: a white shirt and khakis.

That might sound unlikely, and the sentiment may not resonate at all with you, but please, allow me the chance to change your mind with this: A Day in The Life of Khakis and Whites.

Morning:

Hi! Hello! Welcome to my fupa! I am so tired and it is so morning that my eyes are still closed. As you can see I have not yet retired my sneakers from their tennis game and there is a micro-briefcase in my hand, primed not for work, not not for work. These khakis, from The Reformation, slightly resemble a pair of jodhpurs but also a pair of leggings and most creatively, a European excuse for fitness wear (I know you know what I mean). I’m not sure what better says, “I love pants that match my skin.” Maybe you do.

Everlane shirt, Reformation pants, Superga sneakers, Fendi sunglasses

Afternoon:

If you have a meeting, I have a dressing solution in the form of pants that are also a skirt and a t-shirt you steal from a bin of male laundry that will invariably require transportation to and from meeting point c/o footwear. Scared of skin cancer? Who’s not. Call your local milliner.

Save Khaki t-shirt, Rosie Assoulin pants (they are 50% off!@!@!), Charlotte Olympia heels, Janessa Leone hat

Evening:

Fuq yo’ shirt! Wear a bathing suit. And then also consider pale pink satin and khaki as the next best color and fabric combination of all time. The brocade gold jacket is totally optional but only, you know, in the same way that breathing is.

Rachel Comey khakis, Kiini bikini top, Louis Vuitton pumps

Now, are you WITH or AGAINST me? LMK.

Photographed by Krista Anna Lewis

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The Hamptons: Just a Traffic Jam Away

Nestled on Long Island

Is a place that I do love.

Where nightlife will be bumping,

And the clothes? White as a dove.

Montauk is always beachy,

And Southampton’s awfully close.

Though it must be Sag Harbor,

That I adore the most.

But if I had one issue,

It would be the bus I take.

Riders are known to chug beer,

And listen loudly to Drake.

Stare at the seat before me,

And I dream of Cooper’s Beach.

I tell myself that Surf Lodge,

Is just within my reach.

Two hours I do sit there,

Without data on my phone.

Among the highway traffic

And the Hampton Jitney drone.

Words by Emily Siegel, illustration by Gabi Anderson

 

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