Leandra Medine's Blog, page 629

Internet Defenders: Let’s Give a Little Love to J.Crew

While avocado toast and rosé wine are competing for Instagram’s Most Famous, J.Crew remains in the throes of a less-than-favorable transition.

Sales are still down, 175 layoffs were reported, and Tom Mora, former head of women’s design, is being replaced. A flurry of Internet gossip followed — some resurfaced, some current, none worth linking because we’ve all been to high school.

It’s true that you cannot argue with numbers. Data trumps speculation; money talks; profit is — or at least has previously been — tangible success. And when it comes to J.Crew’s current state of financials, too much fashion is the cause for blame. Round these parts, however, that makes zero sense. J.Crew has helped established this industry as a democratic place: Don’t live in New York? Paris? Milan? So what? You can — and will be — a part of this, too! 

Like the bloggers who challenged front row politics, Jenna Lyons trail-blazed a path that said:

Just because it’s not designer doesn’t mean it isn’t cool.

Just because it’s not fancy doesn’t mean it’s not black tie.

Just because a brand is known for its khakis and sensible blazers doesn’t mean its customer can’t be curious about fashion.

For someone like me — a fan of the basics, wary of trends, unwilling to spend on a plain white tee but happy to invest in something I know I’ll wear for a long time, J.Crew became a dependable destination to expand horizons without discomfort while same discovering something new.

Had J.Crew never made a pair of high waist, cropped and flared white jeans, I never would have bought them, loved them and declared them a fixture of my summer wardrobe. They cost me $150, so were they cheap? No. But they also weren’t made cheaply — which is important. And in comparison to the designer iterations that still linger on shelves in the upper echelons of retail, they’re a steal. Not a knockoff, not unethical, not not one meal-swap of instant noodles, but worth it, because they let me participate.

Sophie Milrom once wrote for this site that if Kanye West is an esoteric, complex rapper, then Drake, who has arguably seen more commercial success, is the relatable, low common denominator of the same vertical. In that way, J.Crew is not unlike Drake. It provides an entry point for all of us. It makes it consumable.

Accessible.

Digestible.

Achievable.

I understand the panic that comes with a last minute event that calls for a simple dress, without neon feathers, that was made with integrity, that won’t cost dignity, or dinner, if not a month’s rent.

And I understand the very real frustration that erupts when your sartorial go-to fails you.

But I also understand fashion. Or at least I think I do. And I know that in order to keep the playing fields even, to keep the sweet spot that bridges the fast fashion oligarchs and high fashion pretension, we need J.Crew. So give Drexler –and Lyons — a break, would you? Buy a damn sequin.

The post Internet Defenders: Let’s Give a Little Love to J.Crew appeared first on Man Repeller.

Can We Take Back the Camel Toe?

Imagine this: you’re walking down the street with your male counterpart and you’re both in leggings. You’ve either gone for a bike ride together, or maybe he really liked our collaboration with Outdoor Voices. Never mind the details, what’s important is that neither of you are wearing pants.

You’re stopped at a corner, waiting for the light to change while possibly drinking smoothies or maybe just standing akimbo.

From across the street, you see two individuals — one male, one female — neither clad in especially restrictive bottoms, and as you’re given the go to mosey forward, both individuals, now coming at you, shout in unison. The man commends his chromosomal comrade to your right by acknowledging his bulge, while the woman in this scene gives you a dirty face and says you should have left your camel toe at home.

Now, as far as you’re concerned, you and your counterpart, both wearing the same leggings, are quite literally walking the same road here. He’s conspicuously revealing his junk — the very appendage that facilitates the process of insemination and therefore childbirth while you, similarly, embrace the much needed, absent piece of that puzzle. Need I remind you, ostensibly a fellow woman, that it takes two disparate genitals to lay-go an eggo that gets a woman preggo, and yours is as valued, important and trusted as his is, gosh dangit. So why is it that when a man experiences bulge he is canonized as Hero among his lifting class, but when we, givers of life and takers of nothing, fall victim to the inevitability of vintage denim-fostered camel toe, we’re gross?

I hereby suggest that in addition to all the other shit we’ve spent the greater half of our foray into the aughts taking back (feminism, words like “bitch,” short skirts, nipples, bras) we consider the camel toe, too. Why? Because beauty only falls upon the eye of the beholder after the beholden has proclaimed it as such. Embrace your camel toe! Nurture it. Let it feel your resolute devotion to it as opposed to against it. Show it you care, believe you care and watch as the world begins fleeing to Morocco to figure out what shade of Essie red it is wearing.

Feature image by Hannah Kellner

The fupa can be a side effect of both mom and dad jeans. Did you happen to see this dude’s (graphically enhanced) lovely lady lumps? He’s officially been added to our Boys of Summer list. 

The post Can We Take Back the Camel Toe? appeared first on Man Repeller.

Five Summer Outfit Ideas

Theory: living life in the theme lane is a far superior state of potential existence to living life in the literal lane. As such, I anticipate spending every morning through the distantly foreseeable-with-binoculars future addressing my closet as though it is a mythical anthology of exceptional one-liners. Allow me to explain by demonstration.

Paul and Joe blouse, Céline scarf (pulled from top), Isa Arfen skirt, Jimmy Choo bag and sandals

Exhibit A: This is literally the most inarticulate assemblage of colors and fabrics and prints: a red mid-length skirt, a striped utility-style button down top, and the first layer of a blouse which I removed from another blouse to tie around my chest like a scarf-style tube top. There are also gold sandals.

But is it really “inarticulate”? Is it appropriate to call it an assemblage? Why not, instead, call a spade a spade — as in: what to wear when You’re Thinking of The Movie Saturday Night Fever While Leaning Into a Board Meeting before White Wine Wednesday Nights with Your Best Girlfriends?

Much more accurate, right?

Let’s try again.

Lisa Marie Fernandez dress and bathing suit top, Stella McCartney skirt, Laurence Dacade sandals, Garrett Leight sunglasses and Aurélie Bidermann necklaces

On the one hand, yes, sure, a bathing suit in Manhattan with a striped dress worn as an extravagant top and a skirt that looks edible but veritably is not plus shoes that are almost too in theme to be true. Ridiculous. Truly, truly ridiculous.

Unless, that is, you spin it the great-stories-of-our-time way: here’s an outfit that says You Might Catch Me Bundled Up While Planting in My Garden but if You Stick Around, I Will Let My Hair and Buttons Down, Bead a Necklace with You and Then Take You to the Caribbean. (You’re welcome!)

Here’s Another:

Mochi top, Rosie Assoulin shorts, Hermès scarf, Madison Harding slides and Illesteva sunglasses

Uh, yeah, I do look geographically challenged…what’s your point? Consider it this way: Peruvian Surfer and Simultaneous Gang Member (you should know that in this gang, said surfers bake Pillsbury goods and then put little baby jeans on them).

Fine! One more!

Shumaq top, Isabel Marant shorts, Tonya Hawkes handbag, Céline shoes and Zanzan Eyewear sunglasses

It may not be compelling at first glance — two layers of white linen and a pair of heavy brogues? Girlfriend has no sense of seasonal pertinence but then! There’s this: Entrepreneurial-if-Not-Victorian Toddler on The Prairie, Heading Towards the City with a Big Dream, Tiny Suitcase.

See what I mean?

You see what I mean.

Tag this one:

Rachel Comey shirt, Jour/Ne shorts, Maslin towel (yes, towel!), Prada clogs

…Then tag yourself!

Photographed by Krista Anna Lewis

Want more style de Leandra? Check her rainy Tuesday look or revisit her Hump Day outfit suggestions.

The post Five Summer Outfit Ideas appeared first on Man Repeller.

Tell the Hump to Take a Hike with These Outfit Suggestions

Pitti Uomo is consistently an interesting case study in summer style. Sometimes I think to myself that without the positive reinforcement of the multitude of photos of cool people in good outfits that Instagram provides by way of photographer at [insert city] fashion week here, getting dressed in the doldrums of un-inspiration would be near impossible. This despite of the fact that five years ago Instagram didn’t even exist and street style was still an untapped, indie sport.

But then again, they say the most successful inventions are those that leave you wondering how you operated before them so, to celebrate and quell this bout of What Should I Wear’s, I offer up six looks from Pitti Uomo, captured by Tommy Ton to be broken apart, highlighted and then reassembled as one solid case for the future of your seasonal uniform.

Look #1

Take: The smile, the shoes (on sale at Saks, but wedge-spiration from elsewhere works here, too)

Leave: The breezy dress — not because it’s not great; because, well, keep moving!

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Look #2

Take: The door knockers! They’re details for days.

Leave: The blouse, the pants, the scarf as choker but only because…

Eat: The ice cream

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Look #3

Take: The bandana as choker

Leave: The pants, the white sneakers

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Look #4

Take: The sunglasses, the pajama pants (you just ate ice cream)

Leave: The blazer (it’s hot), the slides (it’s still hot)

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Look #5

Take: The bib tunic, the smile — this one lasts for a lifetime

Leave: The jeans, the smoking slippers, the genital unlike yours

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And finally, Look #6

Take: The attitude

Leave: Whatever you feel like isn’t contributing to your swagger

And what do you get? The Best Look Ever.

Am I right? I think I’m right.

Photos via Style.com

We’re on a fashun kick, so check out our Resort ’16 fashion forecast. And did you see Breaking Bad’s RJ Mitte’s boobs on the runway? That happened. Oh, and good news on this hump day: you can now un-send emails on Gmail! Halle-freaking-lujah!

The post Tell the Hump to Take a Hike with These Outfit Suggestions appeared first on Man Repeller.

The Implications of Gmail’s “Undo Send”

There have long lived rumors about a magical plugin that could be installed within your Gmail: upon activation, a button would pop up in your inbox and allow you to delete sent e-mails within 30 seconds of dispatch. Despite overwhelming insistence from the people who, uh, invented said button, I have personally never believed such sweet relief from the nightmare that is cc’ing my entire contact list on an angry e-mail to Seamless about the chicken that popped up in my vegan pasta dish to be true.

According to yesterday, however, this button is now public and ready for popular consumption, which means that you and me and everyone around us have but one more opportunity to take what we said and say it again — this time properly.

In theory, this facility makes spectacular sense. You accidentally sent an e-mail to your boyfriend about your other boyfriend. Phewph! Take it back. You told your boss that his balding head reminds you of your vagina two weeks after a wax even though you meant to share the description with your best friend. That can bounce back too. You e-mailed your mom and threatened to sue if she doesn’t send back the hitman you sent for her? Awkward! Not meant for her. And she doesn’t need to know that, really.

So it’s great, yes, in theory. But in practice, I wonder what this will mean for our respective conceptions of a) relationships, b) the abundant choice we are offered and c) political correctness. Let me break it down by letter.

The grey area that is communication in the early stages of a burgeoning romance allow for substantial neuroses to be factored into the thought process of achieving a mate. E-mail, as far as I’m concerned, is the last standing system (save for, I guess, speech) that provides the solace of knowing there is no grey. It is black and white — sent or not sent, as simple as that. To provide one more loophole for girlfriends consoling one another over smoothies in the following sentiment, “Maybe he pressed un-send to fine-tune his delivery,” just…breaks my heart.

On choice: as is true with the case of a pared-down closet (no two hour process of getting dressed when you abide by a uniform) there is something rather calming about the thought that, once an e-mail is sent, it’s out of your hands. The choice is made. I wonder whether the ability to “undo” is like a closet full of too many great clothes that stand in the way of your best judgment, as opposed to a humble one that shrewdly and granularly reflects you.

And finally! On the topic of political correctness: The pervasiveness of the institution has become so infuriating for some, like Jerry Seinfeld (who now won’t perform on college campuses) that it fucking paralyzes us!

Even in writing this out, I cringe wondering how you will be receive the following sentiment: critical thinkers and writers and comedians especially deserve carte blanche when it comes to the rules of being PC. As a matter of fact, they have a moral obligation to speak their mind and do it candidly; if we’re all too afraid to say what we’re thinking, we’re not creating tension, and from this tension is precisely where innovative thoughts then opinions, then ideas and matter are born. What is a feather if it can’t be ruffled?

There is a level of respect with which we should all conduct ourselves, but in adding one more moving part to our experiences with e-mail — the ability to unsend and therefore to take back what could be perceived as un-PC, we’re adding another layer to the fear that is saying the wrong thing.

Because ultimately, saying the wrong thing is what moves the needle, and if we’re not moving the needle, we remain in a single vacuum that neither propels us forward nor pushes us backward and when it comes to intellect, you know what the only thing worse than regression is? Stillness. Drafts.

That

Never

Get

Sent.

Feature GIF by Hannah Kellner

If you had read our Email Etiquette Guide, you would never have had to click “unsend” your message in the first place. Maybe you should just unplug from the internet all together. Or just go on a little vaycay and the only email you’ll be sending is your automated vacation message. Ahhhh to kick back with a *bottle* of rosé. Don’t forget to Instagram it!

The post The Implications of Gmail’s “Undo Send” appeared first on Man Repeller.

Instagram Death Match: Rosé vs. Avocado Toast

In the left corner we have Avocado Toast, standing 5 inches tall, one inch thick, weighing in just under half a pound. AT sweats olive oil (with just a touch of lemon!) and eats chili flakes for breakfast. That’s her trainer, Uppity Waiter Who’s Actually a DJ/Model, pumping her up with remixed Blood Orange songs.

In the right corner we have Rosé, clocking in at 750ml (26 ounces of pure hangover). The pink wine is known for tricking opponents with her slow start and sweet demeanor, but she’s got a height advantage on Soho’s favorite carb and can make a 300 pound cage fighter blackout after a full bottle.

Round 1: Seniority & Insta Visibility

Seniority:

According to Wikipedia, rosé has been around since Ancient Greeks were getting drinks after work with cherubs and water was being turned into wine.

Avocados, on the other hand — despite the fruit’s equally ancient origins — weren’t introduced to California (and therefore America) until the 19th century when Mexico was like, “WTF is wrong with you guys? Who doesn’t like avocado?”

Visibility:

The experts at Yes Way Rosé confirmed that rosé officially became a “thing” on Instagram as early as summer 2014. It caused such a movement that there was a rosé draught in the Hamptons.

Avocado Toast has had an Instagram presence longer than The Fat Jewish. It’s rumored that Instagram founder Kevin Systrom created the app after visiting Manhattan’s Cafe Gitane (arguably the OG of AT) and saw people photographing their strange yet delicious green-smeared toast.

Winner, Round 1: Avocado Toast

Round 2: Lifestyle

Remember when being healthy suddenly became cool? Avocado Toast speaks to that Soul Cycling, barre-squatting, health-wave crowd who judge mate-compatibility by what he or she wears to the gym instead of astrological signs.

Here’s the thing: it’s a little “two years ago.”

Rosé, on the other hand, is a socially acceptable way to drink before noon. It feels European as opposed to alcoholic; indulgent but not gluttonous. If you’re drinking rosé, you are either: on vacation, mid-weekend, or playing hooky. It appeals to the hedonistic trend that’s emerging in retaliation to the aforementioned mindset of healthfully holier than though.

Winner, Round 2: Rosé

Round 3: Taste

Not that it’s even about that, but tie.

Round 4: Douchebaggery, Scale of 1 to 10

An AT Instagram is only as good as its restaurant tag. In the year 2015, you not only are what you eat, you are where you eat. The exception is a Pinterest-worthy DIY — a humblebrag in its most earnest form. Douchebag level: 7

Rosé-grams, on the other hand, depend less upon brand names (you’ll note that very often it’s just a filled-up glass and no labels) and more upon the locational geotag. Because said tags vary from the humorous (#bathwater) to the obnoxious (#hampton$), rosé’s douchebag level exists on a sliding scale.

“Winner,” Round 4: Tie.

Round 5: Celebrity Comparison

If Avocado Toast is the Oprah of Instagram…

Rosé is Calvin Harris.

Winner, Round 5: Shit. Another tie.

Round 6:  Seasonal Consideration

Avocado toast is year-round, making it an Instagram staple.

Rosé is the new white jean: more declarative of summer than Memorial Day, if only because it appeases our mindset when the weather is not yet fully ready to cooperate. Likewise, its ephemeral nature makes rosé feel special and encourages joie de vivre for the sake of a time limit.

(Though note that rosé sommeliers insist it’s fine all the time.)

Winner: Rosé

FINAL DEATH MATCH: THE FILTER CHALLENGE.

You know how some people can’t take a bad picture? A true Instagram Champion shouldn’t be able to take a bad filter.

AND THE WINNER IS: …You decide.

Vote in the comments below and we’ll announce the winner on Friday.

Illustration by Joseph Amar. Follow him on Instagram, @josephamar, and check out his website here.

Did you know that you can fix split ends with avocado? We haven’t yet found any Rosé beauty tips, but try out these steps for getting fuss-free beach waves. Or you could just stick it in a hat and call it a day. 

The post Instagram Death Match: Rosé vs. Avocado Toast appeared first on Man Repeller.

Ask a Guy: How Do I Politely “Break Up” (After Just One Date)

Yo Isaac,

I went on a casual drinks date with a dude who was perfectly cute and nice but I felt zero spark.

However, he has asked me each subsequent day to hang. I don’t want to give him false hope or string him along, but I feel uncomfortable telling him straight up that I don’t think it’s going to work.

Usually I’m on the other end of this, but I get the picture (“He’s just not that into me”) pretty fast. Now that it’s flipped, do I cowardly continue to give excuses and hope he “gets it”? He is moving in a month, by the way… Or do I do the aggressive, one-date “break up”?

Help!

-She’s Just Not That Into Him

People! Listen up: This is EXACTLY how a boy acts when he is interested in you. He’ll ask you out. You guys will go somewhere. He’ll follow up with a “So glad we did that, let’s do it again soon” kinda text.

Next, he will ask you to hang out again and again and again, because he wants to see you and he’s making his intentions extremely clear. It’s a cut and dry, black and white scenario.

But back to the matter at hand: it’s entirely up to you what you do next. You can easily avoid him for a month, and then heave a sigh of relief once he’s moved away. It’s an option, but it’s not your best option.

I would personally be upfront. Tell him that it was nice to hang out, but that you didn’t feel a spark so you’d just like to be friends. And you know what? You might actually get to be great friends. I’ve had situations with girls where I was interested and they weren’t, or they were interested and I wasn’t, and whenever the message was sent loud and clear in the early stages, everyone was on the same page so nobody’s feelings got hurt.

However. Whenever either one of us never mentioned anything again and then hoped we’d avoid that person for the rest of our lives, of course we ran into each other 18,000 times over the next six months in the least opportune of moments.

So be honest! Don’t apologize, just tell him what’s what (in the kindest manner possible while firmly getting the message across). He’ll respect you for it, and you’ll feel good about the situation. Esteemable acts create self-esteem, after all.

And ladies, next time you’re wondering about why some guy is or isn’t texting back, come back and read this question: THIS IS HOW A GUY ACTS WHEN HE LIKES YOU!

The end.

Have your own question? Post your questions below or email write@manrepeller.com with ASK ISAAC in the subject line. Follow him on Instagram here, Twitter here, and check out his website here.

Isaac wants you to just rip off the Band-Aid. You should also rekindle the flames with this old friend. And while you’re being real with a guy, you should simultaneously fake your cool. Or simply shop any and all pain away here. 

The post Ask a Guy: How Do I Politely “Break Up” (After Just One Date) appeared first on Man Repeller.

Breaking Bad’s RJ Mitte Wore Boobs (and More News)

It’s 3:00 p.m. on a Tuesday, so if Edna the Enforcer peers over your shoulder while you troll the Internet with us, just tell her we say you’ve earned it.

Walt Jr. Can Strut 

RJ Mitte, also known as Walt Jr. from Breaking Bad, recently walked the runway for Vivenne Westwood’s Resort collection in Milan with some boobs around his neck. [TMZ]

Goosebumps: Attack of the Skinny Jeans 

Meanwhile, in Australia, one poor soul was attacked by skinny jeans. She had to be cut out of them in the hospital, which is terrifying, but it can only mean that parental jeans will continue to proliferate. [GQ]

Cheer Up with Some Virtual Tourism!

Guess what’s featured as a Snapchat story today? The South of France! On second thought, it’s really depressing when you’re not there, so in the words of Shania Twain, that don’t impress me much.

A video posted by Tilda Lindstam (@tildalindstam) on Jun 17, 2015 at 8:52am PDT

Weigh in on the Debate of a Century

Remember when we asked about flip flops on the runway? They happened again, this time for men, and NY Mag wants to know your thoughts. Personally, I’m gonna shout a big h-e-double hockey sticks NO. [The Cut]

If none of that’s doing it for you, don’t worry, we have you covered like fallopian tubes on a Georgia O’Keeffe canvas. First, summon your inner prep-de-la-prep — we’re talking pink seersucker suits and three-quarter length sleeves galore.

If you’re feeling down post-Game of Thrones season finale, pop over over to city hall for Dani Stahl’s wedding. Be sure to take the subway so you can spend some quality time with Five Course Franny, a hot dude reading, and maybe even a street performer.

Don’t forget to accessorize. Why not try a hat? After all, as a wise dad once said, “Everyone fucks up,” and it’s high time we give those chumps called hats a chance. (Speaking of dads, Garrett Leight is a really good one.)

All this Internet talk making you loopy? A break might do you some good. So, fake sick and go home to your long lost bff. Just keep in mind that you may experience Post Fomatic Stress Disorder. Ya snooze, ya lose!

Oh but before you go, tell us about your first kiss.

The post Breaking Bad’s RJ Mitte Wore Boobs (and More News) appeared first on Man Repeller.

How to Get Beach Waves Without the Fuss

The ocean has great hair. In fact, I’d like to go so far as to make the bold, sweeping statement that when it comes to beach waves, oceans definitely win.

But the reality is that I am not an ocean. You are probably not either. However, just because we are not oceans doesn’t mean we can’t get beach waves. So let’s go surfing.

(Note: this works best on long, straight/straight-ish hair. For curly hair tips, see Rita Ora’s guy.)

You’ll need:

– Some hair

– Sea salt spray — I like these ones the best:

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Note: You can also DIY the spray by adding a handful of salt to a cup of water and then putting that very scientific mixture into a clean spray bottle.

Timing:

If you want to wake up with waves, do this before bed with towel-dried hair. Sorry for not putting “towel” in the “You’ll Need” section.

If you’re doing this in the morning for high tide at 4 p.m., start with mildly-damp hair — a nice gauge for this level of wetness is somewhere between “I walked to work in 90 degree heat” and “I just took a barre class, but skipped abs.”

Now Let’s Do This:

1. Twist your hair into chunks, keeping in mind the smaller the chunk, the tighter the twist, the curlier the wave. Reader’s choice!

2. Gather them at the top like you’re a carrot pulling itself out of the ground. (Don’t worry about the back part of your mullet if you can’t grab it all.)

3. Now take your sea salt and spray, mermaids! Spray!

4. Keeping your carrot top in one hand, scoop the remainder of your wig up into the handful of twists (seriously, don’t fuss about errant strands because beach hair isn’t supposed to look “perfect”) and then all at once, twist that shit into a cinnamon bun. Use an over-stretched elastic so as not to crease your curl, and mist your head-bagel with a final pump of salt spray.

5. Now we wait. Rumor has it that reading Man Repeller improves waves but IDK. The longer you sit with this baby perched atop your scalp, the better.

Let it marinate. Let it grow legs.

6. Once your hair is completely dry, undo your topknot and comb through the curls with your fingers.

Voila! Total sand babe. Smile for the camera and be the ocean that you always knew you could be.

Rumor has it that if you hold a seashell up to your ear, you can hear yourself.

Photographed by Krista Anna Lewis

Want more on hair twirling? Pinky-styling, right this way. Or if you’re aspiring to be a beach blonde babe, educate yourself about the platinum ‘do here. Have you spotted a Centry 21 shopping bag this morning? What about a dad with a cute baby? 

The post How to Get Beach Waves Without the Fuss appeared first on Man Repeller.

Unplug: What’s the Longest You’ve Gone Sans Internet?

Let’s limit the timeframe of this question to the past two years. So, one more time: what’s the longest you’ve gone without Internet?

…

….

…..

I know!

I’m still thinking about it too!

Which leads me to believe we’re officially on a spectrum, folks. Yes, sure, it’s not exactly news. The narrative that unfolds behind the phrase “you can’t un-see things” was practically built for the ease with which technology has allowed for us to live, but let’s think about this for a second. Last weekend, I spent, like, four hours without my phone on Saturday. It felt natural and great and almost like time had stopped even though it’s constant and therefore can’t stop so maybe what I really mean is that I felt like I was experiencing time.

This was fantastic for two reasons:

1. Experience is the mother of living, and 2. look at that! I actually had an uninterrupted thought that turned into an opinion, which became a sentence and then a story, all in an era that has bred a generation of half-doing jugglers.

Seeing as the service provider at the MR HQ is Time Warner, we’ve had to become comfortable in knowing that our WiFi goes out more frequently than a college kid on spring break. When it happens we’re left paralyzed and helpless and twiddling our thumbs, like Foster Wallace-ian fish swimming along, completely oblivious to the water.

You know?

So I’m curious — because I think it says a lot about you and me and us and also because it might be a good time to reflect on how much time you’re spending in real time vs. virtual time — what’s the longest you’ve gone without Internet? Was it elective? Did you feel imprisoned? Liberated? Neither?

If I instituted the most paradoxical Man Repeller sanction: a 20 minute time period each day where we all log off and just think about ourselves (and each other!), would you do it? Would you share your findings?

Talk dirty to me.

Feature image by Hannah Kellner

Can’t do a minute without the WiFi? Then embrace the web and shop! Be sure to check out our picks from Resort ’16, all also pulled from said web. If you’re all gung-ho about escaping the w3b, try rekindling your long lost friendship with this dude. 

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