Opinion Deflecting the male gaze

Since April,Medine,21,has been publishing photos of herself wearing these pieces on her blog,the Man Repeller,as well as shots of similarly challenging recent runway looks: fashions that,though promoted by designers and adored by women,most likely confuse — or worse,repulse — the average straight man. These include turbans,harem pants,jewellery that looks like a torture instrument,jumpsuits,ponchos,furry garments resembling large unidentified animals,boyfriend jeans,clogs and formal sweatpants.

Glossy magazines have taken notice. Lucky has asked Medine to guest-blog. Harper’s Bazaar assigned Medine a feature in its December issue titled,“Can You Be in Fashion and Still Get a Man?” And women in New York who have become fans of her blog have begun using it as a verb,as in,“I am totally man-repelling today.”

“I’m really happy that people understand that man-repelling is a good thing,” Medine said,seated on a velvet blue sofa in her parents’ living room. “I was afraid people would think I was mocking fashion,and it’s like,‘No,I swear,I’m wearing feathered sleeves as I write this!’”

As for whether she’s dating anyone,Medine declined to comment. “I think men like things tight and simple,” she said. “It’s not even about slutty,tiny dresses from Bebe because that’s not very becoming of a woman either. But to guys,harem pants don’t exactly shape the body,shoulder pads are unusual because you look like a linebacker and sequins are a cry for attention.”

On this day Medine,a brunette with big brown eyes and a tanned complexion,was dressed in skinny brown jeans and an oversized gray sweater with fringes and braided fabric along the arms. “I wore this sweater on a date once,and he was like,‘Can’t you just wear a regular jacket?’ “ she said. “I guess it looks a bit like a throw pillow.”

Around her neck were pretty pendants layered with biker chains; her father owns a wholesale jewellery business. “I get it from my dad too,” Medine said,meaning negative feedback. “When I wear the Opening Ceremony bow wedges,he says,‘Your feet look like trucks!” But if you go to the Jane and you’re wearing enormous harem pants and a turban,people are like,‘Oh,that girl is really cool.’ “

Although designers like Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera loyally cater to the classic female silhouette,Medine contends that now more than ever before,designers are pushing boundaries in ways that might turn off the average man. “This past Chanel collection had all those outrageous grizzly suits,and even Jason Wu had turbans running down his runways,” she said.

Medine attributed this to the attention that bloggers pay to fashion personalities. “So much of the inspiration for designers has been that someone like Anna Dello Russo — the fashion director of Vogue Nippon who replicates looks from the runway — has been pushing limits so much,” she said.

Medine’s mother,Laura,popped in wearing easily comprehensible leggings and a blue sweater. “Oh,that’s my Mommy!” Medine said. “I think she tapped into something here,” said the blogger’s mother,who was leaving for a yoga class. “She is relating fashion to feminism. She is saying women dress for themselves.”

There is a bit of Cindy Sherman in what Medine is doing: proudly obstructing the male gaze by disguising her body with androgynous or intimidating silhouettes. And perhaps there is someone out there who will be able to discern it as wearable art.

-IRINA ALEKSANDER