Manolo says, here is the Manolo’s latest column for the Express of the Washington Post.

Dear Manolo,

I’ve been invited to spend Memorial Day Weekend with my boyfriend’s family
in the Hamptons. The trouble is, I’m a poor working girl. Can you please
recommend some summery flat sandals that will look good enough to impress
these people without bankrupting me?

Molly

Manolo says, as always, the Manolo suggests saving your monies and buying the most super fantastic shoes one can afford, for such purchases will give the most satisfaction over the long term, in comfort, beauty, and admiration from those who know quality when they see it.

But the Manolo also sympathizes with the poor girls, who must work the double shifts at their dismal dreary jobs in the new media sweatshops, posting on the corporate blogs and twittering and facebooking all day long for the Man.

Indeed, the Manolo knows exactly what it is like to be poor, so poor that you must fashion your own super fantastic, impress-the-rich-people-in-the-Hamptons sandals out of strangely colored shells and tangled fishing line you have collected near the wastewater outlet pipe that discharges near the pier under which you are sleeping.

And so he would recommend that you Gwyneth from the Sam Edelman as being the moderately priced, cutely blingish flat sandals that will keep the people of the Hamptons moderately appeased.

Manolo asked, whose shoes?

Manolo answers, it is the Marlene Dietrich!

Congratulations to the Manolo’s internet friend, kjuliek, who was the first to correctly identify this week’s old-timey celebrity of note.

Manolo asks, whose shoes?

Manolo says, it is Tuesday, and sometime within the next few weeks, your children will be released from the school for the summer, and then, the fun will begin, yes?

In the meantime, why not assuage that free-floating anxiety about expensive summer camps and home-alone children by looking at the crazy colorful shoes from Sergio Rossi?

On the one of the hands, artificial uppers.

On the other of the hands, super fantastic colorful plastic!

Manolo says, here is the Manolo’s latest column for the Express of the Washington Post.

Dear Manolo,

After four years of hard work, I’m finally graduating next week with a degree in Renaissance Studies. Happily, I have already managed to find a lovely job that starts three weeks after graduation. (Yeah me!) Can you recommend a pair of shoes for the graduation ceremony, something fun?

Marielle

Manolo says, it is the time of the graduation, when the adult peoples don the ridiculous medieval gown and cap, and listen to the speeches about boldly seizing the future.

“Today, as you go forth from this place to boldly seize the future, remember what you have learned here in this institution, both in the classroom and out of it. Indeed, some of you will never forget what you learned just two weeks ago, during the aftermath of Fraternity Row’s Monster Spring Bash and Riot.

“And now, let me take a moment to give a special welcome to our official guests sitting among you in the audience, the sheriffs deputies, parole officers and bail bonds men, whose recent tireless efforts have made this joyous occasion possible.”

Ayyy! The life of the mind!

As for what shoes to wear, because your graduation outfit will be covered by the black gown of drabness, you will need something that “pops” as you walk across the stage, the statement shoes that that will help you boldly stride into the seizable future.

Here is the Nealla from Pour la Victoire in the bold lilac. It is also available in coral, and taupe for those who may be more timid.

Manolo says, here is the Manolo’s latest column for the Express of the Washington Post.

Dear Manolo,

For Mother’s Day, I’m planning a big afternoon brunch in my back yard for my mother and couple dozen assorted siblings, aunts, and cousins. So I’m looking for a pair of flat sandals to go with the simple sun dress that will be under my apron. No thongs, please, as the shoes need to stay on my feet as I go back and forth to the kitchen.

Melinda

Manolo says, ayyyy! The Dia De La Madre, it is only the one week away! What are you going to do to honor that most special lady in your life, the mother?

Will you settle for the traditional bruncheon of the Artichoke Crab Legs Benedict at the Lobster of Redness? Or will you attempt something more ambitious, such as doing the special celebratory meal with the family on your recently completed patio?

On the one of the hands, all you can eat cheese biscuits.

On the other of the hands, have you made the hollandaise sauce from the scratch recently? And do you have the number of the poison control taped to the refrigerator?

Whatever the case, nothing says “I Love You, Mom, “ quite like the Sunday brunch, unless it is the giant, lace-bedecked greeting card with the endearingly floral scene on the outside and the finest rhyming doggerel about the long-suffering nobility motherhood on the inside.

Here is the Maia Lush from Bernardo, the cute flat sandal in the dove color, with the intriguing hook-and-eye details on the strap.

Manolo asked, whose shoes?

Manolo answers, it is the Kim Basinger!

Congratulations to the Manolo’s internet friend, the Lanzarote del Lago, for being the first to correctly identify this week’s celebrity of note.

Manolo asks, whose shoes?

Manolo says, it is Tuesday, time to see what the Manolo is…

Reading…

Listening to…

Watching…

Ayyyy! The Substance of Style, the very good, very important book by the Manolo’s friend Virginia Postrel is on the sale in the Kindle version! Buy it now, read it today.

Manolo says, here is the Manolo’s latest column from the Express of the Washington Post.

Dear Manolo,

I was recently promoted to a fairly important job, one that requires I be presentable for the public and the press. Because I work in a place with long, long hallways, can you recommend a pair of shoes that will allow me to walk about comfortably while still looking professional?

Allison

Manolo says, oh how well the Manolo remembers that day at the shoe shop of the Mercurio Albornoz y Bahamonde when he was finally allowed to interact with the public.

The Manolo had begun his career in the backroom of the shop, as the Second Assistant to the Associate Boot Black, working diligently, ten hours each day, keeping the shoeshine rags in good order. But after only seven months of this hard work the Manolo was promoted to management, as the Sub-Director of Tissue Paper, responsible for helping the Director of the Boxing and Re-Boxing oversee the placement of the shoes into the boxes. It was in this role, that the Manolo finally encountered the customers.

Happily, the Manolo felt confident as he carried the bundles of fresh tissue paper to the stock boys in the front, because he knew that all of the customers were admiring the beautiful two-tone, black-and-white spectator oxfords that the Manolo wore on that first day in his new position.

Such is the power of handsome and appropriate shoes!

Look, here is the Camelia from the Taryn Rose, the smart, comfortable pump with the little flowery cutout details.

Manolo Asked, whose shoes?

Manolo answers, it is the Maria Menounos!

This week, none of the Manolo’s internet friends was able to identify the celebrity of note.

Manolo asks, whose shoes?