Manolo says, what better way to heat up the bitterly cold winter Monday than with the hot platform sandal from the Givenchy?

Manolo says, the Manolo has been mentioned in the Indian Express.

Thanks to The Manolo’s (no relation to “il maestro di tutti maestri” Blahnik) wit and sarcasm on shoeblogs.com, internationally, fashion blogs are getting as popular as web logs on entertainment and politics. In India, however, there aren’t many takers for fashion blogs or even ‘givers’ so to speak. A search for fashion blogs by Indians would hardly get exciting results, even fewer are as funny as their international counterparts.

“While surfing the internet, I do look at fashion websites but never blogs. If I want to read opinions on fashion, I would much rather read fashion columnists,” says Nonita Kalra, editor Elle.

Internationally, there are fashion blogs dedicated to topics ranging from makeup and wardrobe to even wristwatches. While their popularity has led to advertising revenue, the fledgling blog arena in India is not even half as professional. Meera Mittal, a fashion designer, was already writing on fashion for other websites when she decided to start her own site. But before that, she tested waters through her blog, styleasylum.blogspot.com.

“But it’s been a while since I’ve updated it. I don’t have the time or the inclination now. Even the response wasn’t encouraging,” says the 26-year-old. While Mittal gave fashion week updates, 23-year-old Meenakshi Srikandath’s blog is about “bitch-slapping” Bollywood celebrities’ fashion gaffes. And since in India, fashion is directly co-related to Bollywood, her catty style is likely to find more readers. “I enjoy making people laugh and I love fashion. Taking a cue from gofugyourself.com, I started bollywoodbitchslap.blogspot.com,” she says.

The Manolo always has the same advice for the aspiring fashion blogger: blog!

If you love the fashion and you have something to say that is entertaining or interesting, you will find your audience, but it may take many months to do so.

And now, in order to help his subcontinental fashion blogger friends to find the wider audience, the Manolo asks them to leave their web addresses in the comments section of this post so that he may add them to his blogroll.

Manolo shouts, let the thousand Indian fashion blogs bloom!

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

Dear Manolo,

I’ve just accepted my first real post graduation job, with a K Street lobbying firm here in Washington. I need to look professional, but like most recent graduates I’m poor. What would you suggest for under $100?

Marilyn

Manolo says, ayyyyyyyyy! Disillusionment thy name shall be Marilyn!

What better way to produce the bitter cynic than to take the young and fresh-faced innocent straight from the idealistic halls of ivy into the Washington lobbying firm?

It is like taking the small child who enjoys the occasional hotdog into the very heart of the sausage factory. After two minutes, everyone is sick to his stomach, weeping, and looking for the exit.

But, it all so exciting at the start, especially if you have the nice shoes which you have found at the bargain prices.

Of the course, the Manolo knows what it is like to be the poor person in the professional world, so poor that you must construct your own super fantastic dress shoes out of the dirty napkins and the swizzle sticks left over after the eight martini lunch with Senator Eustis T. Knuckles, head of the Senate’s Select Committee on Groping.

And so the Manolo would recommend the O-Carmen, from the O Oscar by Oscar de la Renta as being the sophisticated shoe with the classic line that will not rupture the bank.

Manolo says, be still the Manolo’s beating heart, for it is yet another visit from the Manolo’s favorite funky little fashion troll, and he has arrived bearing the post-apocalyptic fashion treats!

In both cases, it is the man purse that makes it work.

“Galliano says, Admit it, big boy, you want what Galliano has.”

Manolo says, who can ever forget that brief period in the 1982 and the 1983, when all the cool kids were dressing like the street urchins?

Everyone in the bib overalls and the bad shoes with the damaged hair.

Pray ardently this that this look never comes back.