Manolo’s Shoe Blog

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

Dear Manolo,

I recently totaled my car (not my fault, I swear) and because I can’t get a new one for some time, I must now walk 20 blocks to and from the bus stop to get to my office. I can’t abide flip-flops and I think sneakers look silly with business attire. What do you suggest?

Alexis

Manolo says, the Manolo’s friend is so lucky. Many people pay hundreds of dollars each month to sign up at the health club so they can walk on the treadmill, when all they really need to do is crash their cars and walk to the bus.

Even better, at the end of six months, the Alexis will be healthier, happier, and have more money in the bank with which to buy beautiful shoes, than either the commuting couch potatoes in their motor-boxes, or the health club hamsters on their exercise wheels.

Of the course, if one wishes to engage in this practical fitness regimen, one needs the appropriate shoes. The Manolo has been impressed by the recent joining together of the Nike and the Cole-Haan to produce the business shoes with the athletic shoe insides, feetwear which are prefect for the working girl who walks.

Here is the Cole-Haan Air Genie Ballet, wear it in good health.

Manolo shouts, Anna has new shoes!

Previoiusly..The Anna Wintour Shoe Watch & Anna Wintour’s Little Toe.

Manolo says, the Manolo’s internet friend Joan has alerted the Manolo to something very amusing.

Dear Manolo,
This evening, while reading James Lileks’ delightful ramblings on The Bleat, I was charmed to see that he had included a photo of the cover of the January 1955 issue of the pulpy magazine Galaxy Science Fiction. At first glance I took it to be nothing more than a typical almost-racy illustration of way-out stylings, but then the shoes caught my eye: Mr. Jacobs’ Backward Heel. Oh, yes, the left shoe looks a little odd, but I believe that’s because it’s being polished by that strange device. The right shoe, firmly planted, most clearly shows a backward heel.

And, if I may say so, in a lovelier line than

Is there ever anything new under the sun? Does it really matter? I don’t think so, but thought you would enjoy this nonetheless –

Best regards,

Joan

The Joan is exactly correct, those shoes on the future Rocket-Age hottie are far more spectacular than the more pedestrian Marc Jacobs backward heel shoes, or even the more fanciful Junko Shimada shoes.

And now the Manolo has begun to look for more examples of retro-future shoes, (shoes of the future as pictured in the past). If you know of any, please tell the Manolo.

Manolo says, Manolo’s very good friend Linda Grant, author of the wonderful piece in the Guardian about the declining standards of dress and comportment, has returned to add more to our very vibrant discussion of this important topic.

I would like to thank those of you who responded so positively to my Guardian piece about declining standards of dress. I believe that dressing appropriately for the occasion is simply a question of good manners, as well as to give ourselves the pleasure of wearing whatever in our wardrobes is best, just as we vary our diet, adorn our homes with nice things, and enjoy a beautiful view. In the past, even the most impoverished families, had garments that they called their ‘Sunday best’ clothes which they wore for special occasions. The dumbing down of dress is in part a product of prosperity, for when a pair of jeans can cost as much as an evening gown, who knows who is expensively dressed?

The morning the article came out, a friend reminded me that at her brother’s wedding, a few years ago, one guest arrived at the reception in shorts. Now the bride and groom were theatre folk, not actors, but a writer and a director, and one sensed that this minor celeb simply felt that the happy couple were simply not important enough to get dressed up for. The true star among the guests, Hugh Laurie (of ‘House’) and his wife were dressed entirely appropriately for a July wedding, she in a hat. As someone in the comments remarked - class, you’ve got it or you haven’t.

Two people who have class are Tizzy and her husband, who, unable to celebrate their wedding anniversary at an expensive restaurant, went to an ordinary one and dressed up anyway, he in a tie and she in a cocktail dress bought on the clearance rack for $9.99. Mr and Mrs Tizzy understand the notion of a memorable occasion. I thought of them last night at a glittering event held here in London, the private view of the new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum on the Golden Age of Couture. For standing in front of me as we listened to a speech by Ines de la Fressange, once a Chanel model, was a woman who had chosen from her entire wardrobe to wear at this event – jeans and a t-shirt. Mr and Mrs Tizzy, despite their modest income, would, I know, have nonetheless found the prefect outfits to have attended such an occasion. To be well-dressed comes not from the bank balance, but what is inside your own head.

Manolo says, ayyyy! Dayum, Paula, your shake and bake is showing!

Manolo asked, whose shoes?

Manolo answers, the Dame Helen Mirren!

Congratulations to the Manolo’s internet friend Emo, who knew the answer practically before the Manolo had posted the pictures!

Manolo says, ayyyy! Madonna is the perfect mum!

Manolo says, here is something unusual and fun from the Etro, the t-strap pump in the deep red suede. This is the wonderfully autumnal shoe, perfect for the languorous late afternoons spent watching the leaves change on the trees in the park across the street from the French bistro.

Manolo says, it happens often enough, you have designed the frock that attempts, however vaguely, to make reference to the iconic look, in this case the Japanese geisha.

And so you give the make-up artist instructions to apply the face paint so that it evokes this iconic image.

And what do you get…

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