Manolo’s Shoe Blog

Manolo says, the Manolo pleased to announce, at long last, the arrival of the Fabbies, the first awards devoted entirely to the fashion blogs.

The Fabbies are the first-ever, blogger-organized awards to recognize the top Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle blogs from around the world.

Various prestigious blog awards have existed for some time, but they repeatedly snubbed the Lifestyle Blogosphere, deliberately ignoring the growing power, influence and prestige of this group of bloggers. So, in typical entrepreneurial style, three bloggers decided to take action: The Manolo of Manolo’s Shoe Blog, Tina Craig of Bag Snob, and Lesley Scott, Fashiontribes…with crucial assistance from Christina Jones of eBeautyDaily and Sam Francois of Papierdoll.

One of the best features of the Fabbies is that it’s a democracy. Rather than a few judges determining which blogs are “best” in 12 different categories (which showcase the impressive breadth and depth of the Lifestyle Blogosphere), it is the real experts – the blog readers, fans and supporters – that determine the winners with their votes, highlighting the deliciously freewheeling spirit of blogging.

There will be the big nomination ceremony this Thursday, which will be live-streamed.

But, while you are waiting, go now and preview the nominees, and perhaps cast your vote for your favorites.

Manolo says, after studiously avoiding the internets and the television, the Manolo was finally able to see the latest episode of the Project Runway without having heard any results. And now the Manolo can give you his impressions of this moderately amusing episode.

In short, this was yet another good challenge, to take the sack full of Levi’s jeans and jackets and turn them into the “iconic denim look”. Although, what is meant here by the word “iconic” the Manolo does not fully understand.

The truly iconic item appears only rarely, when design and culture achieve perfect symbiosis, and so to ask the designers to produce the iconic item is to ask them to compose the musical masterpiece of enduring importance and popularity. One might be able to maybe, possibly do this, but only if all of the stars are in perfect alignment.

And so it is with the clothing. Clothing designers produce hundreds and thousands of different designs each year, of which none ever become “iconic”. Indeed, if one is very lucky, one might produce one such item over the course of the entire lifetime of design.

Perhaps what was meant was “iconish”, meaning that the final piece was to be vaguely reminiscent of the truly iconic Levi’s 501s.

But, whatever. The Manolo quibbles, as the obvious intention was to produce the piece that could be creditably sold by the Levis Company, something much more achievable than “iconic”.

And so, after being given their instructions, the designers were off and lumbering across the dirty warehouse floor, grabbing up the denim and preparing for the challenge of making this blue-jeansy item.

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Manolo says, ayyyy! Hugh Jackman celebrates Australia Day in the most super fantastic manner possible!

Manolo says, at last, something to put on the dashboard of your car…in Hell!

Already an icon in his own right, Karl Lagerfeld is becoming a collectible, too. The designer has collaborated with Pixi on a miniature lead figurine of himself in his trademark regalia. The doll is being issued in a limited run of 1,000 figures and is on sale exclusively in Paris at Colette for 200 euros, or about $300.

Skull Island, Secret Lair Playset not included.

P.S. Many thanks to the Manolo’s internet friend Genevieve for alerting the Manolo to this keepsake of evil.

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

Dear Manolo,

In March I’ll be accompanying my husband on a business trip to Australia. After three days of work in Sydney, we’ll then be free to do our own thing. What would you recommend for lots of walking and sightseeing?

Jennie

Manolo says, ayyyy! The Manolo loves Australia! Or perhaps, more correctly, the Manolo loves the idea of Australia, as sadly the Manolo has never himself made the trip to the land of the antipodean marsupials, where kangaroos and Crocodile Dundees roam the land in impressive herds.

Yes, the national fashion stereotype is of the rustic “swagman”, or “jackaroo”, in the khaki shorts, dirty singlet, and cork hat, the giant can of Fosters in his hand, and work boots upon his feets.

But the Manolo would suggest, to the contrary, that any nation that has produced the celebrities Hugh Jackman, Baz Luhrmann, and Dame Edna Everage clearly has much to offer in the way of the super fantastic.

As for his friend, the Manolo recommends to her the Cole Haan Air Gabi Boat Shoe in the color called Cranberry Satin. It is the pretty little reinterpretation of the classic that would be prefect for the casual sort travelling that she proposes.

Manolo says, ayyyyy! The Manolo has been travelling this week and tonight he has landed at the hotel whose television system does not have the Bravo channel, and tonight is the Project Runway!

Do not worry, though, the Manolo will watch it tomorrow and give you his report tomorrow evening.

Manolo asked, whose shoes?

Manolo answers, it is the Mariah Carey!

Congratulations to the Manolo’s internet friend Cat, who was the first to correctly guess whose shoes.

Let the Manolo be the first to say, somewhat sadly, that the Mariah is wonderfully talented, and yet possessed of the terrible, trashy, inappropriate fashion sense.

Manolo says, this pretty, low-heeled dress sandal, the Copley from the Anne Klein New York is on sale, 24% off of the usual price, the savings of nearly $60 of the American dollars!

This is the sort of shoe that would become the staple in your closet, something you could wear on many occasions and never be out of style.

Manolo asks, whose shoes?