Manolo the Columnist
Manolo says, here is the Manolo’s latest column for the Express of the Washington Post.
0Dear Manolo,
I’m a small town girl with big time dreams, who has just been given the job of a lifetime. The next eight weeks will be super demanding and I’ll be in the limelight a lot. All of my friends say I have a sort “sexy librarian” vibe. What would you recommend to make me seem a little more sophisticated and polished?
Sarah
Manolo says, congratulations on your recent success, clearly you are the woman to be reckoned with!
It is always the same with the small town girls who make it big; on the one of the hands, you wish to give yourself the making over so as to seem more fashionable, while on the other of the hands you do not want to lose that refreshing American naturalness which others recognize as the heart of your charm.
In the other words, how to be more Catherine Deneuve without sinking your Molly Brown.
Naturally, the Manolo suggests starting with the shoes. You must shed those pedestrian, low quality shoes and move up market with something truly super fantastic.
Look, here is the Karolina in black patent from Kate Spade, both super fantastic and all American!
Comments
Dani 16 years ago
Heh. And I was going to suggest the sexy librarian for “Who’s shoes Wednesday.” I mean, anyone wearing Naughty Monkey shoes on her first day on the job has a statement to make.
Judith in Umbria 16 years ago
Oh, go ahead and sink her Milly Brown.
maryb 16 years ago
Is this Sarah Palin writing in? Don’t recommend her such good shoes.
Andrea 16 years ago
Lovely simple black patent leather pump. I’ve been looking for a new pair of black patent leather pumps. These Kate Spade pumps are just what I’m lookin for. Plus, these classic beauties are available in suede and size 11. Good choice Manolo!
Annalucia 16 years ago
“Is this Sarah Palin writing in? Don’t recommend her such good shoes.”
What is this? The Annalucia is looking for the Manolo’s site, but apparently she has wandered into the middle-school girls’ cloakroom by mistake.
A thousand apologies. She will try back again later.
The Charlotte Allen 16 years ago
Brava, Annalucia! When Nancy Pelosi was elevated to speaker of the House, the Manolo found a lovely and appropriate pair of shoes for her. Now he is doing the same for Sarah Palin–paying tribute to strong and savvy women in politics.
valawhoo 16 years ago
Everyone should have good shoes! (Most particularly, me.) May I be so bold as to suggest that the Manolosphere should be expanded to include a blog on political fashion (or the lack thereof)? Bipartisan, of course. Tripartisan, even. Or just go whole hog and make it multilateral!
Because, let’s face it, no one political party has a monopoly on bad fashion.
wannabe 16 years ago
Hey, for that kind of money in my state I could buy a case of condoms, a pitcher of Bud Light AND a moose knife. I’ll wait for the sale.
debbie 16 years ago
You go Girl!! Sarah helps us all.
Annalucia 16 years ago
“May I be so bold as to suggest that the Manolosphere should be expanded to include a blog on political fashion (or the lack thereof)? Bipartisan, of course.”
A very good suggestion from valawhoo. Not, perhaps, a whole new blog – that would be too much – but certainly the occasional break to discuss political fashion, just as the dear Manolo has given the discourse now and then on the Presidential hair.
And by the way the “Karolina” is a beautiful shoe, and the Annalucia will not spoil her happy reverie by even looking at the price.
Manolo the Shoeblogger 16 years ago
Fear not, dear friends, the Manolo is working on the series of long posts considering such political fashion icons as Cindy McCain, Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin, and others. With luck, they should begin to appear in the next week.
Besos!
Manolo
angelhair 16 years ago
Bravo, Manolo! I’ve been noticing Sarah’s shoes and while I can’t speak to the quality of her footwear (too hard to determine from a distance on a tv screen) I give her props for wearing real heels. No flats or dowdy, chunky pumps for our sexy librarian!
A Sarah Palin “whose shoes” would be too easy. Who else would wear high heels, hip waders and snow boots?
valawhoo 16 years ago
Once again, the Manolo has read my mind. I hate it when that happens. I certainly hope that the Manolo will discuss Mitt Romney’s impenetrable hair.
Annalucia, I hesitate to mention this, for I know that the subject of knock-off shoes is a sensitive one. However, for those of us whose budgets are stretched to the limit at the moment, and for whom Kate Spade footwear must remain an elusive goal, I will mention that I have a pair of burgundy patent leather pumps from Nine West that looks very much like the pair pictured above. They are a few years old, but I love love LOVE them. They are the shoes that finally convinced me to start wearing heels with jeans, because I loved them so much I wanted to wear them all the time, just because they make me feel well-dressed and confident. And really, aside from the obvious issues of frostbite and random shards of glass, why else wear shoes?
Anyhoodly, I think the pair above are cut in a more refined manner than my beloved pumps, and I’m sure they’ll last a lot longer. Probably more comfortable, too. But when I just can’t find the room in the budget to buy the real thing, I like to contemplate the most beautiful items and then go find something in my budget that is reminiscent of the real thing – not a direct knock-off, not an exact replica, just something that reminds me of the item in question and that makes me feel well-dressed and confident.
Melissa B. 16 years ago
But when I just can’t find the room in the budget to buy the real thing, I like to contemplate the most beautiful items and then go find something in my budget that is reminiscent of the real thing – not a direct knock-off, not an exact replica, just something that reminds me of the item in question and that makes me feel well-dressed and confident.
valawhoo, this was beautifully said!
Looking forward to the political fashion series, Manolo! In the meantime, excellent advice for our “sexy librarian.” Sarah Palin is generally very well dressed … but I do wish she would abandon that weird, beehive-y french twist.
Rebecca 16 years ago
Hello,
I love this blog. Also, being myself passionate fashion, I also created my own blog: http://rebstyle.unblog.fr
Do not hesitate to look ahead, leave comments, and that has majouter your links if you like.
Enter Rebstyle on google to get my world mode.
Thanks to all.
Bise
hello,
J’aime beaucoup ce blog. Aussi, étant moi meme passionnée de mode, j’ai egalement créé mon propre blog : http://rebstyle.unblog.fr
N’hésitez pas a venir regarder, à laisser des commentaires, ainsi qu’ a majouter a vos liens si vous appreciez.
Tapez Rebstyle sur google et venez découvrir mon univers mode.
Merci à toutes.
Bise
Long Island 16 years ago
I am eagerly awaiting these political blog posts. Ohh what fun.
Overall political women are dressing better. I know Hillary has caught some heat about the pant suit wearing but she has looked great throughout this primary process. In my opinion she looks better now than when she came on the national scene back in the early 90s.
All this got me thinking. Obviously these women aren’t running to Saks to buy clothes. I am guessing Sarah or Hillary the night before their convention speeches did not look in their closets, decide they had nothing to wear and then made a mad dash to the local mall. Some stylist did their dirty work for them.
How do you get one of these political stylist job?
BarkingDogShoes 16 years ago
Word has it that Sarah Palin’s peep-toes are by Naughty Monkey: http://www.shoeaholicsanonymous.com/celebrity-shoes/sarah-palin-in-naughty-monkey/
valawhoo 16 years ago
Long Island said: “All this got me thinking. Obviously these women aren’t running to Saks to buy clothes.”
Apparently, Todd Palin did, though. He went to Saks to buy a new suit in St. Louis for the convention. Nice to know not everyone has a personal shopper!
16 years ago
“In the other words, how to be more Catherine Deneuve without sinking your Molly Brown. ”
Bravo Manolo ! Good advice with humor and style.
I suspect Manolo loves all women, wishing them to be elegantly shod, regardless of party affiliation.
Manolo, you are a prince!
Theodora 16 years ago
*Fortunately* shoes do not decide the election or I would have to be concerned that the Manolo had, with utter good-will, single-handedly tossed the election to the wrong party!