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

Dear Manolo,

I’ve been surprised to see that gladiator sandals continue to be trendy, long after one would have thought that they would have gone out of style. In fact, I confess that I’m now powerfullly tempted to get some for myself. So here’s my question: are gladiator sandals appropriate for a woman of “certain age, “ and if so, what would you recommend?

Gloria

Manolo says, the Manolo is also surprised that the sandals of the gladiators contiue to be fashionable long after the empire waist of the previous seasons had declined and fell.

But such is the state of the world in which we now find ourselves; fashion retailers avoid taking risks on unproven items by selling subtle variations of the previous seasons’ winners, just as consumers are more concerned with getting their money’s worth out of costly items, thus wearing things longer than would have been usual in our recent and richer past.

As for whether or not adult women can wear the gladiator sandals, the Manolo says yes, but only with some careful thought. One should avoid pairing the full-out knee-length gladiator sandals with drapery, lest one look like Cato the Elder denoucing Carthagenian aggression from the floor of the Senate.

For best effect, ladies of the certain age should perhaps wear sandals that are more evocative of the Ancient world rather than literal. Here from Elie Tahari is the Ava Sandal in the gold metallic leather. More Diana, Mistress of the Hunt, than Russell Crowe, Mister of the Colosseum.