Manolo says, Julie & Julia? Ha! The Manolo gives you Mr. Henry and Julia!

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

Dear Manolo,

Knowing that you appreciate the super fantastic shoe classic of any type, I wonder if you say something about the revival of the Converse Chuck Taylor type sneaker. My 13 year old daughter has a pair of tall Chuck Taylor she loves.

Phyllis

Manolo says, the Manolo loves the Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers! They are one of the greatest shoes ever invented, indeed, not just the great shoe, but also, together with the white tee-shirt and the Levi’s 501 jeans, one of the iconic pieces of American clothing.

If you are wondering whoChuck Taylor was, he was perhaps the greatest shoe salesman who ever lived. In 1921, after the brief professional basketball career, Chuck Taylor went to work for Converse as the sales representative. In 1923, he helped redesign the Converse All-Star basketball shoe, making it more flexible and adding the circular patch over the ankle to give it more support.

Then for the next 45 years Chuck Taylor traveled the country promoting the shoes he helped develop and the sport he loved, putting on clinics and basketball demonstrations. It was said that every basketball coach in American knew Chuck Taylor, and by the time he retired in 1968, 8 out of every 10 basketball shoes bought in America were made by Converse.

The great thing about the Converse is that they now come in the enormous variety of colors and configurations. Here is one of the Manolo’s favorites, the classic Chuck Taylor All-Stars Roll Down Hi.

Manolo asked, whose shoes?

Manolo answers, it is the Phantom of the Super Hunky Opera, Gerard Butler.

Congratulations to the Manolo’s internet friend

Manolo asks, whose shoes?

Manolo says, since Manolo’s yesterday choice of practical end-of-the-summer sale shoe was given the less than enthusiastic greeting, the Manolo will try again.

Behold! Here is the Equus from Matt Bernson, the lovely sandal that is on the deep
discount sale at Piperlime, 35% off of the regular price!

Manolo says, it is Monday and you are back at your desk, wondering where the Summer went. Yes, it is still roasting hot outside, but this morning, your youngest child reminded you that school was starting in the mere days. Yes, she may have reminded you of this in the context of her lamenting having not read the single book on her summer reading list, but still, the threat was implicit, your halcyon days of fun-in-the-sun-09 are at the end.

It is sad. You spend all winter waiting for the summer to arrive, and then it is gone in the flash. What to do to squeeze the final bit of lemonade out of the tail end of Summer?

In the word: Shoes.

Look, here are the Cole Haan Air Capri Buckle Thong.

Handsome, summery, practical, shoes on the sale!! Nearly 40% off of the usual price!

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

Dear Manolo,

What is your take on the over-the-knee boot that featured prominently in the Fall 2009 Ready-To-Wear collections? I particularly love the ones I saw from Louis Vuitton, but clearly do not have the bills required for such luxury spending. In your opinion, is this a look worth investing in, or do you think it will disappear in a couple seasons, leaving me with a large hole in my wallet and a pair of boots I cannot take out into public?

Lulu

Manolo says, unless you are the Spanish grandee, French Musketeer, English privateer, or leggy under-30-year-old model it best to steer your ship clear of the historical drama signified by the over-the-knee boot.

They are so difficult to carry off well without the plumed hat and cape and/or the banging body. And it so easy to go wrong with them and end up looking like the extra on the set of the all-midget remake of “The King’s Strumpet.”

But, yes, this year marks the return of the over-the-knee boot, and if you must invest in this trend the Manolo would tell you to wait until later in the fall to see just how popular the look has become. Very popular, it will persist for the year or two. Not so popular, doomed by Spring.

Here is the 5050 flat Stuart Weitzman over-the-knee boots, perfect for wearing with the black tights.

Manolo asked, whose shoes?

Manolo answers, it is the Jaime Pressly!

And, for only the second time in recorded Manolo history, none of the Manolo’s internet friends identified this week’s personage of note.

Manolo asks, whose shoes?

Manolo says, since the government is giving away the free money to the car buyers, perhaps it is time for the shoe industry to lobby for their own subsidy.

Thus the Manolo proposes the Cash for Clogs program.

Turn in your old Croc for destruction and receive the $10 gift certificate for the purchase of the new pair of beautiful shoes.

To state in graphic terms…turn in this monstrosity…

Get this…

Off of the price of something like this…

The Tiara by Charles David. The prefect sort of summery replacement for the odious Croc.

Of the course, the government will have to immediately destroy the Croc, and set very tight restrictions on which shoes will be qualify for this proposed program. And naturally, the Manolo volunteers to do his patriotic duty by helping the bureaucrats set the proper standards of new footwear acceptability and beauty.

So, get to work, shoe industry lobbyists, and have Congress help us make the world the more beautiful place while stimulating the domestic shoe sales.

Manolo says, the Manolo continues to update his blogroll. If you are the internet friend of the Manolo and you already link to the Manolo’s humble shoe blog please let him know and he will gladly add you to his blogroll (assuming your site is the real blog and not the e-commerce or spam site).

Manolo says, here is the briefest taste of what you are missing if you are not following the 140-character musings of the Manolo on Twitter.

Go follow the Manolo’s tweets now!