JUL
2012
09

Manolo’s Late Night Bargain: Lanvin Braided Thong Sandals

Lanvin Braided Thong Sandal, Summer 2012

Manolo says, this smashingly sophisticated, summer 2012, thong sandal from the Lanvin is now on the sale, selling for nearly 60% off of the regular price! Still costly, but the bargain for something so handsome.

Marc Jacobs, Spring 2011: Who Wore it Better?

Anna Wintour in Marc Jacobs at Wimbeldon Finals

It is the tossup, really

Manolo asks, who wore it better? Malevolent crone, or freakish-scary doll girl?

P.S. From the Red Carpet Fashion Awards

JUL
2012
09

Things That Make the Manolo Laugh: Balmain Pricing

Manolo says, from the same people who brought you the $1600 artfully ripped, surplus t-shrt comes the $5,500 rayon, tuxedo jumpsuit.

Balmain Satin-Trimmed Tuxedo Jumpsuit

Your boyfriend, The Sheikh, will love it!

Ayyy! Made of 95% viscose, 2% elastane, 3% polyamide!

Almost as entertaining as the Veblen good, aspirational pricing, are the sizing descriptions at the Net-a-Porter.

Close fitting style, stretch finish
Those with a curvy figure may wish to take the next size up
Model is 177cm/ 5’10” and is wearing a FR size 36

The French size 36 = US size 4.

Balmain Tuxedo Jumpsuit

Your size 4 buttocks will look marvelous in this rayon catsuit.

Yes, yes, the peoples who can afford this do not care about the price, and the peoples who care about the price cannot afford this, but still, this is another of the Balmain pieces (as good looking as it is) that strikes the Manolo as overpriced for no apparent good reason except to maintain the façade of exclusivity.

JUL
2012
09

TED Conferences: Night School for the Self-Satisfied Rich

Manolo says, the Manolo recently learned that the tickets for the TED Conferences–which produce the YouTubes of the obscure middle-brow “thinkers” and pop-media savants flattering the ricos–cost $7,500 per person!

Thus, upon learning this, the Manolo put together this Venn diagram of the average TED Conference attendee…

Venn Diagram for the Average TED Conference Attendee

The intersection of wealth, self-satisfaction and inanity.

JUL
2012
09

Jean-Michel Cazabat Metallic Bow Sandals for the Monday

Manolo says, Monday? We do not need no stinking Mondays.

Give us Fridays and Saturdays and Sundays, and the occasional Thursdays. Wednesdays, if you must. But, emphatically, no Mondays! (As for Tuesdays, we are somewhat agnostic.)

Nothing good happens on those Mondays when you have to go back to work. Yes, you make like your job, or find it not intolerable, but even in such cases is still the great imposition to have to cease the pleasurable activities of the weekend and begin the less-than-pleasurable activities of the work week.

Less reclining in the hammock in the back yard, the copy of the pirate-based romance in hand, and more sitting at your cubicle working on things romantic pirates would have regarded as inessential to the daily romance of piracy.

Well, at the least, you can pirate the little bit of time from your villainous employer by looking at the shoes on the internet…

Jean_Michel Cazabat Metallic Slingback Bow Sandals

It is the metallic slingback bow sandals from Jean-Michel Cazabat, the exact sort of simple, romantic shoe you will want to be wearing when bare-chested Captain Hunkybreeches (who is terribly misunderstood by the authorities) captures your ship.