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

Dear Manolo,

With the arrival of fall, I find I need some new rain boots for my weekend outings in the country. What do you recommend?

Alison

Manolo says, there is nothing more satisfying than going out in to the world properly shod, which is why the God invented the shoe closet, because the properly dressed person of style needs many, many shoes for the many, many different occasions and conditions.

By the Manolo’s estimate, the well-dressed lady needs at the least 237 different pairs of the shoes and boots, although if one does much travelling or entertaining, then the number goes up the few dozen. Which is why the task of shoe shopping, like the grocery shopping, is never at the end.

Of the course, one can make do, if one must, with the far few pairs (say, 178) but only if one is prepared to show up at the various events improperly shod.

Happily, when it comes to the wellingtons, the Manolo believes you can get by with only the fifteen or sixteen different pairs. Although, if you absolutely must make do with only one, then there is only one that is worth the recommendating: the original tall boot from Hunter in the original green color. When it comes to standing outside in the rain, generations of horsey-outdoorsy-aristocraticy English women cannot be wrong. Hunter wellingtons are the best.