Manolo says, and now the Dia de San Valentin approaches and you have not yet purchased the gifts which you will shower upon that special man in your life.

But you are confuddled, as not only have you learned, through hard lessons, that the writers at Cosmo and Elle know next to nothing (NOTHING!!!) about how to make the man happy (despite what the salacious headlines say), but also that your man is the sort, who, like Octavian, adopts the facade of modesty, even as the gifts and honors are heaped upon him. And so you know from experience that he will stoically pretend to be unswayed by your acts of tribute, not letting on that he is actually thrilled that you love him, that he is the princeps civitatis of your Heart.

Because you have determined to make this the super fantastic Valentine’s Day, you must now locate the small gifts suitable to the Augustan tastes of your man, which is where the Manolo, your humble Attic slave, can help, by suggesting items that shall please the Emperor.

T Anthony Leather Ballpoint Pen —

Acqua di Parma Aftershave Lotion
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Burberry Stainless Steel and Leather Wrist Watch
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Manolo says, now this is indeed most super fantastic in the sort of Danish modern way!

…although, not as absolutely, luxuriously super fantastic as this shoe-shaped bathtub unveiled in May.

P.S. The tip of the Manolo’s homburg to the Manolo’s fabulous internet friend, Rondi.

Manolo says, the Manolo loves people who give sound advice about hats.

Manolo says, why does Manolo love Buenos Aires?

Because only in Buenos Aires do people consider it normal to go dancing at age 100!

P.S. Many thanks to the Manolo’s internet friend Fausta who found this video for the Manolo.

Manolo says, the Manolo’s internet friend Lisa has sent the Manolo to the link to what is indisputably the greatest street fashion blog yet invented, Advanced Style.

You may keep your trying-too-hard whippersnappers, give the Manolo his elegant elders.

Manolo says, the Manolo has already posted the link to this in his Twitter feed, but it deserves reposting in full here because it will bring joy to those who see it.

If the sight of this solidly-built middle-aged man getting his funk on does not bring the smile to your face, you are perhaps without hope.

There is more below the jump.

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Manolo says, our own Miss Plumcake has been interviewed for the long article on the rise of the “Fatshionistas”, the super fantastic big girl!

And as always, she makes the Manolo laugh out loud.

“One of the things that makes me insane is that somehow the fashion industry decided there can only be one fat chick receiving favorable media attention. We’re fat, we’re not the Highlander. There can be more than one,” says Rhiannon Gammill, an Austin, Texas-based writer who now blogs for Manolo for the Big Girl. “I want the woman who can say ‘This is who I am, you don’t have to like me and you don’t have approve of me, but I’ve been to this pony show before and this time I’m getting what I want. I’ve got one voice, two chins, and more style than should be allowed by law and I’m not apologizing for any of it’ and then, I don’t know, puts her cigarette out on her arm.”

Please, you must go read the whole thing.

Happy Anniversary!!!!

Manolo says, it is hard to believe but, on this very day four years ago the Manolo began his humble shoe blog.

At that time, there were hardly any other fashion blogs on the web, and now, four years later, there are dozens, and scores, and hundreds, and perhaps thousands of the fashion blogs, many of which are devoted entirely, or in part, to those most marvelous of accessories, the shoes.

And the Manolo is so happy to have played his small, tiny part in the development of the blogosphere, and likewise, so proud of his little corner of joyfulness and shoes.

Still, the Manolo is naturally much prouder of the wonderful and talented peoples who have elected to help the Manolo write the various blogs which compose the Manolosphere: Never teh Bride at the Manolo for the Brides and Manolo for the Home, Izzy Gallant at the Manolo for the Men, Spirit Fingers at Ayyyy!, Mr. Henry at the Manolo’s Food Blog, Raincoaster and Glinda at the Teeny Manolo, Plumcake and Francesca at the Manolo for the Big Girl, with Twistie writing on the weekends, and now blogging wonderfully in the Spanish language, Diable, Diablese, and Patri at the Manolo Moda blog.

The Manolo remains convinced that there is no group of bloggers anywhere who are as consistently entertaining, or as wonderfully funny, as these amazing peoples. That they have chosen to share their talent through the medium of the Manolo’s blogs is counted by the Manolo as being among the greatest honors of his life.

Of the course, the greatest of all the meager honors accumulated by the Manolo, are the affection, attention, and generosity of the readers who visit this space, and who, more than anything else, have made this blog the success that it is.

The Manolo cannot possibly repay this debt of kindness, he cannot possibly tell each of his readers how much this has meant to him. All he can do is say to them, and to you, thank you, the thousand times, thank you.

You are indeed most super fantastic!

Manolo says, the Manolo has recently discovered and become completely obsessed with the website Square America, the site devoted to the American snapshot, as collected and organized by Nicholas Osborn.

The shot shown above is from the On The Street , which is described as the collection of,

37 photos taken by the professional photographers who staked out the streets of major cities and tourist spots and took candid snapshots which they would then attempt to sell to their subjects, promising them “Natural pictures of you in motion.” For the most part hastily shot and incredibly poorly printed these photos are nevertheless are invaluable record of streetlife from the 30s through the 50s.

Here is yet another picture from the Square America site.

This one is from the collection entitled “On Beauty (And Its Discontents)”, described as,

Almost 85 photos on the idea of feminine beauty. Expect pin-up girls and beauty queens, mirrors, make-up and more!

But these two photos are but the small part of the enormous and endlessly fascinating collections that await those who visit Square America.