Manolo’s Shoe Blog

Manolo says, this speaks for itself.

(more…)

Manolo says, sometimes it pays to take the bus.

Tell that to Kyla Ebbert, who was escorted off a Southwest Airlines flight two months ago for wearing an outfit far less revealing than a bikini top.

Ebbert, a Mesa College student and Hooters waitress, was allowed to stay on the plane, but only after she put up a fight and, she says, was lectured on how to dress properly.

[…]

After the plane filled, and the flight attendants began their safety spiel, Ebbert was asked to step off the plane by a customer service supervisor, identified by the airline only as “Keith.”

They walked out onto the jet bridge, where Keith told Ebbert her clothing was inappropriate and asked her to change. She explained she was flying to Tucson for only a few hours and had brought no luggage.

“I asked him what part of my outfit was offensive,” she said. “The shirt? The skirt? And he said, ‘The whole thing.’ ”

Keith asked her to go home, change and take a later flight. She refused, citing her appointment. The plane was ready to leave, so Keith relented. He had her pull up her tank top a bit, pull down her skirt a bit, and return to her seat.

Ebbert says several flight attendants overheard the conversation and, after an embarrassing walk down the aisle, she took her seat and spread a blanket over her lap. She kept her composure until the plane landed, when she called her mother and broke down.

She took a photo of herself with her cell phone so her mother could see her clothes. That’s when mom became livid.

“My daughter is young, tall, blond and beautiful,” Michele Ebbert told me, “and she is both envied and complimented on her appearance. She dresses provocatively, as do 99 percent of 23-year-old girls who can. But they were out of line.”

This is ridiculous.

Yes, her skirt is several inches too short, and her blouse is the little too form fitting, but compared to the the typical Arizona hottie, this young woman is Donna Reed

P.S. Irony so thick you can cut it with the plastic knife!

Manolo says, here are the few links which may perhaps amuse…

Last night I bolted out of the L.A.M.B show, nearly knocking over the publicist Paul Wilmot. Sorry, Paul. If ever there was a reason for a pop star to concentrate on her vocal skills, it was Gwen Stefani’s fashion meltdown. Among the words I wrote in my notebook, until my pen came to a stop, were “blob,” “very last season,” “bad secretary,” “astonishingly bad,” and “Ditzville.” I’m amazed—now—I had that much to say.

Cuisine marks culture more distinctly than any other lifestyle choice. It’s the most conservative cultural trait. (Japanese-American families keep umeboshi in the fridge no matter what fashions they wear, music they listen to, or ideologies they favor.)

“Oscar thinks they are tacky and is only interested in the women who actually support his work and, you know, buy the clothes.”

Manolo says, one of the Manolo’s internet friends has the question over at the Manolo for the Big Girl blog, what is the “California Black Tie”?

The Manolo admits to being stumped.

Manolo says, one of the Manolo’s favorite new bloggers, Jennine at The Coveted has been snubbed by the San Francisco Fashion Week.

I just tried to apply for a press pass with San Francisco Fashion Week, and was declined. I don’t know the policy for bloggers regarding Fashion Week in other cities… but I guess I missed the fine print…

SFFW does not issue passes to bloggers.

[…]

Blogs are important, they are more likely give media attention to upcoming designers, artists, photographers, stylists, etc. I know I have here at The Coveted. I may not have a degree in fashion, or journalism, nor have I served as an assistant to some established member of the fashion industry.

I do work very hard at delivering daily fashion tidbits to the bloggosphere, and I love it. The online community of fashion bloggers have been absolutely wonderful, and I personally am proud to be part of this movement.

I don’t know about SF Fashion Week. Maybe I can pay the money and promote The Coveted, and see fashion shows… But I feel a little strange about promoting it, especially San Francisco Fashion Week, come on… It’s strange to think that a city so closely linked to Silicon Valley, who heavily depends on the technology, and internet industries, would be so short sighted in seeing the impact blogs have on the fashion world.

This decision is ridiculous and counter-productive to the best interests of the designers who show their work at the San Francisco Fashion Show, for such lesser-known designers are exactly those who cannot afford to ignore the free and enthusiastic publicity the fashion blogs provide.

But beyond the free publicity, it is the fact that the best fashion commentary is now found on the internets. Indeed, outside of the tiny handful of professional critics, the Manolo rarely reads fashion commentary in the old media. He prefers instead the immediacy, passion, and individual personality of the best fashion blogs. Everything else seems stale.

Decidedly not stale, however, is The Coveted. The Jennine writes well, thinks clearly, and dresses herself in the most amusing and eclectic personal style. She is not the fashion zombie, going only and always with the latest “hot” trends, but the informed and knowledgeable fashion being who does her own thing, and in so doing epitomizes what the Manolo means by the super fantastic.

And that the San Francisco Fashion Week has snubbed her, tells the Manolo that this event is neither well-run nor well-promoted, for they are shutting out exactly the peoples they should be admitting.

P.S. The Tricia at the Bits and Bobbins also has the few choice words under the amusing and accurate heading, SF fashion week: why SF fashion will remain second-rate

Manolo says, remember this picture, which the Manolo was unable to authenticate?

The mystery is solved!

It was me! I am the designer of these high heeled flippers! I made them for my catwalk show for Mercedes Australian Fashion week 2002 at Bondi Iceberbs. This model opened the show and played the part of Ursula Andres walking (with not alot of grace) from sea. What a laugh! I just had a stockist of mine email me a photo of some high heeled flippers so i blogged and found this. You made my day, thanks!

The “Me” behind this charming note is the Australian designer Lisa Carney.

Manolo says, it is the ghost of Idi Amin Dada!

Manolo says, the matter of the disgraceful shoes of Ron Paul lives on, as the Ron Paul supporters have whipped themselves into the heady froth trying to defend the indefensible.

Ah, but there is push-back from the enlightened. Look, here is the D.C. Pleats telling us why Ron Paul should purchase better shoes.

There are a lot of Congressmen, businessmen, lawyers, doctors etc. who are 71 years old - and older - who dress professionally every day. I have searched a bit and not found any articles or anything else that would lead me to believe Paul has any sort of health problem in which he would need the extra comfort shoes. I did find out that he wears these sneakers everyday, which is even worse than I thought, just wearing them to a CEAFU reception. But even if he does have a medical situation in which he needs the extra support, there are plenty of manufacturers out there that make classy, well-polished and - dare I say it - comfortable shoes for men in all price ranges.

Here’s my problem, which I really feel Paul doesn’t understand: There is just a certain level of dress and professionalism associated with being in the political-public eye. And this is a completely unpartisan comment - I had issue with President Bush’s terrible outfit when he wore his Crocs and am constantly baffled by Hillary’s wardrobe - but when you are the leader of the free world, or running for that office, you need to present yourself as such. Everyone is looking to you to set the example; you are quite literally the icon of America. Now I know Bush has made quite a few political fumbles in the past six plus years, but in general, he’s dressed well while making them. He had to, he was on camera, and if Ron Paul chooses to put himself in that limelight he better act and dress the part.

And this is exactly what the Manolo (and any sensible person) would say about the clothing and the fashion.

In the fact, the Manolo has referred to this in the past as the Paradox of Not Caring

[C]laiming to not care about the clothes, to not be concerned about what one wears, is the paradox, for the clothes worn by one who claims not to care make as much the statement as those worn by one who dresses with purpose.

These inescapable facts obtain: that clothes are always necessary, and that others they will always judge us by them. These are the reasons why the Manolo he would have you dress with the purpose, to consider carefully what you would wear, and to think about the effect your clothes, and how you wear, them will have on others.

Of the course, this does not mean that you must dress to please others, nor that you should follow the lowing herd, but rather that you should be conscious of the image you are projecting.

For the example, if you wish to project the image of carefree disdain for the high fashion, be aware that your dirty t-shirt of the Oakland Raiders, torn sweat pants, and flip-flops may not be conveying that exact message, may in the stead be saying to the by passer, “Cross to the other side of the street, lest this person’s disdain for personal hygiene and grooming infect you with the parasites.”

Manolo says, the fashion, it is not the nuclear rocket brain surgery.

Ron Paul’s cheap shoes and his sloppy clothes say that he is not the serious person, that he does not care that the image he projects is of the small town, small time appliance salesman. Yes, this look is perhaps what endears him to his arm-waving and humorless supporters, but it inspires no confidence in the saner and more adult members of society.

Finally, as the example of how the change of clothes can completely alter how one regards the person, the Manolo gives you PopoZão.

P.S. From the Manolo’s internet friend Miss Janey comes this response, Honestly, when did it become desirable to look undesirable?