Manolo's Shoe Blog

OCT
2011 03

Manolo Blahnik Suede Ankle Boot for the Monday

Manolo says, from Aquinas: Pulchritudo non habet rationem appetibilis nisi inquantum induit rationem boni: Sic enim et verum appetibile est: Sed secundum rationem propriam habet claritatem Our friend Eco says that this is Aquinas’s proof that beauty, goodness, and truth are “equivalent and convertible”. But, the Manolo does not need the Aquinas, nor the Eco, to know this. All the humble shoeblogger must do to understand that truth and beauty and goodness are the same is gaze upon this… The pointy-toed suede snkle boot from the Maestro Manolo Blahnik.

SEP
2011 30

Manolo the Columnist: Stefanie from La Canadienne

Manolo says, here is the Manolo’s latest column for the Express of the Washington Post. Dear the Manolo, I would like to ask for your expert advice and opinion. I bought a pair of tight-fit blue jeans and I need a nice pair of brown or black kneehigh (or a bit lower) walking boots that are comfortable, orthopaedic, and at the same time stylish to wear with them. I want to wear them for years and years and still love them. Olivia Manolo says, this word “orthopaedic”, it is to the shoe connoisseur what the garlic-dipped crucifix is to the…

SEP
2011 23

Manolo the Columnist: Jerico from Vigotti

Manolo says, here is the Manolo’s latest column from the Express of the Washington Post. Dear Manolo, When I first wrote you, I was but the tender age of 14, entering high school and unsure of my shoe choices. Now, as I enter my senior year of high school I am in need of your help once more. I need a shoe that tells the incoming freshmen, I rule the school but I will still take you under my wing and show you the roller coaster that is high school. A summer’s worth of nannying and future babysitting appointments make…

SEP
2011 20

Manolo Blahnik Suede & Raccoon Fur Boot for the Tuesday

Manolo says, it is Tuesday, and you are back at your desk, and the Manolo is finally getting around to welcoming the new week with the short essay. Yesterday you were saying to yourself, “what gives with the Manolo, he’s usually posted one of his Monday stories by now.” To which the Manolo would reply, of the course the Manolo was not available! Yesterday was the International Talk Like the Pirate Day! The Manolo began the celebrations early, and by the time he thought to post his Monday story, the spirits of the day (both abstract pirate good cheer and…

SEP
2011 09

Manolo the Columnist: Paramour from B Brian Atwood

Manolo says, here is the Manolo’s latest column for the Express of the Washington Post. Dear Manolo, Thanks to the double dip recession, the earthquake, the hurricane, and my usually slack ways, I’m a little late getting my fall wardrobe ready this year. What’s the hot color for this season? I need something that will make me feel better about life in general. Please help. Bridget Manolo says, frankly, the Manolo is ready for the 2011 to be over today, so dismal has it been thus far. But then the 2012 is not looking so good at the moment, either,…

AUG
2011 16

Bottega Veneta Lace and Patent Leather Ankle Boots For the Tuesday

Manolo says, it is Tuesday and you are back at your office, wondering what has happened to the summer. You had such fun plans for the season, including the minor remodeling of the patio. And then, in the first week of June, these plans was thrown into chaos by the sudden heatwave, when the triple-digit temperatures and the outrageous humidities kept you in the doors next to the air conditioner, watching televised golf and thinking about relocating to Seattle. It was during this period of forced inactivity, when the plans for the patio metastasized into something much grander. (Let us…

JUL
2011 18

Miu Miu Glitter & Suede Bow Peep-Toe Ankle Boots For the Monday

Manolo says, it is Monday, over halfway through the summer of your discontent, and frankly you feel as if you are trapped on the treadmill of life. Five days the week it is exactly the same thing, up and out the door to work, up and out the door to work, up and out the door to work… lather, rinse, and repeat. Sadly, the weekends offer little respite from the repetitive drudgery of the week. On Saturday you must take care of the house, and do the laundry, and the shopping, and perhaps mow the lawn. Then Sunday, it is…

JUL
2011 05

From the Archives of the Manolo: Dior Boots for the Day After the 4th of July

N.B. Manolo says, occasionally, the Manolo finds that it is difficult to top something he has written in the past. Such is the case with this post, from the Monday after the Fourth of the July, 2008… Manolo says, it is the Monday following the Fourth of July weekend and you are back at your desk, heavily sunburned, your hair still smelling of gunpowder and antiseptic balm. Thanks to your husband, it was “the weekend to remember”. Indeed how could you ever forget that headline in the Saturday morning newspaper, “Fireworks Hijinks Send Local Man to Emergency Room.” “Well, it…

MAY
2011 23

Botas Picuadas

Manolo says, many of the Manolo’s internet friends have been emailing him, asking him to comment on the article in the Daily Mail concerning the Mexican botas picuadas, the crazy pointy-toed boots worn by the peoples from the San Luis Potosi. To which the Manolo answers, he has already considered this topic in depth, two months ago. Here are the links: Botas Exóticas: Pointy-Toes, Poulaines, and Male Display Botas del Baile Tribal Botas Exóticas: Mexican Vaquero Elves! Botas Exoticas: The Leningrad Cowboys However, to recap, here is the Manolo’s opinion: the key to understanding the trend of the botas picuadas…

APR
2011 05

Aquatalia 2011 Fall Preview

Aquatalia’s new fall line is spectacular. The brand recently got some heavy duty hype due to their boots being the shoes of choice for princess-to-be Kate Middleton. Unfortunately, the shoes Kate chose to parade around in were from an older season and by the time the media buzz hit the the ears of shoe enthusiasts those particular styles were sold out. But fear not! The 2011 Fall line is just as lovely and sure to impress. I was lucky enough to meet with fashion director Rena Krasnow and preview the new Fall collection. It’s not often that I find myself…

APR
2011 04

Botas Exoticas: The Leningrad Cowboys

Manolo says, the Manolo’s internet friend, the Yum Yum, has pointed to high-spirited Finnish rock band known as the Leningrad Cowboys, who for the past twenty years have been wearing the pointy hair and the pointier shoes. In 1993, they even did the concert with the Red Army Chorus, of which the video below is the amusing artifact. To the Manolo, the pointy-toes and pompadours of the Leningrad Cowboys have more in common with the Japanese Rockabilly dancers as the obvious appropriation and exaggeration of the American rock iconography, while the sudden appearance of the botas exoticas of the baile…

APR
2011 04

Botas Exóticas: Mexican Vaquero Elves!

Manolo says, from the Vice Magazine’s VBS.TV comes this amusing mini-documentary about the Mexican botas exóticas with the pointy-pointy toes. In this episode of Behind the Seams we head to the dusty city of Matehuala, Mexico in search of the pointiest long-toed cowboy boots ever made. Over the past year, the botas vaqueras exóticas phenomenon has overrun the rodeo dance floors and clubs of this area and even spreading North into Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and any place where big groups of immigrant Mexicans have taken root. We made our way to Desierto Light, one of the clubs in this area…