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

Dear Manolo,

At the end of the month, I’m going to my 25th college reunion. The biggest events are on Saturday, with the homecoming parade in the morning and the big game in the afternoon. Can you recommend some stylish ankle boots?

Melissa

Manolo says, at last it is that time of the year, when peoples of the certain age, who have been expensively coiffed, recently botoxed, and vigorously dermibraded, truss themselves into their foundation garments, and return to the scene of the crime, to weep with others of their vintage over the ashes of their youth.

And to think, it was only last millennium when you were the bright-eyed student at Alma Mater U., majoring in boys and beer pong, the Belle of the Tappa Kega Bru’s Fall Intoxication Festival.

Of the course, how could you forget your favorite teacher, Professor Whatshisname, that old guy with the beard dandruff and the sports sandals who was always on your case about finishing the papers on time. You certainly learned much in that class, whatever it was.

Look! There is your college boyfriend, Kip! He looks so old, and beaten down, and bald, like the caricature of that vigorous future accountant he once was. Who is that he is standing with? It is that foreign boy who had the intense super crush on you, Chang-Ho-Something-or-Other. You took such pleasure in mocking him, and now he is the fifth richest man in Hong Kong.

Sigh.

Here is the sporty, yet stylish ankle bootie, the Joril from Paul X by Paul Smith, something that would work well with the jeans, or the skirt and tights.

Manolo says, it is autumn and all you can think about is the new suede boots to wear to all of those autumnal events which require the suede boots. Look! Here is the Prez from Stuart Weitzman, the simple, sexy, suede boot that will be the perfect thing to wear when that broad-shouldered fellow with the cornflower blue eyes asks you to accompany him on the jaunt through the colorfully leafy countryside.

Manolo says, it is Monday and you are back at your desk, doing that thing that you do to earn the crumbs that fall from the table of the economy. Meanwhile, outside of your plastic cubicle, through the tinted window at the other end of the room, you can see that the fall has arrived, bringing with it the cooler weather and the colorful trees.

Such thoughts, of the course, make you feel mildly guilty about your arboreal ignorance, as you can only identify the four or so types of the trees: oaks, pines, maples, and the, um, pines. Otherwise, you are as the newborn babe where such things are concerned, innocent of knowledge.

Of the course, such deplorable ignorance of the natural world is brought home to you every morning as you drive down your block past the house of Katherine the Garden Lady, the angular, Yankee schoolmarm, who is already out in her garden, trowel in hand, tending to her earthly paradise.

Sometimes, on Saturday, as you walk the Buddy the Dog, you make the mistake of complimenting her on some particularly nice looking plant.

“That’s not a ‘plant’, dear,” she says, her steel-grey hair almost standing on its end, “it is a caryopteris clandonensis, the Blue-Mist Spirea, also known as the Bluebeard, this particular variety is ….”

And then your mind begins to wander, thinking about how Katherine the Garden Lady’s hands look like the two blackened, gnarly mitts, only to be brought back to reality when Buddy decides that the caryopteris clandonensis is the good place to do his business.

What you need now is to look at some beautiful autumnal shoes.

Like these Chloé Two-Tone Suede and Leather Ankle Boots!

Manolo says, for the example, the misbegotten offspring of the Jimmy Choo and the Uggs.

Bedazzled!

Finally, two great tastes that go together like chocolate and lutefisk! Lime jello and the iron filings! Broken glass and bubble bath!

All of this can be yours for the low, low, price of only…

Manolo says, the faux practical shoes, they are all the rage this fall, and what better way to get your rage on than with these high-heeled “hiking” boots by Tapeet from Vicini.

Perfect for communing with nature this weekend in SoHo!

Manolo says, it is the Kate Spade Wedge!

Despite the three-inch wedge heels on her black patent leather shoes, after hours of walking, Ms. Saujani, a former hedge-fund general counsel and a successful political fund-raiser, seemed as calmly cheerful as she did at the outset of the day.

Finally, as we returned to her office, I asked: About those shoes?

“They’re the Kate Spade wedges,” she said, sagging slightly, as if she had only just then been reminded that she had feet. “They’re these politician-woman shoes.”

She had gotten the tip from someone who worked for Hillary Rodham Clinton. They are apparently something of an “it” shoe right now for women in politics: Ms. Saujani said that Kathleen M. Rice, who is running for attorney general, also wore them (a photograph on Ms. Rice’s Facebook page bears that out). The chief of staff for a prominent woman in Congress told me that she, too, religiously relied on her Kate Spade wedge heels (though she spoke on the condition of anonymity because she preferred not to be known for her brand of footwear).

“They’re very comfy,” said Annie Mullaly, Ms. Saujani’s finance director. “They’re like Crocs. You’ll see them everywhere once you’ve identified them.”

[...]

But the Kate Spade wedge heels are not just one candidate’s shoes. They seem to be the shoes of a circle of younger women aspiring to power or already in it, women directly and indirectly passing on to one another ways of navigating the particular challenges of being a woman in the public eye. A woman must look put-together, but not as if she is a slave to fashion; she must look groomed, but never be spotted grooming.

That is all well and good if you want to look like the politician, however, if your tastes run to the slightly more aggressive, and you wish perhaps to make the statement on the campaign trail…

Allow the Manolo to suggest these over-the-knee Boots from Belle by Sigerson Morrison as being worthy of consideration.

With these on your feets, you would not ask for the votes, you would command them!

P.S. The Manolo has long been the fan of the Kate Spade shoes, for exactly the reason cited above, they are well-made, reasonably comfortable, and perfectly suitable for the working girl.

Manolo says, after all of the buckles and straps and glittery glam-o-tchotkes, it is pleasant to see more tranquil, classically elegant shoes, such as this Simple Ankle Boot from Christian Louboutin.

Manolo says, it is Monday and your long summer nightmare has finally ended; the children have gone back to school!

Celebrate with ridiculously leopardy boots from the Jimmy Choo!

School days, school days,
Good old Jimmy Choo days.
Readin’ and Writin’ and fashion shoes
All taught to the tune of the leopard boot.

P.S. Yes, it is true, the Manolo has been all about the big cats for the past few weeks, but few of the previous examples he has cited have been as super fantastic as this.

Manolo says, for your Recession Thursday window shopping pleasure, here are the Diane von Furstenberg shoes on the sale, which have the stamp of the Manolo’s approval.

This is the Alexandria from Diane von Furstenberg, the cut-out, peep-toe, ankle bootie that would be just the thing for the late summer evening, especially as it is selling for more than $200 off of the original price!

The Manolo recommended these shoes back in January, (when he discussed that book Eat, Pray Love), the Lady from Diane von Furstenberg, at the full price. Imagine, then, his joy to see that they are now selling at the $125 discount!

(more…)

Manolo says, it is Monday and you have only been at your desk for two hours and already it has been one of those sort of days. And the rest of the week does not look so good, what with the deadlines that are racing at you and your general sense that things are collapsing around you.

And then your boss comes in and drops the stack of files on your desk.

“Need it pronto. Like yesterday, if possible.”

“Arggggggggghhhhhh!”

And suddenly you are looking around for the emergency exit chute. For if you could find that, together with the pair of beers, and access to the office public address system, your day would immediately be much, much better.

Well, such is the stuff of your Johnny Paycheck fantasies. Hey look! Reality television has come the knocking!!

According to website TMZ, Stone Entertainment, the company that has produced scores of reality TV such as The Mole for ABC and Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style for Bravo, has approached Slater’s attorney with an offer for Slater to appear in his own show.

[...] the show will feature Slater helping people quit their crummy jobs in as spectacular a manner as ever.

Well, this is certainly not the surprise. Perhaps you should give him the call so as to arrange your public exit.

Best case scenario? During the filming of your segment, your latent talent for improvisional humor will be revealed, prompting the producers to offer your own series on the Lifetime network, where it achieves the solid ratings. At which point you will get your revenge by returning to your old place of work, wearing these Dior Intigrante Over-the-Knee Suede and Leather Boots.

Worst case scenario…???

Manolo says, tomorrow night, the fabulous Carmen Steffens with unveil their fall collection, which will contain these handsome boots…

And to celebrate this auspicious event, and these beautiful shoes, Carmen Steffens is giving away the $500 shopping spree.

Hurry and register now! There is less than 24 hours remaining!

Manolo says, frankly, the Manolo is suffering from the summer doldrums, and has need to spice it up the bit with something fun, something like these calf-hair, leopard print, ankle boots from the Brian Atwood.

Is it perhaps too literal that the Manolo thinks of pairing these with something light khaki and safari-inspired? Hatari!