Manolo’s Shoe Blog

Manolo says, Your silvery beams, will bring love dreams.

Manolo says, the New York Times has announced the “first” shoe trend of the new spring!

The snow hadn’t disappeared from the streets of New York and already the first trend of spring could be seen up and down Madison Avenue: the revival of flat ballet-style shoes. In the 1950s, they were a popular alternative to spindly high heels; designers of calf-length full skirts showed their fashions with ballet slippers made by Capezio. At the time, such shoes were not commercially available. But today many manufacturers produce variations of the ballet flat.

The “first trend”? Hardly. The ballet flat has been stylish for at the least the past three seasons.

None the less, here are the few pairs the Manolo finds most attractive.

These flats from the Delman have the most wonderful springy colors.

These are from the French Sole and have the unusual quality of being both elegant and cute. Who knew such the thing was even possible?

Here is another of the shoes of the French Sole, this time in the patent leather, which is also the trend of the season.

Manolo says, tomorrow it is the first day of spring! And what better way to celebrate than with the beautiful and flowery shoes from the Delman!

The blue wedge, with its exuberant floweriness, especially makes the Manolo happy.

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

Dear Manolo,

I’m a work-at-home mother who enjoys fashion but also requires comfort. I need a shoe for the spring that’s not a sneaker; something I can wear to the playground but also out among adults.

Alice
Manolo says, the Alice is the woman after the Manolo’s own heart, one of that ever shrinking minority of peoples who wishes to dress like the adult person and not the teenager or the infantile child.

This is not to say that the Manolo is opposed to the sneaker as the suitable casual wear, indeed he himself has been known to rock the pair of the old school Adidas Rod Lavers.

Rather, it is to note that the Manolo has been recently appalled by the adoption of silly and childish feetwear by the peoples who should know better.

Indeed, the Manolo suspects that it is only the matter of time before his banker, his accountant, his lawyer, and all the justices of the Supreme Court begin to sport the orange plastic clogs, at which point the Manolo will probably give up the things of this world and become the Tibetan monk. Om mani padme blahnik.

Until that time, the Manolo will wage the good fight, recommending shoes like this cute moccasin, the Donna Cyndi 3 from Geox.

Manolo says, here are the few pairs of the bouncy flats for the springtime which have been greatly marked down at the Shoes.com.

These beautiful brocade flats from the Delman they are 50% off of the regular price, the savings of over $160 of the American dollars!

These golden flowery flats from the Hollywould are also 50% off of the usual price, the savings of over $120 of the American dollars!

Finally, here are the flats from the Givenchy which have been reduced 75%!!! The savings of over $350 of the American dollars!

Yes, all of these beautiful shoes are from the previous season, but to the Manolo they still look just as fresh and as pretty as when they first appeared last year, and at these prices who could complain? Sadly, they are availble in the limited sizes, so hurry to see if they have yours in stock.

Manolo says, here from the Missoni is the colorful skimmer which may be relied upon to enliven up your wardrobe. Not only is it fun, but is has the very refined shape.

This combination of color, pattern, and line would announce the wearer’s sophistication.

Manolo says, it is February and the Manolo is tired and sick of the winter, and so to hasten the arrival of the better weather he has decided to give you the early Prada Spring.

Ayyyyyy! The colors, they are so pretty!

Manolo says, it is the President’s Day!

Celebrate by looking at the shoes named for the Presidents!

The Washington from Ecco

The Lincoln from Stuart Weitzman

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

Dear Manolo,

What types of shoes should I wear with a long denim skirt and what is your opinion on wearing sneakers with a long skirt?

Carrie

Manolo says, this is the rare question that presents two potential fashion disasters in the same sentence.

In answer to the first question, what to wear with the long denim skirt, the Manolo would answer “the house slippers”, as he would not want you to leave the home with this upon your body.

The long denim skirt says one of the two things to the Manolo: Yippee Ki Yay! Calamity Jane has finally come to town! Or this woman is the suburban matron on the way to her home canning classes.

As for the wearing of the sneakers with the long skirts, the Manolo would say absolutely not, unless you are a) the 18 year old hottie, in which case you may wear with impunity anything upto and including the burlap sack, or b) if you wish to look exactly like the Jan and the Dean’s “Little Old Lady From Pasadena”.

Go Granny, Go Granny, Go Granny, Go.

What should one wear with the non-denim casual long skirt? The Manolo recommends something like this charming “Work-V” flat from the Delman.