Manolo says, ankle strap flats, they are in the style this season!

Flat Ankle-Strap Sandals from Marc by Marc Jacobs Very charming, yes?

The Illia from Kate Spade. Sort of semi-gladiator-ish, but not really.

Thong Flat Ankle Strap Sandals from Giuseppe Zanotti. This one is the favorites of the Manolo, as the color is perfect for virtually any of your outfits, and is something you could wear until the very start of fall.

Manolo says, the weather out side is frightful, but these sunny, over-the-top, fantastically embellished, Giuseppe Zanotti high-heeled sandals are delightful, in the sort of ridiculous, wacky, child-like way.

Manolo says, compare and contrast the following two shoes from Giuseppe Zanotti.

Manolo says, when the Manolo’s shoe-obsessed friend Wayne pointed out these two Giuseppe Zanotti shoes to the Manolo, the Manolo’s initial reaction was to laud the first for it’s combination of classical beauty and sublime construction, while deploring the second for its irrational science-fictiony exuberance.

And yet…the longer the Manolo considers the second shoe, the more he has reconciled himself to its over-the-topness. Indeed, the Manolo now believes that the right rock-n-roll girl could make this shoe work for her in the right conditions with the exact right attitude and outfit. Everyone else should select the first, which is undeniably beautiful.

Of the course, the real question is how can two such very different shoes, which share almost nothing in the way of aesthetic vision, be produced by the same designer?

The answer is, that they are not. There are clearly two different designers at work in the Zanotti atelier.

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

Dear Manolo,

I like a woman who has beautiful feet but unexciting taste in shoes. So I had the great idea to buy her a pair of heels as a gift, and I need your help. I’m looking for something hot and sexy to make other men jealous, but of course with her comfort in mind. What do you think?

Peter

Manolo says, generally, the Manolo counsels against the man giving shoes to the woman as the surprise gift, mainly because of the problem of sizing.

However, in this case, it is clear that the Manolo’s friend has closely studied the shapely sexy feets of his fine, fine lady, and thus is probably well acquainted with their needs.

Sadly, even with that, the Manolo’s friend is somewhat deluded if he thinks the Manolo, the mere mortal man, can find him the super-sexy-hot comfort shoe. Such miraculous holy relics exist only in the medieval fantasy world of valiant Arthurian knights in service to chaste maidens. And, like the Holy Grail, this will-o-the-wisp will always be just beyond the grasp of all but the purest-hearted

Still, as Sir Percival can tell you, sometimes the quest for perfection is everything.

Look, here is the E90341 from Guiseppe Zanotti, the costly but exceedingly beautiful crystal and patent leather sandal. Is it comfortable? Who knows! Is it sexy? Yes, emphatically!

Manolo says, the Manolo has been predicting the end of the ultra-extreme towering heels for many months now, and at last it has come to pass, as announced by Leon Andre Talley himself.

Designers with an obsession for towering torture chambers, often poorly designed for the well-being of the foot, must get a reality check. I, for one, am over the mania for the high, high heel. Too many career women look like a herd of fashion beasts, aping one another in impractical shoes . . . Can’t anyone take a cue from First Lady Michelle Obama, in the elegant low-heeled shoes she always wears? A flat would be nice.

Of the course, the reason that the First Lady wears the flats has less to do with the comfort and more to do with her amazonian stature.

Be that as it may, the Manolo agrees that the heels had gone beyond what was both advisable and attractive. It was time for the predictable reaction, the return to more practical shoes.

Thus, the old hotness.

Ridiculous shoes in which you cannot walk.

Versus, the new hotness.

The Low Heels of High Spark Girls.

Manolo says, the Manolo’s friends at the Piperlime are having the giant sale this week, with price reductions of up to 40 percent!

Here are some of the Manolo’s favorite deals.

The beautiful strappy golden sandal from Jean-Michel Cazabat that has been reduced in price more than $200 of the American dollars.

The glamorous slingbacks from Delman reduced 40% from the usual price.

This exceedingly fun and funky wedge slides from Giuseppe Zanotti, on the sale at more than $300 off of the normal price.

Hurry now to see the other exceptional deals at Piperlime.

Manolo says, here is something new and beautiful from Giuseppe Zanotti. the strappy, high-heeled sandal with the unusual crystal ornamentation.

This is perhaps one of the most stunning shoes the Manolo has ever seen from Giuseppe Zanotti, truly among his best work.

Manolo says, it is Monday, and undoubtedly the Boss-Man is already breathing down your neck with his unreasonable demands.

What you need to put him in his place is something that is simultaneously beautiful, sexy, and powerful, something like these amazing Giuseppe Zanotti boots. These are boots that say, “do not trifle with me, Mr. Bully, for I am the person of great taste and infinite resourcefulness. Cross me at your own peril!”

Manolo says, the Manolo absolutely loves everything about these red Giuseppe Zanotti Sandals with the sparkly crystal decorations on the toe ring. They are the very definition of the super fantastic. However, the Manolo must admit that the price made him briefly blink.

Manolo says, here it is the last Monday in June and you are still chained to your desk, working for the man every night and day. But the girl can dream, can she not?

And what better way to dream than by thinking of shoes, beautiful shoes from Italian designers in exotic metallic colors, such as these expensive anthracite and gold toe-ring sandals from the Giuseppe Zanotti.

Manolo says, there were 53 entries for the Build the Outfit contest at the Manolo’s Super Fantastic Forums.

The Manolo jumbled up the entries and randomly picked one name from his hat. And the super fantastic winner was the MiscMama, who submitted the entry which paired the Giuseppe Zanotti geometric wedge sandals with this green purse, the white sunglasses, and this simple Isaac Mizrahi white dress from the Target.

As the prize the MiscMama will recive the $100 gift certificate from the Zappos!

There were many entries which were quite praiseworthy, look at this one from the
Manolo’s internet friend the Edot…

The Manolo liked this one so much that he has decided to award the Edot the super unnanounced second prize of the $50 gift certificate from the Zappos.

Congratulations to the winners!

And now you may browse through all of the entries at the Manolo’s Super Fantastic Forums.

Manolo says, today, in honor of his new forums, the Manolo is starting the new game: Build the Outfit.

The Manolo gives you the shoes, and you tell him what you would wear with these almost-but-not-quite tacky platform shoes from the Giuseppe Zanotti.

In order to participate you must register at the Manolo’s new Super Fantastic Forums and leave your reply in this thread.

On Friday afternoon, the Manolo will randomly pick the winner from among the participants and give them the $100 Zappos gift certificate!