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

Dear Manolo,

I’m going to Paris soon, and because I am no longer the tireless young woman I was when I last visited, I’ll need good shoes. Are there super fantastic shoes for days and days of walking? I’d even settle for semi-fantastic.

Kenna

Manolo says, this story is so common: many years ago, when you were young and lithe, you cavorted about Europe in high-heeled mary janes and bright red stilettos, your youthful feets able to quickly recover from whatever indignities you inflicted upon them.

Now, thanks to Father Time, you walk down the block at lunchtime to get your customary tuna hoagie, Snapple, and lottery ticket and your feets curse you.

“Ayyyyy!” they scream, “You are killing us with your addiction to the Powerball Pick-Six! You should be satisfied with the office football pool and something from the vending machine, you harridan.”

And, now you are not looking forward to when you will announce to them your plans for the walking tour of the Seventh Arrondissement.

But, fear not, for the Manolo now suggests to you the AAA from the Donald Pliner in the black silk elastic. This is the good basic shoe, one that is said to be exceedingly comfortable and yet would look very stylish with the pants.

Manolo says, here is the Rock from Donald J. Pliner, in the black suede and the brown antique “gator”.

The Manolo finds this shoe ever so faintly Marie Antoinette-ish, but in the good ball-gowns-and-frippery way, not in the “Let-them-eat-cake” while-being-dragged-to-the-guillotine way.

Manolo says, here is the simple wedge from the Donald J. Pliner which would be perfect for wearing to the lazy brunch at that waterside restaurant so favored by the man with curly blond hair and the dimpled chin.

Manolo says, once again the Posse Manolo has been on the polite and well-heeled rampage through the mean-girl streets of the Beverly Hills.

And as always, there is much to see on the Robertson Boulevard, such as the angry and importuning papparazzi swarms, the re-engineered faces of the ladies who lunch, and the occasional glimpse of the celebrity of no consequence.

Such things, although remarkably entertaining, are the not the point of the trip to the 90210.

In the stead, it is the shoes!

And here are two of the Manolo’s favorites purchased by the members of the Posse during the day spent on the prowl.

First the beutiful, gold sandals from the Miu Miu

And then the simple, t-strap sandal in the antique bronze from the Donald J. Pliner.

Both of these they have the understated panache that the Manolo finds appealing in those women who do not need to obsessively seek out the attention of the press.

As for the luncheon while shopping, the Manolo politely suggests this place, the Michelia Nouvelle, as being the relaxed and tasty alternative to the power-based snobbery of the Ivy.

Manolo says, this anklestrap shoe from the Donald Pliner it has the clean, classic look and the understated detailing that appeals very much to the Manolo.

Manolo says, here is the latest column of the Manolo.

Dear Manolo,

Can you recommend for me a fabulous boot? I wear a size 11N.

Rita

Manolo says, the size eleven narrow? Ayyyy! You have the Jackie O/Paris Hilton foot! You are indeed lucky to have the gigantic, elegant, aristocratic feets of the famosas. Dress accordingly.

Happily, for the Rita, and the other big feeted girls, there are many more of the big feeted shoes available, this it is because the feets of the modern woman they are much larger than before, nearly three sizes bigger since the 1950s. They are now, on the average, the impressive eight and the half.

We have indeed become the race of the Sasquatches!

If you are looking for the fabulous boot in the long narrow size, the Manolo he recommends to you the Leean from the Donald J. Pliner. It is the simple, classic, alluring boot that is available in the sizes you need.

Manolo says, Ayyyyy! The animal prints they are everywhere this season!

First the spectacular one from the Dolce and the Gabbana.

Then the semi-practical one with the round toe, from the Kenneth Cole.

Finally, if you are going to wear the animal prints, do not be shy. The super fantastic girl who would wear these boots from the Donald Pliner she is indeed the creature of dangerousness.

Manolo says, the Manolo’s internet friend the Wayne (who is the veritable fount of the shoe information) has sent the Manolo the link to the excellent article about the Donald J. Pliner. Here is the sample.

Pliner, whose “foot fetish” began as a child, worked as an apprentice to his father Leo, who owned Pliner’s Florsheim Family Shoe Stores. Today, almost 40 years after opening his first retail store, Pliner owns six concept boutiques across the nation, including his store at the Forum Shops at Caesars, one of his strongest locations in the country.

“Right now, I’m in Los Angeles getting ready to design the fall 2006 (collection). I come here and go to stores, restaurants and clubs and get various ideas from watching people,” said Pliner of his creative process.

“I go looking around to see if there’s something I missed, then look at people — especially in LA — and start going through my old sketches,” he said. “Somewhere along the line, I come up with the color idea and start coming up with my themes.”

With styles ranging in price from $195 to $600 for men and $175 to $475 for women, Pliner offers luxury footwear at one of the most affordable prices around. For his fall 2005 collection, his themes involve western flair, innovative design and loads of color. And men will be pleased to know Pliner’s liberal use of color includes them too.

“Between the entertainment industry, music and hip hop industry, (fashion) is changing dramatically,” Pliner said.

“Color has really snuck very quietly back into the wardrobe. There’s been a whole change in attitude in men’s dressing, so the typical men’s shoe is changing.

As a retailer, I’m trying to offer a lot more. One of our new colors is called tomato. It’s an antique red and it’s flying out of the stores.”

Not only has the Manolo been the longtime fan of the Donald J. Pliner, but he has even in the past recommended the tomato colored shoes of the Donald J. Pliner!

Manolo says, the first holiday weekend of the summer it is here, and so the girl she needs the sandals for the trip to the shore to celebrate the arrival of the new season.

This limey-greeny shoe from the Beverly Feldman it is has the bow made of the rafia that makes the Manolo think of late afternoon, beach-side cocktails in the Hamptons.

This sandal from the Donald J. Pliner, it has the flat heel that makes it most suitable for the beach, but with the beaded flower on the upper, it will make you stand out from the rude masses wearing the plastic flip-flops.

And either of these, would they not look good with the pareo or the sarong?

Manolo says, the weekend of the Memorial Day it is fast approaching, and this sandal from the Donald J. Pliner, it is the fun shoe for the beginning of the summer season.

It has the late afternoon color of the sangria with the oranges slices floating on the top.

Manolo says, the thumbs-up image of the Donaldus Minimus, it has put the Manolo in the mind of the Classical World, and this, of the course, it means that the Manolo he is thinking of the gilded sandals of the classical inspiration.

Manolo says, these are, from the top, the sandals of the Donald Pliner, Isaac Mizrahi, and the Bruno Magli. And in any of them you would look like the Aphrodite emerging from the sea, or perhaps the Artemis on the hunt.

Manolo says, one of the Manolo’s many internet friends has asked the Manolo the question.

I am currently searching for the shoes to wear with the jeans. I already have the super fantastic calf-high boots (including the Fryes), but the shoes, they are hard to find. I am a bit of the tough chic, so they must not be, how you say, too girly. I want the shoes of the substance with the sophisticated silhouette (the ankle boots, they are okay, if you can recommend any). Also, they must have the bit of the heel, as I cannot walk in the flat shoes or the wedge soles.

Manolo says, there are many shoes that the Manolo would reccomend for the wearing with the jeans, however, if you are looking for the “tough chic” shoes of the quality, the Manolo he would recommend the shoes of the Donald J. Pliner.

Frequently, too many of the peoples, when they talk of the tough girl, they think of the clunky shoes, but this one above, it is chic, it is tough, but it is also most stylish. It even has the matching handbag.

This ankle boot from the Pliner it the no-nonsense shoe, indeed, the super fantastic girl who wears this boot would brook no interference from the gallery of the peanuts.

Manolo says, by the way, the Manolo he has talked before about the tough girl boots of the Donald J. Pliner. They are indeed super fantastic.