Manolo says, last year, our friends at the Collectors Weekly ran the most fascinating interview with the Elizabeth Semmelhack, author of the book The Heights of Fashion and the senior curator at the Bata Shoe Museum, about the high heels.

This time, the Elizabeth Semmelhack is interviewed about the history and meaning of the flip-flops. Here is the excerpt.

Collectors Weekly: When did it become more acceptable to wear flip-flops outside of the home or during the week?

Semmelhack: Sigerson Morrison made expensive heeled flip-flops at the end of the ’90s. When they made it, it created a buzz because they were also charging quite a bit for those flip-flops. They were not your average $10 flip-flop. I think they cost more than a hundred bucks when they were first offered.

Sigerson Morrison Kitten Heel Thong

The acceptability of the flip-flop is related to the hypersexualization of women’s dress. That’s why my research has been focused on the high heel. The introduction of the sandal—not the flip-flop but the toe-exposing sandal—in the 1930s, was part of a greater trend towards the “nudification,” for lack of a better term, of the female body. I feel that there has been a marked progression toward increased exposure of the female body.

What I find intriguing now is that men have begun to follow suit—perhaps not the best term here. Men are now falling in line with this increased exposure, and it could be argued this increased exposure is starting at their feet. With that increased exposure is concern about male pedicures and all kinds of grooming of the male body. I do see this as part of this larger continuum toward hypersexualization in dress. But if this exposure of the body is related to hyersexualization, I think the question—are flip-flops sexy—also needs to be asked, and I think the answer is no.

Consider the Sigerson Morrison high-heeled flip-flop. At the end of the ’90s, we certainly saw a lot of high-heeled sandal-like evening shoes for women that exuded erotic appeal.

19th Century Japanese Zori

And yet, somehow, that exact same structure, the heeled flip-flop structure wrought in inexpensive plastic, wasn’t. I think that the materials used to make flip-flops, their garish colors and their consistent association with play, has kept the flip-flop from really becoming sexy. On the cover of “Playboy,” you will see women in high heeled thronged sandals, but you don’t see them wearing a pair of flip-flops.

The “nudification” of the female body! This is why the Elizabeth Semmelhack has become one of the Manolo’s favorite fashion intellectuals.

Of the course, she is exactly right. For the past century, the general trend has been the freeing of the female form; bustles, corsets, girdles, and now the panty hose, all gone the way of the dodo bird.

Once the peep-toe shoes were too sexy for the work place, and now, thanks to the modern nudification project, everyone is vajazzaling.

But you must go read the whole thing for it is very interesting.

Manolo says, in America is is the Election Day, and so, let us give the three cheers for the Red, the White and the Blue!

And now, allow the Manolo to gently remind you, if you are the American, to do you civic duty.

Manolo says, it is Wednesday! It is all down the hill from here to the weekend, and what better way to speed it’s progress than with the beautiful red shoes, such as these sophisticated asymmetrical red pumps from Sigerson Morrison?

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, it is summer and the Manolo has returned to Malibu for the season. This year, he was disappointed to learn that the Sigerson Morrison store the Manolo liked to stroll past on his way to Nobu has closed it’s doors, thus sending several tall, thin, tanned, would be models/aspiring actresses/future second wives, out into the unemployment line.

The Manolo is disappointed because he considers Sigerson Morrison to be the sort the public fashion utility, not excessively flashy, but always reliably stylish. They can be depended upon to look good when you need them.

Happily, although the Manolo’s favorite retail location has gone away, Sigerson Morrison shoes persist, and even the better, they are now on the sale!

Look here are several Sigerson Morrison shoes which are selling at more than 50% off of the usual price.

These high-heeled sandals with the clever, strappy details can be yours at the price that is reduced $525 dollars below the normal retail cost.

(more…)

Manolo says, the Manolo’s friends at Zappos are offering several end-of-the-season bargains on the super fantastic Sigerson Morrison shoes.

For the example, these knotted high heel sandals from Sigerson Morrison are over 50% off of the regular price, the true bargain!

And these silvery thong Sigerson Morrison sandals are selling at the discount, over $170 of the American dollars off of the usual price!

And now you must hurry! Before these bargains are disappeared!

Manolo says, the Manolo is enjoying the languorous pace of this week between Christmas and the New Years. Please forgive.

In the meantime, here is some beautiful feetwear from Sigerson Morrison that are discounted for your post Christmas festival of regretful semi-frugality.

This fetching ankle bootie, the 9630 from Sigerson Morrison is discounted nearly 30%, the savings of over $225 of the American dollars.

This stylish classic pump, the 9633 from Sigerson Morrison, would be the excellent addition to your everyday wardrobe, and it is on the sale, also almost 30% off the usual price.