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 poor girl starting at the bottom of the corporate ladder, and I need something that is both cheerful and not terribly expensive to wear to work this spring.
Laura
Manolo says, ah the bottom of the corporate ladder. How the Manolo remembers those long ago days in his first job, starting on the lowest rung as the Second Assistant Shoeshine Boy in the shoe shop of the Mercurio Albornoz y Bahamonde.
Yes, the pay was not much—the few fistfuls of pesetas and all the lunchroom leftovers he could steal—but the opportunity for advancement was unlimited.
And through hard work and dedication and the long and arduous hours of polishing the Manolo eventually managed to climb the ladder of success, all the way up to the exalted position of Associate Shoeshine Boy in Charge of Laces! He even had his own corner box on which he could squat while he labored!
Ayyyyyy! Those were heady days of success for the young Manolo.
But, then, sadly, the shoe shining was outsourced to street urchins and the Manolo found himself having to start all over again at the ripe age of thirteen. But such is corporate life.
Here is the Cargo from the Franco Sarto, the cute and breezy wedge heel shoe that would enliven the spring day of corporate climbing.
Manolo says, here is the Manolo’s latest column for the Express of the Washington Post.
Dear Manolo,
I’ve been invited to Thanksgiving dinner at my new boyfriend’s home in Richmond. The problem is that I’m a New York girl, and from the way he talks it sounds like his family is still waiting for the South to rise again. Please help.
Rachel
Manolo says, to the Manolo this it sounds like the set up for the dreadful romantic comedy.
You know the sort; the boyfriend’s stern-but-essentially-sweet father is known to all as “Daddy Frank”, and the mother is the sassy-but-wise southern lady enacted by the Sally Fields. Add in the fat boyhood friend named Bubba, the pining old flame Ashley Sue, and the usual assortment of the wacky-but-loveable relatives, played with stereotypical broadness by the well-known character actors, and you have all of the elements of the perfect Matthew McConuaghey/Jennifer Anniston flop.
Happily, life is not so predictable, and the Southerners, like everyone else, are much more complex and interesting than the usual stereotypes allow.
So the Manolo would tell you to relax and be yourself, although, he would also tell you to somewhat moderate the edgy, New York hipster all-black with something more lady-like, perhaps like this playful Mary Jane style wedge from the Cordani, which would look good with either the pants or the skirt.
Manolo says, this shoe, the mini leopard clog from the Prada, the Manolo absolutely loves. It is the very definition of the super fantastic!
Manolo says, the latest column of the Manolo it is now available at the website of the Express of the Washington Post.
The topic, it is the tribulations of the congressional aide.
Dear Manolo,I’m an aide to a member of the House of Representatives and my job requires that I do lots of walking up and down the corridors of the Capitol. As you would imagine, I’m not very well paid, but I still need professional looking shoes. Please help me.
Miranda
Manolo says, the Manolo he can think of few jobs more demanding and less appreciated than to be the assistant to the congressperson.
It is like being the governess for the very head-strong and naughty young child, whom you must continually retrieve from one potentially dangerous or embarrassing situation after the next.
You are in charge of so many important things, such as arranging all of the play-dates with the lobbyists, and insuring that the committee homework gets done on time. You must endure the silly temper tantrums graciously and make certain that the self-esteem of your congresschild is properly cultivated.
You must do all of this, and yet, you are under appreciated, under paid and may be discharged at any moment, on the merest whim.
This is why the Manolo thinks you owe it to yourself to have he beautiful and comfortable shoes, because if you do not reward you, who will?
Here is most fun and attractive new wedge-heel kiltie from the Stuart Weitzman, the shoe which will look very smart this fall as you go about your important duties.
Manolo says, the latest column of the Manolo, it is available for the downloading at the website of the Express of the Washington Post.
The topic it is the wedding on the Vermont lawn.
Dear Manolo,
I’ve been invited to a friend’s wedding in Vermont. The ceremony and the reception will be outdoors, on a lawn and I’ve been advised it will be “semi-formal”. Please help me.
Brittany
Manolo says, what could be more possibly romantic and New Englandy than the outdoors wedding in the Vermont. Such natural beauty, such interesting peoples!
Indeed, one imagines the reception with the hairy Birkenstock-wearing guests clomping over to the cheddar cheese fountain, their dogs next to them wearing the semi-formal bandanas, and mira! There is the bride! Is she not stunning in her couture L.L. Bean gown?
Of the course, all is not perfect in this Northeastern paradise, especially if the Brittany she must herself traipse over the typical Vermont “lawn”, the word which in other places might better be translated as “the pasture”, or perhaps, “the swamp”.
Thus the shoe of the Brittany must have the stylish wedge heel, so as to prevent the sinking. And it must also be somewhat sturdy, as maybe later there may even be the “barn dance” featuring the Phish cover band.
Here, then is the Tassel from the Cynthia Rowley, the handsome suede wedge in the light green that will look good no matter what the Green Mountains bring.
Manolo says, the latest column of the Manolo it is now available for the downloading from the website of the Express of the Washington Post.
It is the Day of Memorializing! Celebrate!
Dear Manolo,Memorial Day is almost here. Can you pick me out a white shoe in honor of this annual fashion milestone.
Sofia
Manolo says, at the last! The summer it is officially here! Let the suffering begin!
It is not the secret that the summer in the District of the Columbia, it can be unpleasant. The humidity and the heat they are oppressive, and the mosquitos they are as thick and as importuning as the candidates asking for the contributions.
It is this latter fact which always makes the Manolo give thanks to the person who invented the electronic zapper of the bugs. This clever device it kills the pests while the electric blue sparks provide us with hours of joyful entertainment.
If only the zapper it could be produced in the extra-strength congressperson size, then this city of Washington, truly it would be the Garden of Eden.
Of the course, the Manolo he has his own ways of surviving the unpleasantness of summers in this climate, most of which involve leaving, and/or never returning. However, there is the other possiblity, which it is to put on the cooling cotton clothing and the white summery shoes and stride out into the wilting world with the attitude of good cheer.
This it is why the Manolo is so very fond of the resort shoes of the Lilly Pulitzer, because they are the epitome of the summer cool. This one, called the Juicy, it is exactly what the weather demands.
Manolo says, the Manolo’s latest column for the Express of the Washington Post it is now available.
Today, the Manolo speaks of growing older
Dear Manolo
I am turning 30 in August, and I want to celebrate in a most fabulous way. I thought perhaps the perfect festive birthday shoe would serve as inspiration for the whole event. [ I should also mention that I am still but a poor working girl.]
Rebecca
Thirty year of the age? It is indeed the time for celebration!
How the Manolo fondly rememebers the festivities which surrounded his own passage into the fourth decade of his life. There was much weeping and the rending of the clothes, as the Manolo, Peter Pan like, attempted to cling to the last green-colored scraps of his fading, be-tighted youth.
But, youth, like all good things must come to the end, and we must all proceed inexorably into the next stage of life, where the clothes will be less colorful and the pirate enemies more dangerous.
Happily, we will always have the shoes to accompany us on our arduous journey to the grave.
Thus the Manolo he cannot but approve of any plan that features the beautiful shoes.
And because the Rebecca, she will be celebrating the full summer flower of life in the most appropriate month of August, the Manolo he would recommend the flowered Caprice wedges from the Nicole Miller.
Not only are they perfect for the August hot birthday party, but they are also available in the rainbow of colors, and are on the deep discount sale at the Zappos, 40% off the usual price!
Manolo say, the most recent column of the Manolo for the Express of the Washington Post it is now available for the downloading.
Today, the Manolo receives the request from the young reader.
Dear Manolo,I was wondering if you could help me pick out a pair of wedges. It’s kind of complicated because I am only 12 years old, soon to be 13. I am also mostly broke. I would love for you to reccomend to me a pair of springy summer wedges that I can afford and are not too expensive.
Sincerely, a Young Admirer,
Margo
Ayyyyyyy! This sort of the letter is is so very gratifying!
It demonstrates that the Manolo’s insidious scheme to implant the love of the super fantastic shoes into the hearts of younger generation, it is succeeding. Soon, legions of the pre-teens will be following the advice of the humble shoeblogger, stalking through the local malls looking for the boutiques of the Jimmy Choo and the Marc Jacobs.
Of the course, the Manolo he also loves this letter because it is so simple and innocent, and because it does not contain the laundry list of the various ailments and malformations of the feets.
Yes, it is true, even the Manolo experiences the compassion fatigue.
Sometimes he wearys of hearing about the bunions and the hammer toes and the questions that begin “does Christian Louboutin make shoes for my size 17 feet, which by the way, are also exceedingly flat and excessively wide?”
There is so much suffering in the world, and the Manolo can do so little to alleviate it.
But, look! It is now spring! And the young Margo needs the new shoes!
So, here is cute and affordable pair of the espadrille wedges from the Somethin’ Else by Skechers. Are they not, just like the letter from the Margo, adorable?
