Manolo the Columnist
Manolo says, the Manolo’s most recent column for the Express of the Washington Post it is now available for the downloading. Today, it is the shoes for the super fantastic scientist.
Dear Manolo,I’m a scientist, and my work in the lab requires much standing and walking back and forth. When I was a grad student I wore sneakers, but now that there is a title next to my name, I’d like to wear something more elegant.
Iva
Manolo says, oddly, the Manolo he personally knows many of the brianiac scientists, and he would have to say that sartorially they are the sorry lot, perhaps second only to the mechanical engineers and the German fashion designers in terms of fashion faux pas per minute.
Thank goodness for the lab coat!
And so given the usual standards of dress which the scientists adopt, the Manolo he cannot but be cheered that his friend would seek out professional counsel in the matter of feetwear. It is with such minor victories that the battle against ugliness is won.
Of the course, this quest of the Manolo’s scientific friend, to find the comfortable but also super fantastic and affordable shoes, it is the search for the Holy Grail.
We who are but the humble servants of the shoe, we spend of our lives looking for this elusive and majestic relic, and she who has located it truly has found the “pearl of great price”.
The Manolo he does not say that these shoes from the Stuart Weitzman called the Buckminster (like the Buckminster Fuller!) are as unto the treasures of heaven, but they have the reputation for comfort, and they are in the opinion of the Manolo stylish enough so as to shame the scientific colleagues into wearing something better.
P.S. The Manolo he would also recommend this shoe below from the J.P. Tods as being suitable for the serious and diligent scientist who wishes to be stylish
P.P.S. Engineer Chic!
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Comments
deja pseu 18 years ago
Love those Tod’s!!!
natalie 18 years ago
Thanks be to the Manolo, for the scientists, we are a sorry lot when it comes to the fasion (also, we spill stuff on ourselves). Sadly, we are more likely to have change in our pockets rather than foldin’ money. O wise Manolo, have you the suggestions for the poor scientist who requires a shoe that can withstand challenging substances? With humble gratitude…
SpacePeep 18 years ago
Thank you, Manolo, from the sartorially-challenged mechanical engineers!
In my group, there is only one other engineer who is female, and we are both on the younger side. There is nowhere to look for examples of how to dress for our work. We are a research group, so things are more relaxed than in industry; if we look at the mens, some of them wear the jeans and the polos and the sneakers, and some of them wear the pressed Oxfords and the dress slacks and the business shoes. It is confusing for the young engineer who is ignorant of the fashion (but learning, thanks to the Manolo!).
And to add to the mess, if one dresses too “femme,” with the skirt and the high heels, one is mistaken for the administrative assistant (who is always, in the land of the engineers, the best-dressed person in the office). These are the shoes I have been looking for – low-heeled, but not stumpy or dumpy, and also professional and not too girlish. Many many thanks!
Elvira 18 years ago
SpacePeep, is there anything keeping you from going for the classic looks of the young Katherine Hepburn, with the beautiful pants and expensive-looking blouses?
Manolo, you have done a great service by recommending the shoes for the scientists and other professionals who wear the lab coats.
Fausta 18 years ago
The Manolo, yes, the shoes look good — as long as one doesn’t have to do lab work, or on-site work. For those, it is required to have steel toes and protective soles.
Susanna 18 years ago
My mother was a young laboratory scientist earning a Ph.D. in the 60s. I have some wonderful black and white photos of her in the lab.
She was always turned out in the excellent pants and nicely fitted blouse beneath the lab coat, like the Elvira wisely suggests. Further, despite handling chemicals and needing a mask, she always had a nice manicure, a sleek French twist and tasteful makeup.
Such efforts not only landed her a good degree, but also a handsome Ph.D. who spotted her, immaculately dressed as she was, singing “Mrs. Robinson” to herself while running the mass spectrometer.
Sadly, as a change-in-the-pockets grad student of the 60s with size 11AAAA feet, she had to wear whatever unfortunate shoes she could find. But marrying the well-to-do Ph.D. ultimately gained her access to the finer shoes of the Ferragamo.
The End
jezebella 18 years ago
I clicked on the Engineer Chic post, where you refer to the tasteful watch for the mens’ casual dress look – and perhaps, I thought, Manolo can recommend to me a tasteful watch for the professional attire. I’m a museum curator, so I don’t have to be too conservative, a bit of artiness is okay, but if I’m going to invest in a good watch, I want it to be wearable for years to come. I am a big-wristed girl (not at all delicate) and am often called upon to haul crates and hang paintings in between thinking great thoughts about The Fine Arts. Also, I do not care for the bling, as if that needs to be said, and would prefer to spend less than $500.
I have looked and looked at watch websites and they tend to be all about chronometers for the men who must know what time it is in three international cities, while they are scuba diving or on a submarine, and who wish to spend as much on their watches as I spend on my cars.
Can you help? Do you know someone who can?
xo,
Jezebella
Iva 18 years ago
My beloved Manolo,
THANK YOU :)
Part of my first salary as PhD engineer will go to these Weitzmans!
xoxo
Iva
desertwind 18 years ago
Jezebella, have you looked at the Swiss Army watches? Tres chic and tough enough for the desertwind.
http://www.swissarmy.com/Watches/Product.htm?category=cavalry&product=24529&
Christina 18 years ago
Manolo, this post (and the girl I just saw walk by) reminded me to ask you to please, please, pretty please, write something one day about wearing the *appropriate* shoes for the activity one will be doing? Every single day, I see some girl walking around this college campus wearing pointy-toed, 4 in. high, stilleto heels. These girls will be walking well over a mile, going from class to class, building to building, even just to get lunch, they must hike over to the UC, all on hard concrete or brick surfaces.
No matter how fabulous the shoes, no one looks good in pain, and these girls are obviously in major pain.
Joan 18 years ago
Manolo, thank you so much for this post! I have been meaning to write to you for advice for mom-about-town shoes, and I think these are perfect. I am always running around so I can’t wear stilettos, but I prefer not to wear sneakers unless I’m actually, you know, running, or visiting a playground where there’s sand. These are a lovely, stylish shoe that look comfy, too!
michelle 18 years ago
Yes! Thank you to the Manolo who encourages scientists to dress stylish! I work in a lab and see too many of the fashion faux pas on a daily basis. This is not only limited to the scientists. I believe one can be professional and intelligent while dressing with style!
jezebella 18 years ago
desertwind, that is indeed a good-looking and sturdy watch, and even in my price range. thanks for the link!
AFriend 18 years ago
Hello, Jezebella,
A large boned friend suggested that folks who need a larger wrist size should try diver’s watches. The band is made to fit over a wet suit. If you work with corrosive substances, the plastic divers watches such as Casio look nice, are not expensive and hold up pretty well.
As for those who must wear the work boots, those look nice with full pants. The pants must be long enough. When only the toes of the shoes show, the effect is quite nice. No one will know what sort of shoe it is. The pants don’t even have to be expensive (and probably should not be, since stuff will undoubtedly spill on them).
Have fun and enjoy your work!
CyndiF 18 years ago
My standard of dressing improved dramatically in my first postdoc — the result of working with Italian astronomers, who (the women at least) always looked so chic. Watch out, though–the first pair of Stuart Weizmans are what set me on the road to shoe obsession.