Jerome Rousseau Park Glitter Platform Sandal

Jerome Rouseau Park Glitter Platform Sandal

Manolo says, here is something spectacular to make your Saturday brighter, the Park Glitter Platform Sandal in copper from “wunderkind” designer Jerome Rousseau.

JAN
2011
14

Green Manolo

Manolo says, the Manolo reminds you that there is much good information and entertainment to be had at the Green Manolo.

JAN
2011
14

Tawdry

Sting and Trudie Kissing

The Sting and His Missus, Tongue Wrestling

Manolo says, part eleventy-hundred in the on-going series, the Death of Civilization

“When we see each other, it’s romance. I don’t think pedestrian sex is very interesting,” Sting says in the February issue of Harper’s Bazaar. “There’s a playfulness we have. I like the theater of sex. I like to look good. I like her to dress up. I like to dress her up.”

Don’t peg Sting as the romantic type, either: “We like tawdry,” he said.

Mission accomplished!

(more…)

The Colour Comparisons

Manolo says, sometimes the fashion blogosphere delivers up something wonderful

(more…)

JAN
2011
14

Manolo the Columnist: Heath Tall Riding Boot from Frye

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

Dear Manolo,

I feel left out. I seem to be the only woman in DC who is not wearing a pair of skinny jeans under riding-style/flat boots this winter. I have taken your lessons to heart and am no longer interested in buying cheap shoes, but I don’t want to invest in a trend that will look dated in two years. How can I buy a pair of boots that will be on trend right now but also classic enough to wear for years? (non-black is probably best.)

Amber

Manolo says, to quickly answer this question: the riding boots have never been out of the style, and will never go out of the style. They are the fashion perennial, and every woman should have the pair in her closet.

Yes, today, the girls are wearing them with the skinny hipster jeans tucked into the tops. And the day before yesterday it was the jodhpurs and hacking jackets. And the day after tomorrow, it may be the tie-dyed bubble skirts and tube tops. Who can say, except that the riding boot will still be the useful and attractive part of the wardrobe.

As for the matter of trendiness, the Manolo reminds you that personal style is not dependent upon trendiness. Historically, the most stylish peoples are those who have forged the distinctive and attractive personal look, which may or may not accord with the fads of the moment. And so, the Manolo would tell you to seek out your own personal style and not worry overly much about what the hipster girls are wearing this season, or the next.

Here is the cognac-colored Heath Tall Riding Boot from Frye that is certain to become one of your favorites.

Heath Tall Riding Boots from Frye

Tahra from La Canadienne on the Sale

Tahra Boot from La Canadienne

Manolo says, not only do these boots, the Tahra from La Canadienne, have the virtue of being weatherproof (which is the important virtue, indeed, given the severity of this winter), but they also somewhat, if you squint, resemble the super fantastic Metropolitan Railway Boots about which the Manolo has recently blogged.

And look! They are on the sale, reduced more than $60 of the American dollars from the usual price!

The Question is Not How…

Manolo says, our friend, the inimitable Miss Plumcake, gives us the lesson in how to wear the jeggings.

I have never been a fan of the skinny jean on big girls because it’s such a tricky look to deploy. Big girls, like Tolstoy’s unhappy families are all big (or unhappy) in different ways. Yet back in October my bff Meghan, who was also a plus-size model and is even more beautiful than I am (if you can imagine such a thing), was not just wearing but actively rocking jeggings. My tiny world was turned upside down.

Mais où sont les chaussures d’antan?

Manolo says, one of the Manolo’s internet friends has asked him the question…

Love your column! I went to Starbucks for coffee today and the woman in front of me in line was wearing the perfect shoes. I couldn’t take my eyes off of them and memorized everything I could about them! A quick search on the internet brought them up – Prada, but apparently from long ago. The pair I found online is not my size. Is there any way to find something comparable? Are square toes completely gone? They really were gorgeous. It was the color that was particularly beautiful. Here is a picture:

Prada Square Toe Vintage Pumps

Ubi Sunt? Prada Square Toe Patent Leather Pumps

Can you help??

Claudia

The Manolo will allow François Villon to provide the reply…

Prince, n’enquerez de sepmaine
Où elles sont, ne de cest an,
Qu’à ce reffrain ne vous remaine:
Mais où sont les neiges d’antan!

Sadly, because of the considerations of commerce and the ephemeral nature of the trends and fashions, the shoes that we love the most are often taken out of production by the designers, and never return.

And like Villon thinking about the snows of yesteryear, we feel sad and nostalgic when we remember them, or when we are looking at the pictures of them in our shoe scrapbooks, or when, mirabile dictu, we see them on the feets of the stylish young person we have encountered in the coffee shop.

But, no matter how much we search the online places, such as the eBay, or the vintage stores, or even the thrift shops we cannot find what we desire.

And we are triste, tres triste.

Is there something comparable?

No. It is these exact Prada shoes which the Manolo’s friend desires, and nothing else will fully satisfy.

Are the square toes out?

Over the past few years, the Manolo has become less and less concerned with the trends and the fashion fads. He has become more concerned with the matter of personal style, the thing which rarely accords completely with what is “in” or “out” at the moment.

So, the Manolo’s answer is, square toes will be in if you wear them with enough confidence and panache. This will be true no matter how many peoples around you are wearing the pointy toed shoes.

Other than this, all the Manolo can do is sympathize with the soul-suffering of his internet friend.

JAN
2011
13

Forever Lazy

Forever Lazy Pajamas

Pair With Crocs for Evening Wear Look.

Manolo says, yes, it has come to this. For the people who believe that readjusting the Snuggie when you move from the Barcolounger to the mobility scooter is too much work, comes the Forever Lazy, described as :”the one piece, lie around, lounge around, full body lazy wear!” (Please note that the exclamation mark is in the original, apparently the punctuational celebration of sloth rewarded.)

Put on the Crocs, and head out for the night on the town…Walmart, Applebys, Chuck E. Cheese. The world is your oyster!

Or, stay in and make the sloppy joes! Recline in front of the fire with the one you love; the romantic evening, just the two of you. When the Budweiserly nectar you have been sipping puts you and your partner in the mood, you shall really appreciate the front-and-back, double-zippered hatches!

The Forever Lazy Hatches

For Those Times When You Feel Romantic

Ayyyy! The guarantee of money back? Perfect! It is like the investment, even!

And now the Manolo must go back to bed, as it is raining and the Vandals are approaching Hippo.

P.S. Many thanks to the Manolo’s internet friend Anne for alerting him to this.

P.P.S. Please consider following the Manolo on Twitter and befriending him on the Facebook.

Whose Shoes Wednesday…The Answer!

Manolo asked, whose shoes?

Tina Feys Shoes

Manolo answers, it is the Tina Fey!

Congratulations to the Manolo’s internet friend Rondi for being the first to identify this week personage of note. (Frankly, when the Manolo posted the photos this week, he was certain that no one would be able to identify the Tina Fey, so cheers to the Rondi!)

JAN
2011
12

What the Manolo is Wearing: Timberland Earthkeepers Boots

Timerbland Earthkeepres Leather Boots

Manolo says, two years ago, when the Manolo was living in Argentina, he purchased the pair of these boots, the Timberland Earthkeepers 6″ in preparation for tramping about the wilds of Patagonia. He admits to having been somewhat dubious about them at the time…

“Yes,” the Manolo said to himself, while examining them in the Timberland store in the Patio Bullrich, “they look very good, but they are not terribly expensive. Will they last?”

And now, the Manolo is happy to report that they have given good service over many, many miles, and have become one of the preferred boots for stumbling through the trackless wilderness of the Farmers Market.

JAN
2011
12

Fresh Horror: The Jefferson Slip-On from Native Shoes

John Varvatos Vintage Court Slip-Ons. Perfect in its way.

The Varvatos Vintage Court Slip-On. Perfection.

Plus

The Croc, Scourage of a Generation

The Croc, Scourge of God

Equals

The Jefferson Slip-On from Native Shoes

Jefferson Slip-On from Native Shoes. Horror.

Manolo says, because as everyone knows, if you mix the ounce of sewage with the bottle of
fine wine, you have the most tastiest cocktail ever!

P.S. The tip of the hat to Manolo’s internet friend the Nancy.