Dear Manolo,

I'm completely taken with the latest hot trend, gladiator sandals. Could you recommend a pair for me?
— MARILYN

MANOLO SAYS, like most peoples, when the Manolo hears the word "gladiator," he thinks immediately of the paradoxically thuggish, yet sensitive, Australian he-man Russell Crowe, all shouting and broody, as he hacks his manly-man way across the movie screen, clad only in the mini-skirt, shiny breastplate and fancy leather mandals.

Indeed, not since Victor Mature and Kirk Douglas were the big movie stars in the 1950s have raging testosterone and man sandals been so thoroughly mixed in the mind of the public. And so it is surprising that now, in 2008, the girliest of girls are eagerly wearing these most muy macho of ancient feetwear.

While the Manolo generally approves of the trend, he must caution that not everyone is suited to the style. They work best for young women of particularly feminine shape and demeanor. Others of different configuration may well invite unfavorable comparisons to Cato the Elder.

Of course, if you are going to follow the trend, then the best way to do so is with these costly, golden Giuseppe Zanotti sandals ($654, Zappos.com), which have been spotted most recently on Gwyneth Paltrow, and if that is not the definition of trendy feetwear ...

Photos courtesy Zappos.com

Dear Manolo,

Summer is arriving soon, and I'm eager to get me some new sandals. I want something super-fun and flirty. Please help!
— JILL

MANOLO SAYS, as the old medieval song goes, "Sumer is icumen in, lhude sing cuccu!" which may perhaps be best translated as, "Summer is a coming in, sing the cuckoo crazy loud song," to be traditionally accompanied by the frenzied naked dancings of joy in the nearest meadow. (And to be later followed by the close inspection for hidden Lyme-disease bearing ticks.)

Yes, perhaps the Manolo's interpretation of the 13th-century Middle English lyric is imprecise, but the sentiments expressed in his version are exact, as who could not possibly be filled with joy at the arrival of summer after the long, slushy, dark winter of cold despair? Summer is here! You are happy and must sing, and your toes, which were confined in the stout boots of unloveliness, now wish to run riot in the warm open air.

Wonderfully, this season you can reward your long-suffering toes with the beautiful and festive adornment they deserve, for the bejeweled thong sandals are very much of the moment. Here is the Frey from Betsey Johnson ($235, Zappos.com), the beautiful pink sandal with the fancy embellishment.

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Photo courtesy Zappos.com

Dear Manolo:

I am a congressional page in need of comfortable, yet stylish, black shoes. Our uniform is a navy blazer with gray slacks or a skirt (with which we have to wear nude or black hose). I'm open to almost anything that looks cute. — Caitlin

MANOLO SAYS, ayyyyy! One minute you are sitting in your sophomore social studies class, reading about the founding geniuses, John Adams and George Washington, and the next, thanks to the help of your Uncle Don, the politically active scrap-metal baron, you are in the Senate cloakroom fighting off the inappropriate fumblings of the senior senator from the great state of Inebriation.

That would not be so bad, but now they've discovered text messaging.
SexySolon: whacha doing?
CongessPage: homework.
SexySolon: oooh, hawt, very hawt.
CongressPage: leave me alone u old perv

The Manolo asks, what better way to turn the young junior achiever into the anarcho-syndicalist than by placing her in close proximity to the American political class? For the bright young person with the need to run quickly, the Manolo would recommend the Bouillion Maryjane from Ecco ($124, Zappos.com).

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Dear Manolo,
I am a mom who's building an at-home business. My market is other moms, so I'm often meeting potential customers while out with the kids. I need a shoe that says pulled-together mom/successful businesswoman that can be worn to the park or zoo.
—LAURA

MANOLO SAYS, it is lamentable, but the only truly suitable outfit for the mother of the young children is something similar to the toxic-waste coveralls, cheap clothing that can be incinerated after being soaked in mucus, playground dirt and partially masticated arrowroot cookies.

Indeed, it is only with great effort that one can avoid the modern American version of the biohazard suit: the college sweatshirt and mommy jeans. But, avoid it you must, for you are young and ambitious, and have plans for economic world domination. As in many things, you should take as your model the redoubtable Martha Stewart, who has perfected the entrepreneurial homemaking millionaire look: pressed and preppy, aggressively comfortable and no-nonsense.

Here is the Prari Cristina, the casually elegant, Italian wedge-heel loafer that would look perfect with jeans or khakis.

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Dear Manolo:

I am a graduate student, and I will be on the teaching staff for a course taught in Rome this summer that will involve walking up to six hours each day. The professor leading the course strongly recommends not wearing open-toed sandals.
— LAUREN

MANOLO SAYS, frankly, the Manolo is somewhat perplexed by the professorial injunction against the sandals of open-toedness. Is the professor perhaps worried about foot comfort while walking? Respectable professional appearance for the teaching? The possibility that young Italian men will importune the assistant because she has exposed her alluring graduate student toes?

Whatever the reason, this restriction seems odd, for after all, did not the Romans themselves wear the sandals? And, as the saying goes, when in Rome, do as if the Romans did, especially if the gladiator sandals are super-hot this season. But, graduate students must generally heed the wishes of their professors, and so the Manolo would recommend these, the Stefany 05 from Geox ($114, Zappos.com), the exceedingly comfortable shoe that has the technology that "breathes" the sweat away from the foot.

Ask the Manolo a question at manolo@shoeblogs.com. Visit the Manolo at shoeblogs.com.

My son is getting married in May, and my daughter-in-law-to-be has requested a mother-son dance at the reception. What would you suggest? — KAY

MANOLO SAYS: Ayyyy! Cuidado! The wedding preparation season is upon us! Herds of demented, carnivorous brides-to-be are now stalking the countryside, rampaging in search of the perfect wedding favor, besieging the manufacturers of Jordan almonds with angry questions, and generally making intolerable the lives of photographers, florists, caterers and their close relatives.

Happily, as long as she is not the meddlesome type, the Mother of the Groom is usually exempt from the wrath of the bridezilla. Her role in festivities is limited to being escorted down the aisle before the ceremony, and the mother-and-son dance at the reception. Of the course, if the bridezilla has (as she inevitably will) seized control of the music programming, the poor Mother of the Groom may find herself having to learn the steps to Missy Elliot's "Get Ur Freak On". But, this is the small price to pay to see one's son happily married.
Here is the Emily from Kate Spade ($279, Zappos.com), the pretty, strappy silver sandal.

Photo courtesy Zappos.com

Dear Manolo:

As you know better than anyone, the hottest trend for spring is crazy sculptural heels. While I would love to have some outrageous Miu Miu pumps, I'm just a poor working girl. Can you recommend something outrageous that isn't outrageously priced?
— CHRISSY

MANOLO SAYS, last fall, when Miuccia Prada introduced her crazy-colorful pumps with the flower-stem heel, anyone with half the eyeball could see that this was the next big trend. Soon, other shoe designers rushed to add various shiny baubles, trinkets, gewgaws, gimcracks and folderols to their spring shoes. And, lo, the fashion press thought it was good. ... The Manolo, not so much.

The problem isn't that the Manolo doesn't enjoy the occasional outrageously ornamented shoe — indeed, he does. The problem, however, is that so many of the designers do not do them well. For every wonderful Miu Miu teacup platform pump, there are 20 shoes that look as if the simpleton got busy with the glue gun and craft knife. Happily, there is John Fluevog, the one designer who was doing sculptural heels when sculptural heels were not trendy. Here is the Truly by Fluevog ($241, Zappos.com), the colorful peep-toe pump with the fantastic heels and the not so outrageous price.

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Photo courtesy Zappos.com

Dear Manolo:

I'm in the market for some fun, flirty, feminine spring shoes. The only problem is that I have hideous feet. — CHRISTINE

MANOLO SAYS, how the Manolo sympathizes with his many friends who have unsightly feets. Truly, it is the curse! When the weather turns warm after many months of frigidity, your toes wish to run free, manumitted from the leathern prisons in which you have confined them these many months. But if you have the ugly feets, this cannot happen, for fear that your toes will terrorize the townsfolk.

Yes, it is true, your toes have nothing but good intentions, they mean well, and they are not harmful to others; they are just misunderstood. But that will not prevent shouting and angry villagers, armed with pitchforks and torches, from chasing your toes back into their dark hiding places!

Better to avoid this embarrassing scene and keep your monstrous shame safely hidden in closed-toe shoes in festive spring colors.

Look, here is the Rona from Donald J. Pliner ($259, Zappos.com), the bright pointy-toed mule that is perfect for wearing with the white cropped pants and the summer tan.

Photo courtesy Zappos.com

Dear Manolo:

As you know, Easter Sunday is coming up soon, and I need a new pair of shoes suitable for the occasion. Can you recommend something that captures the joyfulness of the season? — MARIA

HOW THE MANOLO loves the spring, when the flowers bloom, the birds sing, the bees buzz and the bridezillas rampage. It is the season of joy and shouting. Even better, spring is that season when the young Manolo's fancy turns to thoughts of shoes!

Happily, this year there are many seasonally appropriate shoes about which to think. Indeed, among the hottest trends of this new year are the colorful, bright and shiny shoes. All of the shoe stores are now completely full to the brim with marvelous patent leather shoes in reds, and yellows, greens, and pinks; truly, the entire rainbow of colors is available.

Of the course, Easter requires something in the pink, something that allows the toes to run riot in the open air, something like these coral, patent-leather, peep-toe pumps, the Ilga from the Bally ($469, Zappos.com). Do they not fully express the happiness one experiences this time of the year?

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Photo courtesy Zappos.com

Dear Manolo:

Last fall, after eight years as a stay-at-home mom, I finally went back to work as a college teacher. I now realize that I have nothing to wear on my feet when the weather gets warm except a pair of old Tevas. Please help me. - CATHY

MANOLO SAYS, ayyyy! The shock of the returning-to-work mother! One minute you are in your kitchen wearing the sweatshirt covered with peanut butter and squeezable yogurt, and the next you're standing before your class having just threatened the disruptive student with the "mother of all time-outs, young man!"

But fear not, your experience as the parent will be useful. For, after all, explaining why the sky is blue to your 3-year-old is only slightly less difficult than getting the hulking All-American nose tackle to understand the three stages of the Hegelian dialectical process.

Of the course, first you need the shoes suitable to your new and intimidating station as the professor of useful knowledge. Shoes that say, "pay attention to me, for I am bringing you information that will enrich your life."

Here is the Gloria, the sand-colored patent leather slingback from Cole Haan ($189); the perfect combination of comfort and style.

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