A-Z of Shoes, Part 3

M is for Manolo Blahnik.
If Jimmy Choo is synonymous with ultra stylish, then Spanish born Manolo Blahnik is the byword in glamorous, feminine footwear. Blahnik’s reputation as the king of the sexy, playful stiletto was cemented by the frequent mentions that his gorgeous shoes garnered in Sex And The City.  Frequently featuring heels up to 14cm high, and often decorated with such girly, quirky details as a pair of glass cherries, or a jewelled butterfly, these shoes are true footwear icons.  The best place to view Manolo’s handiwork is at the Neiman Marcus department store website – www.neimanmarcus.com

M is also for Mary-Janes. 
This slightly schoolgirlish style of shoe features a strap which buttons across the instep.  The Mary-Jane can be as glamorous or as understated as you like, with varying heel heights, and round or pointed toes. There is barely a decade in recent fashion history that hasn’t embraced the Mary-Jane in some form or another, and these beautiful shoes certainly deserve their popularity.

And, M is for mules, which are any kind of open, backless slip-on shoe.

N is for nice, as in nice feet. 
With Spring and Summer comes flip-flops, peep-toes, sandals, mules and all manner of revealing shoes, so you need to think about your feet.  Well moisturised, immaculately clean and beautifully pedicured feet are the only types that should be out on display.  So, lots of moisturiser (the Body Shop makes an excellent soothing peppermint foot cream), a proper pedicure and pretty (and neatly trimmed) buffed or polished toenails are the order of the day.

O is for open-toed (also known as peep toe) shoes or sandals. 
This look, worn well, is fabulous.  A hint of wartime dancehall, or a touch of seventies boho style, the peep toe shoe has a real retro glamour feel. Just remember, if your toenails are going to be on show, make sure they are neatly trimmed and prettily polished.  And if you’re going to wear any hosiery with your open-toed shoes, make sure that the toe seams are completely hidden.

P is for platform shoes. 
Popular in the seventies and again in the nineties, these cork or wooden heeled shoes are definitely not for the faint hearted.  The trick to choosing platforms is to think long and hard about what you intend to wear them with.  Remember, a heavier looking shoe needs a heavier looking outfit, while a lighter, strappier shoe works well with summery clothing.  And trick number two for those wishing to scale the heights of footwear?  Practice at home.  Gorgeous as platforms can be, the higher the heel, the easier it is to fall off, so wear them in at home a bit before venturing out into the world.

P is also for patent. 
From little girlhood all the way into womanhood, no show will ever say ‘party shoe’ the way a patent leather one will.  Give them an occasional buffing with a dab of Vaseline and a soft cloth, and these shoes will take you out dancing for years to come.

P is also for peep-toe (see ‘open toe’) and ‘pedicure’ (see ‘nice feet’)

Q is for quiet. 
This is the first rule of shoe etiquette – if you live in an upstairs flat or apartment, especially one with polished boards, please do get into the habit of taking your heels off whenever you’re home! Anyone who has ever had the misfortune of living beneath somebody whose movements can be charted by following where the annoyingly loud clicking sound is coming from, will tell you that nothing creates neighbourly disharmony like a stiletto symphony floating down from above!

R is for red. 
Every girl should own a pair of red shoes.  Whether you think of Dorothy in her ruby slippers, Moira Shearer in The Red Shoes, or Kate Bush singing about hers, you’ll know that all good things come to those with scarlet footwear.

Watch out for the fourt and final part of the A-Z of shoes next week!