We love shoes at Ped—no surprise there!—but we’re also crazy about accessorizing them with socks! Sure, Ped’s shoes are comfortable barefoot, but pairing them with the fun funkiness of a pair of Antipast or Mia Zia socks gives a whole new twist to their personalities! And socks aren’t just for chilly days anymore—wearing a cute pair with sandals is all the rage on the runways this year!

Think how sassy any of the following would look with, say, Fiorentini + Baker’s Eliza Oxford, Vialis’s Eloisa, or even Chie Mihara’s Yoisho (for those of you who like to go bold with your style)!

It’s always a party at Ped HQ when we get a shipment from Antipast! Mother-daughter team, Emiko and Junko take such a playful approach to design. One of our Antipast favorites this season is the La Vie en Rose ankle sock:

A garden of flowers bloom across this sweet number, but what makes it really special is the sheer area just below elastic ruching at the top! Innovative and eye-catching!

Another dazzler, which looks particularly great with a knee-length or shorter skirt, is Antipast’s Spangle Knee High:

Fun and bubbly! We smile every time we look at the way the looping part of the pattern combines with the ruffly top! (We also have Antipast’s Spangle goodness in a trouser-length sock.)

An even more colorful, bubbly style is Antipast’s Puzzle Dots Sock:

There’s an ongoing debate in the warehouse about whether this trouser-length sock looks more like lollipops or a colorful honeycomb. One thing we all agree on, though, is how fab it is! (Ped also has the Puzzle Dots pattern in a knee-high.)

Everyone knows how much we go gaga for stripes. Happily, both Antipast and Mia Zia have satisfied our stripe craving this spring! First, Antipast’s Beach Chair Knee High:

This zesty knee high is perfectly named because its stripes recall those great canvas chairs we love to lounge in by the sea! If you like your socks on the shorter side, though, the Beach Chair stripes are also available in trouser-length.

Mia Zia also has stripes galore for adding zing to your spring and summer:

For stripe lovers, it doesn’t get any better than Mia Zia’s cottony-wonderful Mini Stripe socks! (They also come in a knee-high version.) Here’s an idea for a modern look:

That’s Mia Zia’s Mini-Stripe sock in Olive paired with the Vialis Eloisa.

For sheer, unabashed fun, though, the hands-down (feet-down?) sock winner is Antipast’s Jungle Check Sock:

Only Antipast would think to mix a cheetah print with a gingham pattern in summer colors! We are smitten! (Want even more? There’s a Jungle Check Knee High!)  If you feel like pulling the stops out on your style, then how about this combo:

That’s Antipast’s Jungle Check in purple paired with Chie Mihara’s Yoisho! We admit it’s a “lot of look,” as Tim Gunn would say, but it’s also crazy, flirty fun!

Whenever an outfit needs a colorful pick-me-up, our best advice is to rock the socks!

(By the way, this week’s Sweet Treat is Coclico’s sizzling Lucifer heeled sandal! Just click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page and be transported to the Lucifer with the magic check-out code that will let you set the world on fire for 20% off!)
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Let’s face it, Ped fans, wearing heels can give you a boost beyond just a few inches in height. Heels are authoritative and at the same time feminine and glamorous. Plus, they make a gal’s gams look fantastic! “Sure,” you say, “but who wants to teeter with every step when our lives demand we go, go, go?”

Enter the wedge! Solving the problem of comfort and balance, while still maintaining the advantage of wearing a heel, the wedge is the answer when you want your style to stand out and stand up. And do we ever have wedges that wow this season! Take a gander:

We all agree the French know a thing or two about looking chic, so, of course, Accessoire’s wedges are magnifique!, like this Papaye:

How stunning is this sexy peep-toe? How luscious is that tulip pink? Every time we look at the Papaye, we fall in love all over again! (And for those of you who insist on black, Ped also has the Papaye in your favorite color.)

Another winning wedge from Accessoire, the Nairobi, has a lower profile, but is no less beautiful:

If you’re looking for one sandal to do it all— walk the dog, attend a meeting, go out to dinner, and jet off for a weekend in Madrid— the Nairobi is up to the challenge! And your feet will thank you because they’ll be sooooo comfortable!

Speaking of Spain, both Argila and Chie Mihara, our favorite Spanish designers, have lovely wedges in Ped’s lineup. First up, Argila’s Eliana:

This go-with-everything wedge is back by popular demand, and it’s just as fresh and sexy as ever! We love the buckled wrap at the ankle, which is so of the moment!

As only she can, Chie Mihara brings rich color and femininity together in one glorious wedge she calls the Ruala:

Illustrating how less is more, this sandal’s minimal design is dazzling! Plus, the marine blue hue is so deep and delicious you’ll practically want to dive into it!

You say you want a funkier edge to your wedge? Then Ellen Verbeek’s Elka is right up your alley!

We are down for the count when it comes to this beautifully made shoe!!! Inspired by a bowling shoe, this lace-up peep-toe is striking! (Okay, yes, that was a bad pun—but a bad pun about a gorgeous sandal!) And Elka’s edgy wedge is wooden!

Of course, if it’s urban artiness you’re after, Trippen has just the ticket in the Airy!

The design is deceptively simple, but the bold cut of the straps and studding over the ankle make this sandal super hip and modern! Trippen’s t-shaped wedge sole, however, is what will win your comfort-loving devotion.

And there are lots more wedges to help you step up your style over at Ped’s main site! Slip one on and find out what it means to be well-heeled!

(By the way, this week’s Sweet Treat is also funk-a-licious: Couple Of’s cutting-edge Zebra sandal! Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to land at the Zebra, with the discount code that will bring 20% off at checkout. You’re guaranteed to be all the buzz!)

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As much as we enjoy our winter woolens, we also enjoy putting them away when spring sails in with warmer weather! Nevertheless, we still need a little coziness in the early morning and after the sun goes down. Plus, it’s nice to to spice up a summer outfit with an extra dash of color and pattern. Just in time to fulfill both needs are the latest scarves from Epice and Sophie Digard!

Designed in Denmark and handcrafted by master weavers in India, Epice‘s gorgeous scarves are meticulously loomed from fine cotton and linen. Each is also wide enough to wear as a shawl when your shoulders get chilly. Meanwhile, Sophie Digard, the inimitable Parisian queen of crochet, always wows us with her linen creations that are light and soft wearable works of art!

Below is a sampling of our warm-weather favorites from Epice and Sophie!

Epice is famous for their imaginative use of color, exemplified by the bold, tropical palette of this new Casablanca Scarf:

Carmine, turquoise, yellow and khaki look so lively—it’s impossible to be in a bad mood when you have this fun linen and cotton scarf wound around your neck!

But if you prefer to make a quieter style statement, see what you think of Epice’s 100% linen Parisian Spring Scarf:

Graceful arabesques in cream dance across a warm gray background, perfectly accented with a patterned aqua border. So pretty!

Another Epice style that makes us sigh with delight is the Indian Summer Scarf:

A stylized floral pattern is interpreted in three different color combinations: cream and blue, grey and citron, and brown and turquoise. The ultralight fabric is 70% linen and 30% cotton, yielding a drop-dead gorgeous scarf that’s an ideal summer weight!

Of course, Sophie Digard knows to how thrill with flowers, too! Check out the sweetness of her new Love & Chance Scarf:

Handmade velvet posies scatter across this grass green linen scarf—the very essence of summer!!! As you know, I have a weakness for anything green, but Ped also offers the Love & Chance scarf in ecru for those of you who love all things cream.

Needless to say, Sophie  has created a slue of new crocheted designs in lovely linen. One of the loveliest is the Confetti Scarf!

We keep picking up this scarf because its pattern of small diamonds interspersed among larger concentric circles—each with a tufted velvet center—is so mesmerizing. The variation in colors is delicious against a background of pale blue. (Use the “zoom” tool to fully appreciate this beauty!)

But perhaps our favorite of all the wonderful scarves this season is Sophie Digard’s super-super-super-cool Ecouter Summer Scarf:

The design of this scarf is so innovative!!! Sophie crochets an open honeycomb in a juicy summer palette of pink, turquoise, red, mustard, blue, and more on one half of the Ecouter’s length; on the other half, she uses the same palette to create tiny parallel stripes that separate and twist into fantastic fringe at the end! Did I mention the Ecouter is super cool? It’s SUPER COOL! (We also have the Ecouter Scarf in a springy pastel palette.)

And there are more designs from both Epice and Sophie Digard to dazzle you at Ped’s main site. Whether you’re looking for a light wrap or a beautiful and unique accessory to enliven your wardrobe, Epice and Sophie Digard have you covered!

(Psst, you have just one more day to enjoy a 20% discount on Chie Mihara’s Lorensa as this week’s sweet treat. Click “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page to reach the Lorensa with the discount code that makes the price extra nice at checkout.)

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It’s been some time since we gave a big shout out to all the wonderful blogs and sites that have paid attention to Ped! We’re always so happy and grateful when those we admire find something to like at Ped! Here are a few of the people and places that have made our hearts sing over the past few months. (Check ’em out—you might find a new favorite!):

* Michelle Taylor not only makes gorgeous jewelry out of vintage bits and bobs, but she also puts together the noteworthy design blog, Blue Moss. We love that she gave props to Vialis’s Rambla Bootie.

* Another blogger who is a wonderful friend to Ped is Mrs. French at the always interesting and newly redesigned Bliss, where she recently admired Argila’s Riley. (By the way, she also makes lovely photographs.)

* We heart Lindsey Cochran at Every Clog Has Its Day for giving a virtual hug to Ped’s entire Vialis line, even though, as she points out, they’re not technically clogs.

* Fernanda van der Laan included a tribute to Fiorentini + Baker boots on her eponymous blog, which discusses all kinds of things! (We hope she’s enjoying her red Eternity boots!)

* We think Kristin at Lovely Apidae has amazing style, and we’re so glad she thinks her Chie Mihara Loti beauties are perfect!

* Julie, creator of the The Accidental Frock, may be a “reluctant blogger,” but we like what she does and are happy she likes Chie Mihara’s Rumi. Plus, she’s a fabulous textile designer!

* Si, a lovely French lass, blogs in English about beautiful things at French By Design. We are thrilled she called attention to Chie Mihara’s Ruala!

* We are excited Sally McGraw at Already Pretty mentioned we carry Trippen! Sally has such bold style and offers great advice on body image and fashion.

* Of course, we also love it when our overseas friends write about us, even if we are often language-challenged by their words. (We’re sure they’re kind!) Here are a few foreign blogs that have recently mentioned Ped: Portion de vie, Lolapinso, and en Oby Ting.

Since all of us at Ped have so much fun bringing you wonderful things, it makes us feel fantastic when others notice and say so!

THANK YOU!!!!!!

(One last thing: the Sweet Treat this week is Sophie Digard’s fabulously fun Flower Petal Necklace! Just click “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page to land at the Flower Petal Necklace with the discount code that will bring 20% off at checkout!)

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Here’s something that makes everyone at Ped HQ smile: boxes of new Chie MIhara styles arriving on our doorstep from Spain! We have such a good time admiring each design as we unpack Chie’s latest! After all, Chie Mihara exemplifies everything we love at Ped: a unique design sense, meticulous craftsmanship, and comfort without compromise.

Let us tantalize you with a taste of what Chie’s whipped up for the upcoming warm weather!

We know it’s still winter where many of you live, so we’ll start with a number you can wear right now—and keep wearing right through spring and summer: Chie’s Lorensa.

Honestly, this heeled oxford is in a class by itself! As usual, Chie gets the details just right, from the parallel lines of sinuous topstitching to the perforated leather that lets your tootsies breathe when the weather heats up.

Another new design that features beautiful topstitching and leatherwork is the Fideua:

The woven leather over the toe, contrasting stitching, and lacing are rather unusual ingredients to combine, but what a tasty dish they make! Plus, we love the navy blue color!

Chie is always so good with selecting the perfect hues! Our favorite style for sheer cheerfulness is the sunny-day Yoisho:

What a great shade of yellow, and it works so well with the 1970s’ retro vibe of this sandal. Buckling up the Yoisho will give you both a physical and an emotional boost!

Speaking of buckles, we decided to bring back the smoking-hot Bankok, one of the sexiest styles Chie’s ever designed:

The Bankok is the very definition of “knockout”! When you strap on this badass beauty, you may want to carry a pocket fan to revive the people who can’t take the heat of your sizzling sauciness!

But maybe you prefer to go more girly with your flirtatious style. If so, join us in sighing over Chie’s Osmo:

In a word: DEVASTATING! It simply doesn’t get any more glamorous than this rosette-embellished, red suede t-strap! In the Rojo, you’re guaranteed to set hearts afire!

Some gals can pull off the Osmo on a daily basis, but if you want something a little more subdued for everyday wear, check out the Chie Mihara Oyko:

We love the richness of the whiskey-colored suede combined with the rich brown leather—so sophisticated. This gorgeous sandal is perfect for going from day wear to date wear!

Delicious, eh? And there are even more Chie Mihara styles to feast upon at Ped’s main site. But before you click over, watch this video to learn a little more about  Chie’s philosophy and design process. We promise it will make you even happier to have her shoes on your feet!

(By the way, the “sweet treat” this week is Trippen’s fringed and fun Country Bootie. Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to reach the Country with the magic discount code that instantly takes 20% off at checkout!)