Free your toes, and the rest will follow! Okay, so that’s not quite how the song goes, but it’s still good advice! After all, it’s sandal season!

We love spending sunny days almost barefoot in a great pair of run-around flats! This year many of them offer a little extra something in the way of metallics, ranging from subtle shimmers to out-and-out, razzle-dazzle shines. Here are a few ways to make your tootsies sparkle.

Fact: Cydwoq makes THE BEST sandals! As evidence, we present Exhibit A: Cydwoq’s Form:

Ped fans know about my fondness for all things green, but Cydwoq takes it to the next level by adding a little metallic shimmer! Oh my! The Form‘s straps wow with their artistic cut. And how about that sweet circular buckle? So much to love!

Another sandal that benefits from a pearly polish is the Cydwoq Naked:

Blue is the color of the moment, and it looks especially beautiful glimmering like a moonlit sky. Looking for something more neutral? We also have the Naked in pewter.

For those of you who appreciate a slide, Cydwoq also gives the pearl treatment to the Samba:

Simple and pretty, just the way we like it, with the warm burnish of a well-worn penny!

Another understated way to add some metal to your mettle is with Cydwoq’s wonderful Thong:

There are two reasons why this classic Cydwoq design remains popular year after year: 1) its incomparable comfort and 2) its ever-modern style! The silver sparkle makes the Thong shine in a sea of black sandals.

Maybe you’re someone who likes to amp up the dazzle, in which case, Cydwoq’s Tomcat will put a twinkle in your eye (as it did in mine):

The antiqued silver and gold leather is stunning, and yet for being so eye-catching, these sandals are go-everywhere wearable! I wore mine all over Barcelona, for instance—here’s proof:

My Tomcats look pretty sassy on this Gaudi-esque bench!

But let’s get a little shinier, shall we? Everyone at Ped HQ is over the moon for Cydwoq’s new Admit:

Such a great sandal! The leather looks like it was worked in a silversmith’s shop! Gorgeous in every way!

Finally, for all-out gleam, the Trippen Careless takes the prize:

Sure, the Careless is shiny and bold, but its leather is also unbelievably soft! This sandal feels so good against your skin and under your sole, and it provides fantastic support for walking wherever the map takes you!

Slip on any of these breezy sandals, and  your feet will instantly be as dazzling as the sun on a cloudless summer day! Let your toes out to shine!

(Psst, have you oohed and aahed over this week’s Sweet Treat? It’s worthy—Vialias’ saucy Sara! Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to arrive at the Sara with the magic code that will bring 20% off at checkout!)

Ped fans, it’s time for our bi-annual flash discount!!! Through this Friday, May 11, just enter “MAYDAY” at checkout and receive 20% off all full-price goods!

Something catch your eye on the Ped color wheel? Here’s how to reach it (clockwise from F+B’s fabulous green shoe at the top): Fiorentini + Baker Eliza Oxford, Argila Allie, Fiorentini + Baker Ding Clog, Coclico Yoni, Trippen Bora, Vialis Claudette, and Cydwoq Cobra.

Have fun shopping for ways to sashay through May (and June and July and August…) ! Remember, the discount code is pffft after Friday, May 11.

Ped fans, it’s no secret, we love C O L O R !!!! Granted, a neutral go-to shoe has its place in every woman’s closet, but slipping on a sandal, oxford, or boot in a knock-’em-dead hue is a sure-fire way to lift your spirits!

So we present a Ped ode to Roy G. Biv, patron saint of all things colorful!

R is for red, revved up and ready to go, all of which describe the new Cydwoq Indies!

R is also for riveting, which describes this boot both figuratively and literally since the construction is all rivets—not one stitch!

O is for orange (Laura’s favorite!), so juicy in Fiorentini + Baker’s Elgin Boot:

Although F +B calls this shade “Indian Red,” it’s a lovely and soft orange reminiscent of canyons at sunset. The perfect boot to wear with a floaty summer dress!

Y is for yellow, one of the “it” colors this season. Yellow always makes us smile, and Cydwoq’s Submit makes us smile even wider!

A great everyday sandal, the Submit is one to leave by the door (especially if that door is at a beach house)! Slip it on and off you go!

G is for green (Dayna’s favorite!) and all things good and growing. G is also for Germany, the birthplace of Trippen’s Fountain:

Let your cutting-edge style bust out like leaves in spring when you lace up this boot! Steal the scene with your green!

B is for blue, which exudes mystery and romance in a heel like Accessoire’s Safari:

What a way to make an entrance! Old Hollywood glamour is alive and sizzling in the Safari!

I is for indigo, the inky rich hue that’s almost black but not quite and much more interesting. Exhibit A (or should we say I): the Trippen Aloe.

See what we mean? What a delicious color for a tasty style that easily transitions from spring to summer to fall!

V is for violet, a color that always inspires oohs and aahs! How lovely it looks on Accessoire’s Sagan:

Tres chic! Buckle up this girly wedge, and feel the love as the compliments cascade over you!

All hail Roy G. Biv! And when you wear any of the above beauties, your feet will feel as good as the gold in the pot at the end of the rainbow!

(Psst, have you checked out this week’s Sweet Treat? It’s Coclico’s knockout Klucia! Simply click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to arrive at the Klucia with the magic code that brings 20% off at checkout! Set off sparks and break some hearts!)

. . . or at least for next fall and winter! Ped fans, in March I again jumped across the pond to visit the European shoe shows in Milan and Paris. These are the trips where I place orders for next season’s goods, trying on and closely examining all the styles to make sure they’re up to Ped’s high standards for comfort and quality.

For Ped to carry a line, it has to persuade me of four things: 1) it’s made with an eye to social and environmental ethics; 2) the company prioritizes outstanding craftsmanship using the very best materials; 3) the designs are comfortable and easy to wear; and 4) the goods must have style for miles!!!

I work hard on these trips! But I also have a lot of fun! I love soaking up European culture and observing new trends. Come along for a vicarious ride!

When I landed in Milan, spring was in full swing, even though it was early March. The colors were so beautiful!

A Milanese flower vendor's stall on the way to the Fiorentini + Baker showroom! Gorgeous!

Flowers weren’t the only colorful spectacle—check out this dazzling display for Louis Vuitton:

What a creative use of arrows!

Fabulous shoes were everywhere! Even in the gourmet food section of La Rinascente!

Have your shoes and eat them, too! Chocolate shoes for 40 Euros.

Granted, not everyone in Milan was there for shoes. I saw these McDonald’s chefs on a photo shoot at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele (a must-visit indoor shopping arcade).

Pretty sure their meals weren't as happy as the ones I ate in Milan!

Speaking of food, on my day off I walked for five hours straight, visiting the famous Corso Como, and rewarded myself with gelato!

Pear and guava gelato! YUM!

Whenever I’m in Milan I make sure to light a candle for my much-missed father at Il Duomo.

Candles in Il Duomo.

Then it was off to Paris, where my morning “commute” is about as stress-free as it gets.

The beautiful Seine was glass-like on my walk to work.

At the show, Cydwoq had so many beautiful styles I had a difficult time choosing. I think you’ll be pleased, though!

A booth of swoon-worthy Cydwoq shoes and boots!

Wondering what looks are popular for next fall and winter? Well, the love affair with oxfords and menswear-influenced styles continues. Plus, booties are still big (the kind you wear on your feet!), worn unlaced and unbuckled in a casual European way. Vintage looks, as well as polka dots and stripes, are also on trend.

The big story, though, is a renewed emphasis on COLOR! Ruby red, mustard yellow, leaf green, royal blue—every saturated hue imaginable! I don’t want to give too much away, but here’s a little taste of what you have to look forward to!

After a long day, I had a delicious Lebanese dinner with Cydwoq’s Rafi and Trippen’s Michael. This was our view as we walked home:

Oooooh, sparkly!

Ped fans, I love my job!

Usually, we wait until the end of the month before deciding on a winning Tale of the Sole, but this month we knew no one could top Judith B’s story of where she went in her Ped! Take it away, Judith:

Proof positive that Cydwoq’s aren’t just for the sidewalk! My Sanders were right at home in Tanzania, but they had to settle for gazing longingly at the highest spot on the continent—Mt. Kilimanjaro.

After a week of living in hiking boots while climbing the mountain, though, I settled back into my Sanders like long-lost friends for our safari to Serengeti National Park.

Posing beside one of the live elephants seemed a bit risky (they become jealous rather easily), so I settled for this boulder-sized pachyderm noggin at the park entrance.

The lions had no comment. Hakuna matata!

We suspect that lion was roaring her approval of Judith’s Sanders in lion-ese! What a fun and exciting adventure for a pair of Ped Shoes! To thank Judith for giving us a vicarious thrill, we’re giving her $100 in Ped credit! (We can’t wait to see where she takes us next.)

Do you have a Tale of the Sole? Tell us—and show us (we LOVE pictures!!!)—what happened to you while wearing a Ped item, and you, too, might be the recipient of $100 in Ped credit. Each month we pick the most sole-ful tale to share on the blog. So, let us know what in the world you’ve been doing in your Ped.

(Psst, the Sweet Treat this week is Trippen’s a-maz-ing Fence ankle boot! Get 20% sliced off—see what we did there?—when you click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page, which will take you to the Fence with the magic discount code to enter at checkout.)