Wow, after our big birthday week, we are tired but happy campers here at Ped HQ! We’re also enjoying full-flung fall, which puts us in the mood to wear boots! (Okay, honestly, we’re always in the mood to wear boots!)

This season offers a veritable boot feast, including quite a few sporting a new height that’s a smidge taller than an ankle boot but  stops short of mid-calf. These low boots are not only sassy to see, but they also offer versatility, playing well with both pants and skirts! Here are a few of our faves:

Almost everything Chie Mihara cooks up is a tasty treat, but her new Jonathan Boot is especially delicious:

Don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what a customer in Portland e-mailed: “Hey guys – just wanted to give you some feedback on the Chie Mihara “Jonathan.” They are unbelievably comfortable. I even fell asleep in my chair wearing them. Weird, I know, but they are awesome.”

Another terrific low boot with a heel is Argila’s Suzanna Bootie:

So streamlined and stylish, this boot gets oomph from the elephant grey shade of its soft leather. Grey is the IT color of the season! Plus, the simple cinch around the top that ties in back is the perfect detail.

Want to amp up the  va-va-va-voom? Then consider Cydwoq’s steamy Texture low boot:

Meow! From the faux-croc embossed leather to the perfectly cut snub nose to the sexy heel placed directly under your weight (makes all the difference in comfort), there’s everything to like about this little black boot. (Just like a LBD, everyone needs an LBB!)

But maybe you prefer a little less femme and a little more funk in your boot, in which case, Cydwoq’s Grinder is waiting for you to lace it up!

Low lace-ups are all the rage this season, especially those with an industrial edge! But the best thing? This boot’s style will never fade—it’s a classic. (Plus, the Grinder‘s luxe leather is cobalt blue—how cool is that?)

Of course, Fiorentini + Baker has several players in the low-boot game, including the fabulous Emmy!

We can’t get enough of styles that combine sex appeal with tough-girl attitude! And we are WILD, wild, wild, about F+B’s new antiqued silver leather with natural edges! This boot + that leather = Perfection!

On the other hand, there is always something to be said for sleek minimalism, as exemplified by Trippen’s Deer Bootie:

What a lean, green style machine! The supple leather is to die for, and the zipper on the outside gives this no-fuss boot just the right edge!

What’s that? You say you love green, but you want a low boot that can go from casual to dressy in a heartbeat? Fiorentini + Baker grants your wish with the luxe and luscious Pia boot:

Here’s what a Seattle customer had to say about this green suede stunner: “Ok, now you have really done it. This new F& B Pia boots are the hottest thing I have ever seen. I can retire all other boots and shoes and die happily. They are so sexy, tough, simple, practical. My entire wardrobe has taken on a new personality. Yay!” Recommendations don’t get any better than that!

So, click on over to Ped’s main site and linger over all the low boots ready and waiting to liven up your fall! Going low will make your style high and mighty!

(By the way, this week’s Sweet Treat is one of the sexiest boots ever to stroll into the Ped warehouse: Cydwoq’s Podium! Simply click on “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to land at the Podium with the magic code that will bring 20% off at checkout!)

For the longest time, pointy toes, high heels, and frou-frou dominated the catwalk. Girly girls rejoiced, but the rest of us said, “So fussy…” and “Ow!” Happily, the pendulum is now swinging the other way—the classic oxford is the coolest shoe going (this year worn laceless if you’re on the cutting-edge), and a clear masculine influence is everywhere on the runway.

But the new menswear-inspired shoes go beyond just tomboy appeal—these designs are devoted to modern women who need to go, go, go but who want to look stylish getting from here to there. Here are a few of Ped’s latest ways to do just that:

Chie Mihara always excels at putting a feminine and modern spin on classic styles. Case in point: the Darrer, Chie’s contribution to the laceless look:

So fun and super chic! The boys may have inspired the oxford, but the metallic leather and heel are just for us gals! Think how great this laceless beauty would look with a pencil skirt!

We are always begging Rafi and Ari at Cydwoq to rework some of their men’s designs for women. When they indulge us, the results are predictably fantastic, as demonstrated by the Date:

I couldn’t resist this one and got it for myself! I’ve hardly taken it off since i first laced it up! I’m a skirt-wearing kind of gal, and the Date is so flirty with my knee-length, A-line numbers!

Meanwhile, Ped’s Laura has a big crush on the Cydwoq Collect:

What a fantastic shoe! The woven brown leather is eye-opening and will have everyone talking! And the western-style buckle provides the perfect accent, as well as a custom fit.

Speaking of fun details, take a look at Cydwoq’s new Legal:

J’adore! This knockout flat calls to mind a classic golf shoe, with its smashing front flap punctuated by a central rivet. But the Legal is so much cooler than anything that’s ever hit the links and features “aging” grey leather that darkens with wear.

Cydwoq also uses “aging” grey leather in the Recent, which offers a hep-cat take on the interplay of masculine and feminine:

We love the fluid insets on the heel and toe. Plus, this loafer-like flat is a cinch to slip on and off, thanks to the artistic elastic lacing!

It’s not only shoes that are benefitting from putting a little male in the mix—check out the fabulous Deform ankle boot from Cydwoq:

When you buckle up this bootie, you are instantly going to become the object of envy for everyone who sees you! Definitely badass in the best kind of way!

We love all the different ways the above designs put an infusion of femme into traditionally male shoes, but if you simply want a timeless oxford, Fiorentini + Baker’s Eliza is the straight-up, gold standard:

So gorgeous. So comfortable. So beautifully made! And it looks GREAT with everything!

Sure, menswear is the inspiration for this new crop of wonderful shoes, but it’s the feminine twist that makes them must-haves! Classic sophistication was never so much fun—or such a treat to wear!

(By the way, this week’s Sweet Treat is Trippen’s incredibly comfortable  Sioux. Simply click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of an Ped page to land at the Sioux with the discount code that will bring 20% off at checkout!)

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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Sure, it’s still icy outside for many of you, but, Ped fans, before you know it, spring is going to bust out all over! But that doesn’t mean you have to relegate your boots to the back of the closet. Heck no! Boots, especially those of the ankle-height and mid-calf variety, are perfect for skipping from one season into the next.

With that in mind, here are a few nominees for what to wear when the buds are on the trees but it’s still too brisk to expose the toes.

Cydwoq’s Pi Bootie is the perfect way to celebrate that last little bit of slush disappearing from the sidewalk!

The sexy way the leather wraps around the back of this boot is enough to make the temperature rise! And the Pi looks superlative with bare legs and a swingy skirt!

Another great heeled boot (that’s perhaps a little less “lady”) is Cydwoq’s Artemis:

We love the retro feel of the buttoned closure combined with the modern square toe and hand-cut wooden heel. (And see what we mean about how terrific an ankle boot looks with a breezy skirt?)

Maybe you’d rather keep your heels on the ground, in which case Cydwoq’s Sparta might be just the thing for moving into spring.

We went wild for this boot when we first saw it as a men’s style, so we begged Rafi and Ari to make a version for women. Ta da! We love how the washed grey leather is distinctive but still go-with-everything versatile.

(By the way, the Sparta just happens to be this week’s “sweet treat”! Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to reach the Sparta with the magic code that’s worth 20% off at checkout!)

If you want something that rises a little higher on the leg, check out the Sparta’s taller sibling, the Iota.

This gorgeous lace-up is made of “aging” black leather and will get a brownish patina with wear. It’s one of our all-time favorite boots! Ped fans clearly agree since no sooner do we get a new shipment in than it flies right back out. If we don’t currently have your size, just send us an e-mail, and we’ll put your name on the wait list for the Iota!

Of course,  you may prefer a buckled motorcycle boot to a lace-up. If so, look no further than Fiorentini + Baker’s Eli!

Such a great boot! You’ll never want to it off—and, good news, you won’t have to because the Eli looks as good with skirts as it does with jeans!

But if spring fever makes you want to rock out, Fiorentini + Baker’s Paula is the way to go!

With a ruched front and a zipper up the back, the Paula is another hot number we can’t seem to keep in the Ped house! If you’d like to be on the wait list for our next shipment of this kickass ankle boot, drop us a line!

Trippen’s Royal Bootie is another transitional style with a rock ‘n’ roll edge!

The spat-like upper wrapped by a buckle strap around the ankle ensures this boot will be the most cutting-edge thing on the street!

So let the sunshine in as the trees leaf out, but keep yourself well-booted while winter breezes into spring!

Ped fans, take a short break from holiday preparations or online ordering to watch this great video about our beloved Cydwoq, which we found posted at shoes.tv.

Isn’t Ari a doll? He’s the designer behind a lot of the latest styles coming out of Cydwoq, working alongside his dad, Rafi, as a true father-son team! Whenever we hear them talk about their philosophy and the effort they put into their shoes, it makes us so proud to carry Cydwoq! We’ve added a few new designs recently and gotten some of your favorites in new colors, so check out the freshest Cydwoq on the sidewalk:

You know by now that the oxford is the shoe of the moment, but Cydwoq’s Classic Oxford is really something special:

As Ari points out in the video, what sets Cydwoq apart is the cut and construction of the leather, as well as the internal architecture, which is so apparent in the way this oxford is put together. When I saw this design for men, I begged Rafi to adapt it for women, and he did! We love!

Another Cydwoq men’s design we cajoled Rafi into doing for women is the Sparta:

What a great lace-up bootie in beautiful washed grey leather! The Sparta’s so practical—easy to wear on all kinds of outings, and it’s sassy with skirts as well as stellar with jeans. (Bet you wish you’d had this number on when you went to pick out your tree!)

If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere unchallenged by wintry snow and ice (or if you carry your cool shoes with you to slip into after you’re out of your galoshes), you can’t beat Cydwoq’s brand new Smile Mary Jane for all-season cuteness:

Such a winner in every way, from the stylish ankle strap to the comfortable toe construction! If you have the good fortune to be going on a mid-winter vacation, this is the shoe to pack; it will take you through sightseeing during the day and out to dinner at night. Your tired feet will thank you for keeping them happy!

On the other hand, if what you really need is a good boot, you can’t go wrong with Cydwoq’s new Flood:

This Flood has everything to like: a practical mid-calf height; four adjustable buckles that require no fuss, thanks to an inside zipper; and twin exposed seams running up the back! Plus, the leather is emerald green!!! (You know how I love green…)

As for new colors, we now have the oh-so-chic Pi Bootie in antique silver (oo-la-la):

And the go-everywhere Buckle flat now comes in a to-die-for blue marble:

So whether you’re new to Cydwoq or a long-time fan, it’s a terrific time to indulge in a new pair! There’s nothing like shoes that feel good and that you feel good about wearing—which is the very essence of Cydwoq!