Here at Ped HQ, we’re always curious to know how Ped fans mix and match their Ped purchases with other treasures they already own. Longtime Ped customer, Debi T. in Georgia, took the time to tell us:

I wanted to thank you again for having the perfect Jamie Joseph rings, that I could match up to very special bracelets I have been given by my son and husband.
The oval turquoise ring is a perfect match with a bracelet my son bought me in Kathmandu last year. Just think, they were made on opposite sides of the world! Amazing! I get many compliments on the pair, with lots of questions about where I got those gorgeous pieces!

The pink quartz oval ring I matched with a treasure of a bracelet my husband bought me in Bethlehem, Israel three years ago. The bracelet links are made from ancient Roman glass in varying colors of pink and blue. I couldn’t have found a better match for that bracelet than the pink quartz ring.

I absolutely LOVE my Jamie Joseph rings!!! Thank you Dayna for loving what I love!

P.S. Last weekend I attended the annual “Midwives Alliance of North America” conference, and wore my Trippen “Holy” boots. A midwife who traveled all the way from Africa commented that she loved my boots and wanted to know where I got them. She was glad for the information. I don’t know if you will get an order from Africa or not, but now they know!

Beautiful Debi T. in her Jamie Joseph rings and Trippen Holy Boots. (Of course, what really sparkles is her lovely smile!)

We’re so grateful you’re spreading the Ped love, Debi! To thank Debi for telling us how she wears her Ped and for letting others know where she shops, we’re giving her $100 in Ped credit!

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!

(By the way, the “Sweet Treat” this week is Cordani’s retro-gorgeous Remy heel! Get 20% off this beautiful shoe by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page, which will magically take you to the Remy, where you will find the discount code! So, save a little money, slip your foot into the Remy, and suddenly have all the glamour of a 1940s movie star! Don’t be surprised if someone asks you for your autograph…)

Hello, Ped fans! Sorry to leave the blog untended for so long, but I have the best possible excuse: I was shoe shopping for you in Milan and Paris! And, wow, is there a lot to look forward to next spring! Not only will Ped have the latest from your favorite designers, but we’re bringing back NDC from Belgium and adding Vic Matie sandals from Italy.

I began my style hunt in Milan, where the shoe show had an ultra-hip, retro-70s aesthetic.

So fun to look for shoes at the Micam show in Milan!

Of course, I ran into several of Ped’s treasured designers. It’s always a treat to see Chie Mihara!

Chie Mihara has such a great spirit—you just have to smile with her!

And here’s the lovely Ellen Verbeek, one of the latest additions to the Ped family. (If you haven’t checked out her gorgeous wood-soled boots yet, you really must!)

Ellen Verbeek is as beautiful as her designs!

After Milan, it was off to Paris for another shoe show (tis the season).

The Paris show's aesthetic was streamlined and modern.

I managed to get three of Ped’s favorites in one shot! Check it out:

Cydwoq's Rafi Balouzian, Chie Mihara, and Trippen's Michael Oehler—what a design-tastic trio!

You may be wondering what trends I discovered. Well, next spring is going to be very colorful; I ordered shoes in red, yellow, grey, teal, navy, caramel, along with lots of metallics, which continue to sizzle. Look for studded detailing on bags and shoes. Also, wedge heels—both wood and cork—are all the rage. And Chie’s line for Spring 2011 features lots of contrast stitching and mixes of suede and leather.

Perhaps my favorite trend is oxfords worn with skirts or cropped pants and no socks! Love that! Two looks I don’t care for, though, are thick socks with heels and nylons worn with peep-toe wedges. Ugh!

I became a little obsessed with photographing the wide range of shoes the buyers and sellers were wearing at the show. Here’s a sampler of what the shoe pros were sporting in Paris:

Honestly, two of the best parts of the day were walking to and from work because my route let me stroll through the beautiful Jardin des Tuileries, which looked particularly spectacular blooming with fall flowers.

Aahhh, I love Paris in the autumn!

(By the way, in case you haven’t discovered it yet, this week’s “sweet treat” is Ellen Verbeek’s knockout Camille Boot! Get 20% off this Belgian stunner by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page, which will instantly take you to the Camille and the sought-after discount code!)

Sure, ankle boots are all the rage this season (and Ped has some of the best), but the knee-high boot’s lock on style is still solid! A tall boot always adds extra “oomph” to whatever you’re wearing. At Ped, whenever one of us is scratching her head (Terry is exempt from this) about what would look great with a particular outfit, nine times out of 10, the answer is a full-height boot. Effortless but full of impact, tall boots instantly amp up everything, including our positive attitudes!

Here are a few of the to-the-knee (and over) lovelies currently enlivening the Ped house.

Our arty new line from Israel, Couple Of, has one of the coolest boots at the party:

This Elon embodies everything Couple Of does so well: a clean design with a few key details that escalate the interest, all packaged in a meticulously crafted boot that’s as wonderful to wear as it is to see. We love the faux split spat with its topstitched detailing. So cool! Plus, the washed leather and the discreet elastic insert on the inside of the calf make this boot easy on the leg.

If you like your boot to shout a little louder, then take a listen to Cydwoq’s Alpha!

Get down with your bad self—how kickass is this boot? We’re down for the count over how the six nickel silver buckles complement the marbled black leather of this knockout. And word to the wise: adjust the buckles to get an ideal fit for your calf, and then use the inside zipper to whiz in and out of this boot in a flash. (By the way, I bought this one for myself, and I’m going to rock it on the streets of Paris later this week!)

Perhaps you appreciate the take-no-prisoners style of the Alpha, but you want something a little more feminine with a heel. Presented for your approval, the Cydwoq Vintage Kappa:

Be still our boot-loving hearts, this one is over the top! The color—unbelievably beautiful! The design (especially the back)—drop-dead gorgeous! And because the Kappa is from Cydwoq, its heel is placed in the sweet spot directly under your weight for maximum stability and comfort. So much to savor!

On the other hand, there’s a place in every closet for a simple black boot with a sophisticated heel. This season, Coclico’s got just the ticket:

The Niben boot may be minimal, but it’s far from plain! The design is ultra clean, and the stained wooden heel and platform sole give this buffalo leather boot just the right kick. This is a boot to work many ways on any number of occasions, and you’ll always know you look spectacular!

Some of you Ped fans, though, enjoy the high drama, so we’ve saved our true boot diva for last: Fiorentini + Baker’s Beck boot!

Yes, applause, please! What a boot! This gorgeous black number looks terrific cuffed and laced behind your knee, BUT you also have the option of unlacing the back and unfolding the top to create a true over-the-knee boot! So saucy! And so beautifully crafted because it’s from F+B, the Italian wizards of boot-making!

As always, there are many more tall boots to choose from at the main Ped site. So, go get high—it’s perfectly legal!

(Although it’s not up to your knee, this week’s “Sweet Treat” is still delectable! Get 20% off Argila’s Josephine Boot by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page, which will magically take you to the Josephine and the sought-after discount code! Laceless is riveting!)

Ped fans, remember when I told you last spring that I was bringing several new lines to Ped? You’ve already met Couple Of! Now let me introduce you to the wondrous Ellen Verbeek!

Based in Belgium, Ellen Verbeek designs eye-opening shoes and boots, which she entrusts to master craftsmen in Italy to make, knowing they will meticulously attend to every detail. She takes a playful attitude to creating feminine shoes designed for real women—i.e every style feels as good as it looks! She uses only vegetable-tanned leathers and is a stickler for details, paying attention to clean lines and balance in her designs. Known for her wooden heels, Ellen Verbeek has mastered the ability to combine elegance, sex appeal, and innovation!

See for yourself!

Ellen’s Angeline Bootie left us gobsmacked at last spring’s European shoe show:

Unlike anything else we’ve seen, this ankle boot radiates modern sophistication! The lines are so clean, and the cutouts perfectly placed for a flirty flash of skin, colorful tights, or funky knee-highs. But the thing that really makes this boot work is Ellen Verbeek’s exquisite wooden wedge heel with its leather detailing. Delicious!

This lovely heel also spices up the Elise Bootie:

The caramel leather of this lace-up is so supple that it’s almost sinful (but it’s not, so no penance required!). The collar folds down just so, and we’re crazy about the brass grommets and rivets that structure the lacing.

If you’re looking for a taller boot, Ellen’s signature wedge heel also supports the mid-calf Karlina Boot:

We are always on the lookout for minimal black boots that have something extra to keep them from being boring. The Karlina illustrates just what we mean because it’s quiet yet explosive with style! Utterly elegant and versatile, this is the boot to wear everywhere.

Another wonderfully versatile boot in Ellen Verbeek’s lineup is the Camille:

A chunkier wooden heel gives an air of ruggedness to this caramel beauty’s sophisticated styling. Meanwhile inside, the leather lining and padded footbed give your foot the posh treatment it deserves!

As we said, utterly gorgeous! We are so glad to welcome our Belgian sole sister, Ellen Verbeek, into the Ped family! Trust us, you’re going to love her!

(In case you haven’t checked it out yet, the “Sweet Treat” this week is Couple Of’s Ava Oxford! Get 20% off this shoe that gives wrinkles a good name by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page, which will magically take you to the Ava, where you will find the discount code! One of the coolest oxfords in the Ped house!)

August’s winning Tale of the Sole is a story we’ve heard many times, but we never ever get tired of hearing it! With each retelling, the details and locations change, but the happy ending stays the same. In this version, the cast of characters includes longtime Seattle Ped customer—and all-around great gal—Liesbeth R. and Fiorentini + Baker’s Paula boot. Here is what Liesbeth wrote us:

I ordered on Monday, and the shoes were here by Wednesday. Unbelievable! The boots smelled gorgeous opening the box. Outstanding! Amazing color and perfect fit. I can’t stand it!  This is one my all-time favorite shoe moments I have had and I, like your other fans, have had many shoe moments.

Liesbeth rocking the F+B Paula against the Seattle skyline!

I’ve been a customer since you opened the Seattle store, and I believe all of my treasured purchases from Ped are still happily in my wardrobe rotation, although my other shoes might be eclipsed by these awesome F&B’s. I’ve been looking for my perfect short boots for a few years and finally found them from Ped! Seattle summers as you remember are short and sweet, but I always get over the short part because when the cool marine air returns, out come all the boots. 🙂

Liesbeth looking smashing in her Paula boots, as photographed by her 12-year-old niece, Andrea (who clearly has a career in fashion photography)!

Thank you so, so, so much for giving me some Fiorentini & Baker insanity this week. I am one happy, rockstar boot-wearing customer. Thanks for all the shoe love!

You are more than welcome, Liesbeth. The feeling is mutual! F+B’s Paula may have made Liesbeth’sweek, but her story made our whole month!  To thank her, we’re giving her $100 in Ped credit!

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!

(By the way, the “Sweet Treat” this week is Cydwoq’s wonderful Tourist! Get 20% off this easygoing sweetheart by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page, which will magically take you to the Tourist, where you will find the discount code! So, save a little money, lace up the Tourist, go off on an adventure, and then tell us all about it!)