As I mentioned in my last post, my favorite new look—so hot in Europe right now—is oxfords worn without socks and paired with either cropped pants or skirts! Simultaneously chic and casual! Of course, for lots of you the temperature is dropping, so you can always add funky tights or cozy socks to keep your ankles warm. The key ingredient is the oxford!

Happily, Ped’s designers have come up with endless variations on the classic menswear lace-up! Whether you like yours heeled or flat, embellished or plain, Ped is sure to have an oxford that’s right up your alley. Here are a few of our favorites this season.

The newest oxford in the Ped warehouse is Accessoire’s cutting-edge and comfortable Martial Oxford:

We love everything about this shoe from the inky blue color of the super-soft suede to the easy-going wedge sole (all the height and none of the hurt) to the subtle seaming over the toe and heel! The French always know how to turn a head.

Another especially arty oxford is Couple Of’s Shelly Oxford:

Now this is how to do black without getting boring! Couple Of excels at meticulously constructing a shoe with just the right details to take it out of the ordinary and into funky town! Cutting the outsole so it arcs over the toe and dips down behind the stacked-leather heel is pure design genius!

Of course, if you’re looking for a flat, no-nonsense oxford, there are still ways of doing that with style and flair. Presented for your approval, Fiorentini + Baker’s Eliza Oxford:

Although its design is straightforward, there’s something about this F+B classic that takes our breath away. Plus, we just received a shipment in our new favorite Rabbit Grey color (and it also comes in luscious Marine Blue).

You say like the simplicity, but you also appreciate a heel? Then Coclico’s got your number with the Bathan Oxford:

Between the fabulous chunky wooden heel, the sinuous curves and topstitching of the design, and the grey anthracite suede, there is just so much to like about this shoe! Just think of how many outfits it would enhance! (And, psst, it’s just about to become this week’s “sweet treat,” starting tomorrow, October 19! Be sure to click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to get to the Bathan with the magic discount code that will enable you to get 20% off at checkout.)

Another great heeled number is Argila’s rocking Lucie Oxford:

The caramel color is so rich! But this beauty also comes in black for you noir fans! Such a wonderful way to turn up the heat with the sexy schoolgirl look!

Although we think all of the above offer a feminine twist on the menswear look, we know some of you Ped fans like things a little frillier. As always, Chie Mihara is the BFF of girly girls around the world. With her Loti, you can have your oxford and ruffles, too!

And, needless to say, the royal blue leather is to die for!

The “o” in oxford has zero to do with being old-fashioned and everything to do with being on the cutting edge (au courant, if you will)! So, lace up and step out!

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!)

So many beautiful fall styles are arriving in the Ped warehouse that we hardly know what to show you first, Ped fans! One definite go-to look this season is ankle boots worn with anything and everything. From shooties that hit right at the ankle to short boots that don’t quite reach the calf, there’s a bootie in the house for everybody’s style, from girly-girl to badass to fairly straight-laced (Ped never quite makes it all the way there, as you know).

Here are a few of the latest lovelies to inspire low-boot lust.

Topping the list, Fiorentini + Baker’s new Paula:

Wow, there is nothing like Italian ingenuity when it comes to craftsmanship and get-out-of-town style! With ruching down the front and a zipper up the back, this boot rocks out on a chunky 3″ heel! We love the deep blue color with contrasting off-white top stitching, but the Paula also comes in pure black. Every season, Ped’s Laura gets a mad crush on one style (remember, it was Accessoire’s Island this past summer?), and for fall, the Paula is IT!

Another F+B winner is the new Mix!

This gorgeous low boot is the love child of the Eli and the Mike; it’s got the Eli’s popular 6″ shaft height and single buckle strap and the Mike’s chunky, take-no-prisoners heel! What a kickass combination!!! Plus, we love, love, love F+B’s new rabbit grey color, which is a soft dark grey tinged with brown. But if you’re like me and can’t get enough green, the Mix also comes in lush forest green.

Speaking of green, if you’re looking for a flat, knock-around-town bootie, check out Cydwoq’s Tourist:

Cydwoq’s Rafi has passed on his design know-how to his son, Ari, who has been refining this style for a few seasons, tweaking this and that detail, all leading to the Tourist! The pebbled leather is luscious, and the exposed seams around the rounded toe are just the right detail. And if green doesn’t float your boat (how can that be?), this comfortable shootie also comes in royal blue.

Lacing is also used to good effect in Argila’s Olivia:

You can’t imagine how wonderfully soft this boot’s caramel suede  is! Talk about buttery! And the cuff at the top lets you unfold it for a little extra height, if you like. The crowning touch (well, soleful touch) is the chunky but lightweight wooden heel!

“That’s all very well and good,” you may be thinking, “but what about something sweet and girly?” As usual, Chie Mihara has your back, er, foot:

So chic, Chie’s new Crusade is a taller, flirtier version of last year’s Piet . A few gathers on the toe and a bow at the ankle are all you need to be a femme fatale!

Perhaps, though, you want  your ankle boot to make a bold, art-a-liscious statement. Look no further than Trippen’s Fence, now available in metallic steel leather!

So urban and edgy, this boot does the talking and the walking! As if its stylish good looks weren’t enough (did you notice it laces up the back?), the Fence stands on Trippen’s famously comfortable t-shaped wedge that let’s you walk all day, turning heads everywhere you go! (And, yes, it also comes in black.)

Those are only the beginning of the ankle boot options that abound over at Ped’s main site. (There are scads more!) So, this fall take it low, and you’re good to go!

(Although not an ankle boot, this week’s “Sweet Treat” is still super cute: Cydwoq’s emerald green Forbid. Look like a million bucks for 20% off by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the upper corner of any Ped page to reach the magic discount code.)

It seems like yesterday we were dancing through March and April, trying on all the new sandals in the Ped warehouse. Now we’re already in the second week of August? How did that happen??? We’re sad to see the long days of summer grow short, but one consolation to their coming to an end is the arrival of fall’s beautiful shoes and boots!

Want more good news? You don’t have to wait until the leaves start to turn to wear them! Ankle boots and heeled oxfords look terrific and utterly modern with flirty summer skirts!

Here’s a taste, fresh out of the boxes arriving daily at Ped HQ, to whet your appetite:

Who can resist the charms of Chie Mihara’s Vaive?

Yes, we’ve had this wonderful, rosette-embellished oxford before, but not in VIOLET!!! What a fabulous, head-turning color to take you through the rest of summer and right into fall!

Another old favorite that’s just arrived in a new color scheme is Giraudon’s Plug Loafer:

The latte-colored toe really calls attention to the wonderful perforated leather in Giraudon’s design. So cute!! We love the idea of pairing this play on men’s wear with a flouncy, girly dress!

Another colorful new style for transitioning from summer into fall is the Cydwoq Buckle:

The Italian leather in this über-modern flat is the most wonderful blend of wine and black. The zig-zag strap and square buckle also offer a refreshing break from all the lace-ups that are everywhere this season (not that we don’t adore lace-ups—we definitely do!).

We’re excited about all the new styles at Ped, but we confess one little boot has us in a particular tizzy: Cydwoq’s Iota!

We’ve loved a lot of lace-up ankle boots in the past, but, without a doubt, the Iota is our favorite engineer boot EVER! The way the leather comes together is wonderful, but what we like best is how the leather is an “aging” black, which means over time it acquires a brownish patina. So cool! In Japan, they have a special term, sabi, for the beauty that comes with time and wear!

Needless to say, there are more new designs to ooh and aah over at Ped’s main site, with still more on the way! Stay tuned, Ped fans because the sun may be setting on summer, but this fall promises to be spectacular!

Summer, summer, summer! Now that we’re adults, we work right through it, but we still have that kid feeling that school’s out, and suddenly, the world is full of freedom and possibility! And green is everywhere you look, which, of course, I love since it’s my favorite color!

Ped has lots of luscious green things, so you can remind yourself of summer any time of year.

It’s no secret that I am in LOVE with our latest boot from Fiorentini + Baker, the Eden:

Not only is it a tall drink of green (bonsai green, to be specific), it’s also so supple. I love the idea of this boot scrunched down and paired with a floaty summer dress.

Another recent addition to Ped’s green lineup is the wonderful Cydwoq Tourist:

Rafi at Cydwoq keeps refining the lace-up low boot, and this is his latest version! Perfect for walking and walking and then walking some more!

Trippen’s Octopus is another shoe designed to take you anywhere you need to go in cutting-edge, green style:

I love how the straps cross over your foot and then tie in a knot behind your heel! Trippen never fails to wow with its innovative designs!

If you’re a gal who prefers a heel, have we ever got a treat for you! The current star of the Ped warehouse: Chie Mihara’s Jupi!

Oxfords are IT for fall, and this is one of the prettiest we’ve seen. Plus, the forest green color is to die for!

Of course, green grows beyond merely shoes and boots at Ped. For instance, drink in the myriad greens in Pepita’s Giorgia necklace:

The way Pepita mixes antique hardware with soft beads is so unusual and fresh!

Speaking of fresh, Mia Zia’s Willow Scarf reminds us of sunny picnics and sweet-smelling grass:

The weave of this lime checked scarf is deliciously soft, and Mia Zia’s signature tassels automatically make any day more fun! (Plus, it’s on sale!)

Of course, there are more lovely green items sprouting all over Ped’s main site! So, spruce up your style with a touch of green and maintain a summery frame of mind all year long!

(By the way, this week’s “sweet treat” may not be green, but it’s named for something that swims in green water: Trippen’s Fish! Just click “be sweet to your feet” at the top of any Ped page to get to the discount code that will make this sweet shoe yours for a cool 20% off!)