Ped fans, suede is everywhere this season! It looks fantastic and feels sumptuously soft, but how much do you really know about suede?

Here’s a quick lesson. The word “suede” comes from the French “gants de suede,” meaning “gloves of Sweden,” a term first used in the mid-19th century. Tanners create suede by sanding the underside of leather to yield a soft nap. Ever wondered what the difference between suede and nubuck is? Well, nubuck results from sanding the exterior of a hide. Both suede and nubuck feel wonderful, but nubuck is less supple and a little more rough-and-tumble.

We adore suede not only for its tactile quality, but also for how it enriches color! This spring and summer, Ped has suede styles galore in glorious shades perfect for soaking up the sun. Take a look!

Accessoire is a virtuoso when it comes to color-saturated suede—it’s what they do best! Bask in the beauty of the Accessoire Bahia:

Accessoire calls this color “papaya,” and it certainly is juicy! What an easy way to make a sundress even sunnier!

One of Accessoire’s many charms is their ability to give their designs an aura of vintage romance, as they do with the Alabama:

This lovely sandal looks like something Lana Turner would have worn in 1940s Hollywood. Glam meets chic in Accessoire’s combination of butterfly-printed leather and coral-pink suede!

Another feminine sandal in a beautiful shade of suede is Chie Mihara’s Gipsy:

Could that cobalt blue be any more luminous? We also love the way Chie contrasts the airy straps up front with the enclosed heel in back. Now that’s a phat flat!

Looking for something less girly? Another down-to-earth sandal made in suede is Pep Monjo’s Angelina:

The grey suede complements the urban edge of this style, and since grey is a neutral, it works with all your favorite warm-weather clothes.

Fiorentini + Baker takes suede higher and in a retro direction with its 1970s-inspired Dina sandal:

Holy hotness! The burgundy suede straps make a bold statement, while the cork sole adds inches in a light and comfortable way! (FYI, we also have the Dina in mustard leather.)

This fantastic sole also adds ‘zazz to F+B’s Ding clog, back at Ped by popular demand:

Suede that swings! The fringe has our hearts, but the teal color is what really sends us over the moon! (But if you prefer black, we’ve got your back.)

Wishing for a lace-up shoe? This season we’re offering Fiorentini + Baker’s beloved Eliza oxford in several shades of suede, including sienna:

In a word: YUM! This suede shoe exemplifies why Italian shoes are prized; it’s so well made and comfortable it will be your best friend for years. Be sure to check out the teal and verde versions, too!

Vialis’ sweet suede lace-up mixes the best of a sneaker with the lightness of a dance shoe. Behold the wonderful Pepita:

Simple and easy to wear, the Pepita is made for dashing around town followed by kicking back on the porch! The midnight blue color is so pretty, but you can also opt for the Pepita in spicy mustard.

Finally, if you’re like us and love the look of boots with summery skirts and dresses, check out the Fiorentini + Baker Emil:

At last, an “air-conditioned” boot—perfect for wearing barefoot and showing off bare legs! (Of course, it will also look great with tights and funky kneehighs when the weather cools off.)

Even more suede sweethearts are waiting for you at Ped’s main site! Discover why we’re soft on suede, especially in the summertime!

(Speaking of suede, there are two suede versions—as well as two leather versions—of this week’s super-duper tasty Sweet Treat: Fiorentini + Baker’s Emmy Boot! Did we just give you a heart attack? Simply click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to land at the Emmy, where you’ll find the magic code that will bring a sweet 20% off at checkout!)

Ped fans, you know how it goes: you’re window shopping on the Internet when you run across a shoe or a bag that makes your heart beat faster. You think, “Oooh, I LOVE that!”  Then you quickly rein yourself in with the follow-up question, “But what would I wear it with?

We know certain styles and colors may seem daunting. Chances are, though, they’re easier to wear than you think! To help you see the possibilities and spur your imagination, we offer a few visual prods below.

All the gals at Ped HQ are committed to ease—the less fuss in getting ourselves out the door, the better. With that in mind, each of the following five ready-to-go outfits consist of only four elements.

Here Vialis’s Claudette peep-toe clog offers an ideal complement to the the textural interest of the drape-y top and skirt. Add the Cydwoq Cedar Bag in turmeric, and all the colors become richer! Easy and elegant.

Maybe you want to incorporate a mod Mad Men-esque look into your wardrobe?

It’s all about geometry and balance! We love the chunky-heeled Coclico Vidal paired with this fun shift dress! Square everything up with Fiorentini + Baker’s sleek Milano Shopper and Jamie Joseph’s Smoky Quartz Ring. (Did we mention every Ped item in this look is on sale?)

If you have a penchant for black and your aesthetic trends toward urban sophistication, why not give it an artistic edge?

Riveting (literally)! Cydwoq’s versatile Bright Bag and Trippen’s fantastic Agave sandal boot anchor the dazzling patterns of the skirt and jacket. Sure, it’s “a lot of look,” as Tim Gunn would say, but it’s a lot of look we like!

What’s that? You say you simply want something comfortable to dash from class to lunch and then off to run errands? No problem!

Easy as pie and just as tasty! Fiorentini + Baker’s Ding Clog‘s fringe echos the movement of the striped skirt, and the Dean Towner Bag makes an ideal everyday satchel.

Maybe you’d like to amp up the femininity for a garden party or date night? If so, florals and jewel tones are your best friends!

Although not exact matches (that would look twee), Dean’s green suede Thimble Bag, Jamie Joseph’s Orange Chalcedony Ring, and Accessoire’s Sagan in the prettiest shade of dahlia all work with the dress’s colorful palette!

And to demonstrate the versatility of these styles, imagine how terrific  F+B’s Ding Clog from outfit #4 would look with the shift dress in the second outfit, or how beautiful outfit #1’s Vialis Claudette would be with the skirt in outfit #4. Feel like creating edgy contrast? Then envision pairing the Trippen Agave from outfit #3 with either outfit #1 or #5! Fun and unexpected!

A great way to figure out how a tempting shoe or bag might work with your wardrobe is to play around—like we did—at Polyvore!

(Speaking of tempting bags, this week’s Sweet Treat is Cydwoq’s Flap Bag! Get Flap happy for 20% off by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page, which will take you to the Flap Bag with a magic code to enter 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.

Fashion history is a treasure trove! Forward-thinking designers regularly sift through the past to recover earlier trends to reinterpret with a modern edge.

This season some of the best new shoes have their roots in the righteous ’70s, when women’s fashion took a turn for the bold! The precarious stilettos and tight-waisted “Suzy homemaker” dresses of the 1950s and early ’60s stepped aside for chunky heels worn out and about with minis, midis, and pantsuits! Refreshing then! Refreshing now!

Behold a few of the new designs that celebrate the sexy confidence of 1970s’ style!

One of the sunniest interpretations of the spirit of the ’70s is Argila’s Allie!

We are wild about the combination of the buckled and tasseled front (so vintage!) with the hand-cut and sanded wooden heel! And the color? You just have to smile!

Of course, Chie Mihara is the reigning queen of retro-licious beauty! Check out the  ’70s sensibility  of this season’s Xeroco:

The buckles add just the right punctuation to the broad straps! The sexiness is no-nonsense and take-no-prisoners! Devastating in the best kind of way!

Another great Chie ode to the 1970s is the Rumi (a perennial Ped favorite):

Ped’s Laura swears her fashion-forward mother had a pair of identical shoes back in the 1970s! Beautiful as they may have been, Laura’s mom’s couldn’t hold a candle to the Rumi because the modern version features Chie Mihara’s signature padded footbed, the ultimate in comfort! (Ask anyone)!

Coclico also riffs on the leather patchwork so popular in the ’70s in its Valencia:

What a looker! Absolutely distinctive yet ultra-versatile. Note the subtle curve of the chunky wooden heel—Coclico is always attentive to the details!

Coclico’se retro-sassy Vidal also features this gorgeous heel:

Talk about a statement shoe! The way the back strap and hardware twins the strap and hardware over the instep is ingenious!

Coclico also takes a tip from the 70s in its cork platform designs, like the Melania:

Light and comfortable, this beauty updates the vintage look of a platform wedge by creating it in the most modern of colors: flint grey!

Another stunning cork-soled number is Fiorentini + Baker’s swinging Ding Clog:

So fun, this fringed clog is crafted with the same meticulous attention to detail as F+B’s famous boots! The Ding was love at first sight for Ped’s Laura—she immediately bought it and has been wearing it nonstop! (She loves the terra cotta color of the Indian Red, but we also have the Ding in black, if that’s more your thing.)

Speaking of clogs, Trippen’s Strahl exemplifies what can happen when a designer takes retro inspiration and runs with it:

The Strahl‘s spark lies in the 1970s, but this work of art’s fireworks are thoroughly modern! We adore how the teal edges of the black leather are echoed in the patina of the rivets and the rubber on the outsole.

So, get in the mood by listening to James Brown’s 1972 hit, and then literally “Get on the Good Foot!” Your style will be far out! Dig it!

(Psst, another groovy design, though not ’70s inspired, is Fiorentini + Baker’s Pia boot, which is this week’s Sweet Treat. Make its gorgeousness yours for 20% off by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page, which will whisk you to the Pia, with the magic discount code to enter at checkout! What a great way to step into spring!)