You may have noticed, Ped fans, that this autumn, it’s all about the ankle boot! Sweet and low booties have held sway for several years now, but this season the designs go above and beyond. They’re sexier! They’re more versatile! And they boast more street sass!

So many knockout styles have landed at Ped HQ that we’re breaking our bootie tour into two parts. Today we’ll stay well-grounded with flat boots, and in our next post, we’ll amp up the altitude with heeled designs.

On with the bootie-ful show:

If you’re someone who likes things lean and clean, with zero fuss, Fiorentini + Baker has your holy grail: the Elf!

Simplicity at its chicest, crafted with good lines and lovely materials! We are crazy about the “Bosco” suede version, which is a light tobacco that looks great with everything, but if you must have black, we’ve got your back!

Minimal bells and whistles and maximal softness are also the key elements of the Trippen Bomb:

The Bomb‘s buckle strap is removable, so you can cinch or un-cinch, scrunch or un-scrunch, or even fold the top over, depending on your mood. The washed leather is sinfully buttery (how to stop touching it?), no matter whether you choose the washed brown version shown or the washed black.

Pep Monjo builds a cinching buckle strap right into the design of his Sybil boot:

We love this modern re-imagining of the classic motorcycle boot! Grey is still all the rage and makes a great neutral. Then again, a black boot is always a good bet!

Another convincing argument for going grey–at least, at the ankles–is Cydwoq’s new Mechanic:

How we heart this hearty lace-up with its cool piecing and top-stitching! And the Vibram rubber lug sole means the Mechanic is tooled for all-weather walking!

If you like a little extra fun in your functional bootie, the following three styles might have your name on them. First up, the Cydwoq Beacon is back with extra flair:

The Beacon was one of our biggest hits last year! For extra flash, we’ve added a splash of green and orange plaid suede to the mix. The result? The perfect fall bootie!

Trippen lives up to its reputation for playful designs by stitching a puzzle piece into its new Game boot:

Crafted from unbelievably soft leather, the Game is funky but still versatile and ideal for everyday wear! And who doesn’t love a zipper up the back?

Of course, if we’re talking zippers, our new be-zipped favorite is Trippen’s Helix!

How fun is this boot???!!!??? Not only is the spiral zipper innovative and entertaining, but it also allows you to wear this boot any number of ways! The coolest boot in the house, hands–er, feet–down!

As always, there are even more great flat-soled ankle boots awaiting your discovery at Ped’s main site! In any of these booties, getting caught flat-footed is a good thing!

(And don’t miss this week’s “endless summer” Sweet Treat, the Cydwoq Crete! Become a Greek goddess for 20% off by clicking “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left of most Ped pages. When you land at the Crete with the “Sweet Treat” designation, just add it to your bag to get the discount automatically at checkout.)

Happy New Year, Ped fans!!! Here’s hoping your holidays were everything you wanted them to be and more!

If you’re like me, though, after all the hoopla and good cheer, your wallet’s feeling a little lighter. Still, a gal’s got to have good shoes and boots to get through the chilly winter months! Don’t worry. Ped’s here to help by taking our prices down a notch, so they’re a little friendlier to soles in need. We bet you’ve been generous to everyone you love, so now it’s time to treat yourself!

Who knows, maybe those cute Chie Mihara’s Santa forgot to bring you are still waiting for you to slide in and step out on the town?

Ped blew through its first shipment of Chie’s knockout Ninke practically overnight and reordered, which means we just might have your size in this vintage-inspired heel! With it’s beautifully stitched and scalloped toe, it was worth every penny at $328, but now it’s super stylish at $262!

Or perhaps you’ve looked longingly at the Cydwoq Vintage Game Boot, but always heard your mom or maybe Sister Mary Francis saying in your head, “Tis better to give than to receive…,” and turned away with a sigh.

Well, turn back around, gal, and give yourself a break and a gorgeous pair of boots! I own these wood-heeled beauties and wear them all the time! Surely, your thrifty mom or penny-pinching Sister Mary Francis would approve of your skipping past the original price of $498 to a sweet $398!

Most people I know are always on the hunt for a shoe they can slip on to go grocery shopping or into the suitcase for a vacation of strolling and sightseeing. Our recommendation?

Cydwoq’s Tibet, which is equally comfortable walking miles through the narrow streets of Venice or the wide aisles of IKEA! Wonderful at $268, this go-everywhere ankle boot will have your feet and your bank account feeling healthy at $214!

And that’s just a smattering of the cool deals Ped has to warm up your winter! In addition to Chie Mihara and Cydwoq, all Argila, Coclico, Giraudon, and Swedish Hasbeens styles are now on sale. And if you’re jetting off on a tropical vacation (lucky you!!!), we have a few cute sandals left from last summer that will leave you with plenty of dinero in your pocket to buy froofy drinks on the beach!

Happy New Year! May 2010 be the best year ever!

We love this time of year at Ped Central! The mornings are crisp, the leaves are turning brilliant colors (Laura the orange-lover is in heaven), and the air smells so good! Although we advocate wearing tall boots anytime you like—so cute with a light summer dress!—when fall rolls around, they become de rigueur daily wear.

I always keep you Ped fans in mind when I study what boots to offer for fall and winter. Your feedback helps me so much in making selections that stay comfortable all day, offer versatility, flash the ‘zazz, and still accommodate a range of calf sizes (many Ped boots let you adjust the fit depending on whether you’re a skinny Minnie or a curvy Katie). And, of course, they’re all beautifully made and designed to last for years.

Here are a few of the full-length boots that are high on our list this season.

Okay, Ped fans, it’s no secret that the Cydwoq Game Boot is my absolute favorite:

As you can imagine, I see a lot of beautiful boots, so my powers of resistance are well fortified (otherwise, I’d be broke). But when Cydwoq’s Rafi showed me the Game, I was a goner! I simply adore it! The 1″ wooden heel is super easy to wear. The Italian leather is beyond gorgeous. The dart at the top of the shaft makes the Game extra calf-friendly! And those windows–those sexy little windows running up the back, well, oo la la, do they ever bring in the compliments!

Another favorite here at Ped HQ is Trippen’s March:

I decided to show you the rear view because the exposed seams are so fabulous the way they curve around from the front of the boot and run up the back! Plus, the March features Trippens’ t-shaped wedge sole, which has a legion of fans devoted to its comfort. And the color? Well, see for yourself—pretty as a Maple leaf or a glass of cabernet.

Another Trippen boot with backside interest is the Medea:

Crafted from buttery buffalo leather (you have to touch it to believe how sinfully soft it is), this beauty offers flirty lacing up the back that’s not only sexy but also functional. Notice that it extends below the fullest part of the calf, meaning you can adjust it to fit your individual leg. Once you’ve got everything just right, then you can leave it be, thanks to the Medea’s full inside zipper that lets you get in and out of this boot in a breeze.

But don’t just take our word for it. Ped customer S.N. recently wrote from Seattle,

“I’m in love with my Medea boots.  They are so cool and soft and overall awesome.  I also really appreciate that they can be expanded in case my calves do the same.”

Giraudon’s versatile Miranda boot also has a great system for fitting a range of calves:

Featuring classic riding-boot good looks, the Miranda’s secret is an elastic panel on the inside of the calf and another hidden under the boot loop on the outside. Neither interferes with the clean lines of this brown stunner but both love your leg like no tomorrow.

Those are just a tasty sampling of the feast of tall boots spread out at the Ped site. (Hello, did someone say Fiorentini + Baker? Mmmmm. Our delicious reorder is due in shortly–e-mail us if you’d like to be notified when it arrives!) So kick up your heels as you kick up the leaves and enjoy!