Ped fans, we’re gradually inching our way up the leg in our exploration of all things boot and beautiful! Today, we sample variations of a perennial favorite, the mid-calf boot. Neither short nor tall, like all good things (including porridge at the three bears’ house), it’s just right! Let’s take a look:

Cydwoq has elevated designing mid-calf boots into an artform! Truly, it’s their forte, as evidenced by the new Surgeon Boot:

The pewter leather treatment is stunning, especially in contrast with the cage-like overlay of matte brown (which you may remember from the Cydwoq Artisan, which we showed you a few days ago). But what makes Cydwoq mid-calf boots especially fantastic is the dip in back that comfortably accommodates a range of calf sizes!

Another Cydwoq boot that zips up the back is the traffic-stopping Bend:

The crimson underside of the luxe black leather is beyond juicy! If you want to start conversations everywhere you go, zip up the Bend and get people talking!

Looking for something a little more girly? Then check out the most sensational boot of the season, Cydwoq’s Rescue Boot:

If you’ve seen steampunk fashion, which melds 19th century romanticism with science-fiction fantasies of the future (think Jules Verne), you know what a dream come true the Rescue is! From the metallic-hued heel and bronze undertones of the burnout paisley pattern to the scalloped top and lace-up front, this boot is smashing!

Finally, to put an exclamation point on this mid-calf medley, we give you the most popular Ped boot ever—a classic that looks perpetually modern—the Fiorentini + Baker Eternity Boot:

Like the Cydwoq boots above, the Eternity accommodates almost any calf size, thanks to its two-part shaft construction and trio of adjustable buckles. We could go on and on about the quality of the Italian craftsmanship, but the bottom line is this boot looks kickass! Choose either dark brown (pictured) or black leather, or opt for grey suede—every version is awesome!

As you can see, half-calf is where it’s at!

We still have one more stop, a few inches higher, before we complete our foray through Ped’s fabulous boots. Stay tuned for tall boots tomorrow!

(By the way, this week’s Sweet Treat is a rockin’ boot made for going from summer to fall: Trippen’s Agave! Just click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to reach the Agave with the magic code that will bring 20% off at checkout!)

Ped fans, let’s all take a minute to appreciate that fate brought together Italian interior designer Gianpaolo Fiorentini and British shoe virtuoso Deborah Baker! Their combined genius created the powerhouse that is Fiorentini + Baker, everybody’s favorite bootmaker!

And with good reason—F+B uses old-school Italian cobbling techniques to turn leathers and suedes of the highest quality into timeless styles with a modern sensibility. Fiorentini + Baker pays close attention to every detail of every design, and does it ever show! Better still, F+B’s meticulously crafted boots feel as wonderful as they look and last a lifetime.

This fall Ped adds three new styles to our expanding F+B family, and we’re offering several longtime favorites in fresh colors! Bella, bella, bella!

We humbly suggest you consider F+B’s new Pansy your new BBF (Best Boot Friend):

So simple in its design yet so breathtaking in its impact, this gorgeous suede number looks smashing with any length skirt, and it’s just as fab with jeans! The Bordeaux wine shade of the suede is delicious, but we also carry the Pansy in a rich brown—utterly beautiful!

A perennial question we hear at Ped is, “Do you have cowboy boots?” Thanks to Fiorentini + Baker’s new Enola, we can finally answer, “Yes, ma’am!”

The classic ranch style has undergone an Italian makeover to turn it into an urban knockout! The flirty Enola is crafted from the supplest suede to give it a sexy slouch! Here’s a happy conundrum: How to choose between the grey ice (pictured) and dark brown versions?

Looking for something with a little attitude? Let your inner rocker chick out to play in Fiorentini + Baker’s new Celia:

The brass studs arcing across the buckle strap drive home the Celia‘s take-no-prisoners approach to style! What a kickass way to become the talk of the town!

Now that you’ve met our three new boot beauties, say hello to several old friends in new colors!

Look how lovely the double-buckled Emmy is in Bordeaux wine:

Of course, we also have the Emmy in black, blue moon, anthracite (Laura’s fave!), and sand (which is currently on sale—act fast!).

We’ve also added a luscious grey suede version of F+B’s ever-popular Eternity boot:

Don’t worry, purists, we still have the Eternity in black and brown, too.

Speaking of black, we’re introducing a black edition of Fiorentini + Baker’s Edel (the tallest boot we carry):

We also carry the Edel in dark brown, the version that won everyone’s heart!

And there are several more new F+B color ways awaiting your discovery at Ped’s main site! If you’ve yet to experience Fiorentini + Baker’s Italian charms, why not take the plunge? We guarantee you’ll instantly become a card-carrying member of the F+B fan club!

As much as we love summer at Ped HQ, it’s always a treat when the fall styles begin to arrive at the warehouse! It seems like an eon has passed since the orders were placed, so opening the boxes leads to a whole new round of oohing and aahing.

And no one gets more oohs and aahs than that Spanish apple of our eye, Chie Mihara, who has truly outdone herself for autumn! Her whimsical and feminine creations, so meticulously detailed, make us sigh over and over again! Given what a scorcher this summer has been, it’s lovely to imagine brisk fall days and what we might wear with this shoe or that! Try it yourself with this taste of Chie Mihara’s fall feast!

It’s so hard to choose what to show you from the 15 new Chie styles now in the Ped house—every single one is GORGEOUS! But let’s begin with Ms. Mihara’s new Vedet:

Mary Jane to the MAX! Who knew such a sweet classic could look so sophisticated and seductive? The mix of the brown mock croc leather with a textured black toe, heel, and cross strap is genius! Sexy schoolgirl, indeed!

For those of you who prefer a lower heel and a slightly quieter voice, Chie Mihara offers several options, one of the prettiest being the Gual:

The heel is more down-to-earth and the mink grey suede is a softer approach than the Vedet, but don’t be fooled—the Gual has plenty of stylish gas in its tank! Patent leather dots strewn over the toe and gold-infused black leather trim give this versatile neutral a flirty edge!

To be honest, though, we most heart the designs in which Chie goes all out! Exhibit A: the Exito!

Look at that leather!!!(!!!!!!) We simply can’t stop smiling at how stunning it is—a textured and marbled combo of bronze, gold, and silver that dazzles and shines in this modern heeled oxford!

Let’s pump of the volume further—or at least the height! Presented for your approval (and drool), Chie Mihara’s Zanzubar:

Paying homage to the platform shoes of the 1970s, Chie Mihara has created a heeled oxford like no other! The chevron pattern created from braided black, white, and burgundy leather is out of this world!

Another retro-rocking style is Chie’s new Uja:

Holy cow! We love the “red pepper” faux croc leather of this peep-toe hot tamale! The heel is a take-no-prisoners 3.75″, but the Uja‘s pitch is an easy-peasy 2.75″ —that’s the function supporting the fun of the 1″ platform under the toe.

Maybe you enjoy vintage-inspired designs but prefer the flair of the Big Band era. If so, you’ll adore the Chie Mihara Pam:

What a bombshell—the ankle strap and flower blossoming on the toe are so dreamy in red suede! And the khaki grosgrain piping adds just a charming drop of contrast!

But the shoe you might just lose sleep over until you make it your own is Chie’s stunning Insomnia:

Romance is alive and thriving in this rhinestone-bedecked jewel of a shoe! Perfect for dancing the night away, this plum suede beauty will instantly make you the belle of the ball!

Are you starry-eyed imagininghow you’d look and what marvelous adventures you’d have in Chie Mihara’s latest designs? Well, the above stunners are just the beginning of the all the Chie Mihara gorgeousness awaiting you at Ped’s main site! Why resist? Go ahead and fall for fall!

(By the way, this week’s Sweet Treat is Trippen’s Aloe, a style that’s ideal for making the transition from summer to autumn! Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to reach the Aloe, where you’ll find a magic code that will bring 20% off at checkout!)

We went out with a bang last post by showing you Trippen’s knockout Strahl! A stunner, to be sure, but here’s the thing: ALL of Trippen’s new designs are a-maz-ing! This season those German geniuses have outdone themselves! The designs are eye-opening. The colors are dazzling. The leathers are supple. And, of course, the comfort is beyond compare!

But don’t take our word for it. Have a look for yourself!

One way to brighten any spring day is to buckle up Trippen’s Bora:

We can’t get enough of the magnolia plum color! The Bora is just the thing for tiptoeing through the tulips! (You’ll fit right in!)

Trippen also gives their leathers some extra oomph this season by coloring the edges, as demonstrated by the Army:

How cool are those blue edges? And how urban-edgy is the design? (That second strap from the bottom actually goes all the way around the instep!) This Army makes us want to join right up!

Want a sandal boot that’s even more rock ‘n’ roll? Give it up for the Trippen Agave:

Talk about grrl power! This spectacular boot is simultaneously badass and drop-dead sexy! Nothing’s hotter than a zipper up the back!

One of Trippen’s hallmarks is using the leather structure of their shoes to create visual artistry. Case in point: their new seamed flower toe, seen here on the Poppy:

Ped fans know how I am helpless to resist a green shoe! But if you’re not on team green, then perhaps you’d prefer the Peony in red or the Magnolia in blue-edged mocha—each varies in its heel and sole design, but fun flowers bloom on all their toes!

Speaking of toes with interesting details, check out Trippen’s Tetra:

Crafted in our fave black-ice leather, this flat is such a head turner! The laser-cut lines of dashes on the toe are like negative-space stitching and have the added benefit of giving your toes a breath of fresh air!

One of the juiciest new leather colors is red berry, which looks fresh and luscious on a favorite style from last summer, the Good:

YUM! The sliced leather and seaming are so innovative! The icing on this berry cake? Trippen’s t-shaped rubber wedge sole, which wins raves for comfort!

If you’re looking for a shoe to go with everything, you can still have Trippen’s wedge sweetness—just lace up the Sinus in versatile stone grey:

Wear this snub-nosed beauty to an art opening, and we guarantee the art won’t be the only thing being admired!

Even a simple sandal becomes something to write home about when given the Trippen treatment! Say hello the the stellar Careless:

Perhaps the best traveling shoe ever, this easy flat will keep your feet comfortable through a day of sightseeing and then be ready to dress up for dinner and dancing! The soft steel leather is a wonder to behold—and wear!

These beauties are only a few of the Trippen treats that await you at Ped’s main site! You don’t need a car to experience German ingenuity and engineering—simply slip on a pair of Trippen shoes and traipse out the door!

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!)