For many Ped fans, summer means one thing: sandals, sandals, and more sandals! But we realize that’s not the case for all of you. For instance, the forecast for the next week at Ped HQ is calling for temps in the high 60s and low 70s. And at Lake Tahoe, where we spend many weekends, the mercury often dips down into the 30s at night! A wee bit frosty for bare toes!

Also, some of you prefer to wear shoes no matter what the weather! So although we waxed rhapsodic about sandals recently, today we’re going to sing the praises of summer shoes! Let’s walk through a few:

Just because your toes are relaxing inside doesn’t mean you can’t give them an air-conditioned ride, as demonstrated by the Trippen Chill:

This black-and-white charmer has our name all over it, with its twice-dyed leather, exposed seams, and dotty cutouts! The Chill is the perfect way to chill.

The Cydwoq Speed also makes good use of exposed seams and breezy cutouts, but whereas the Chill features circlets and swooping curves, the Speed wows with squares and angles:

Quintessentially Cydwoq! The Speed offers great arch support, and its all-leather construction just gets more comfy the more you wear it! And the curry color? De-li-cious!

As long as we’re talking about exposed seams and fun colors, let’s turn the conversation to the Trippen Poppy:

Super comfortable and super sassy! The Poppy takes exposed seams one step further, opening them out to form the petals of a stylized flower on the toe! Plus, the plum leather, with its orchid underside, is the definition of juicy! (Did you know “Radiant Orchid” is the Pantone color of 2014? The Poppy is au courant!)

As Ped fans know, anything green is high on my list, so Trippen’s Mountains tops my shoe loves this season:

The jagged edges of the design are inspired by the lovely ridge line of mountaintops. And the lacing crisscrossing “the valley” keeps everything airy and open during warm weather!

Another stunning Trippen color this season is the cherry red edition of the Vivienne:

The Vivienne is a perennial Ped favorite, and with good reason—it’s as easy to wear as it is fun to see! We especially like how the ankle straps crisscross and slide through a loop in back before closing with an adjustable rivet on the side. (We also have the Vivienne in a spicy mustard!)

The new Cydwoq Poster also features a cute-as-can-be ankle strap:

This is Laura’s favorite (and she wears it a lot) because of the riveted snub nose and the printed leather that combines Italian newsprint with graffiti-like elements in reddish pink, blue-grey, and black. Gotta keep it funky, she says!

And when it comes to fun and funky, one design is in a class of its own this season: the unique Cydwoq Converge:

Okay, we know we’re cheating a little bit since the fantastic Converge does let your big toe peek out a circular hole, but the design is really more shoe than sandal! (Or is it? So hard to say!) Although it defies categorization, the Converge is a winning look that’s completely fun to wear! Oh, the conversations you’ll start!

These are just a few ways to go if you don’t want to disclose your toes—more await your discovery at Ped’s main site! Don’t be shy—show off your shoes this summer!

(Psst, in case you didn’t see the post below, the Sweet Treat this week is the Cydwoq Sight, which is mostly shoe, although it does feature a charming peep toe! Click “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left of most Ped pages to be whisked to the Sight with the “Sweet Treat” designation. Then choose your color and size, and add it to your bag to receive an automatic 20% off at checkout!)

Here’s one to lace up and love, Ped fans! This week’s Sweet Treat is the sassy Cydwoq Sight. Click “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left of most pages at www.pedshoes.com, and when you land at the Sight with the “Sweet Treat” designation, pop it in your bag to get an automatic 20% off at checkout!

Give your toes a peep!

We are true blue fans of the Cliff Dweller Emma because it’s the ideal companion for all your summer travel plans (even if they just involve driving the kids around town). To tie up this beauty for 20% off, simply click “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left of most pages at Ped! When you land at the Emma with the “Sweet Treat” designation, add it to your bag to get the 20% discount at checkout!

Time to cruise in the navy!

Spring skies are blue, so add the same hue to your shoes with this week’s Sweet Treat, the chic and easy Cydwoq South! Simply click “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left, and when you land at the Cydwoq South with the “Sweet Treat” designation, just pop it into your bag to receive 20% off automatically at checkout!

What a way to tie up your spring style!

Know what wows us these days? The myriad techniques Italian tanneries use to transform already-beautiful leather into artistic canvases that make shoe and bag designs POP! From twice-dyeing to embossing to hand painting, these methods yield leathers that elicit “oohs” and “aahs” from everyone who sees them.

Cydwoq’s Rafi Balouzian is particularly adept at picking eye-opening leathers for his unusual designs, a skill he’s passed on to his son Ari, who makes shoes for Cliff Dweller. Let’s take a look at some of their gorgeous finds!

Hands down (feet down?), the best way to sparkle and shine at your upcoming holiday parties is to wear Cydwoq’s Skate:

Drink in the way the embossed paisley pattern shimmers in red and gold against the black matte background! We’re sure your favorite LBD is chic, but it’s going to look truly spectacular with the Skate!

Another festive head-turner is Cydwoq’s Rotate:

The design itself is fluid work of art, but it becomes a masterpiece when crafted from this stunning multicolored marbled leather!

Also impressive is how Italian tanners have mastered replicating rare animal hides, like python and alligator, without touching those endangered species. Check out the Cydwoq Range to see what we mean:

We love how the sienna and ocher details enhance the persuasiveness of the embossed scaly midsection of this outstanding oxford!

Another convincing copy is the faux ostrich leather of the Cydwoq Mountain:

The vintage feel of these mid-calf beauties is enhanced by the “ostrich” leather, which calls to mind the romance of a different era.

Cydwoq also use the spectacular leathers it finds to make wonderful bags. The same Picasso leather used for the stunning Larkspur shoe can found in this edition of the Olive bag:

The increased “real estate” of the bag really shows off the jaw-dropping beauty of the leather! (Also, note the stoppers on the bottom, which will help protect the leather when you set the Olive down.)

At Cliff Dweller, Ari Balouzian’s specialty is designing modern versions of classic styles, which he often constructs in unexpected leathers. A perfect example is the Cliff Dweller Canoe:

Here Ari updates the classic deck shoe/loafer hybrid and makes it in a modern blue leather that’s hatched for visual and textural interest.

But perhaps the prettiest shoe yet from Cliff Dweller is the swoon-worthy Yoga:

Let’s face it, ballet flats are a dime a dozen, but the Yoga, crafted in this spectacular floral leather that’s perfectly complemented by the crisscross elastic lacing, is truly one in a million! Talk about a gorgeous shoe!

As usual, there are more specialty leathers to make you (and your fans) wake up and take notice over at Ped’s main site! Let your feet and eyes take pleasure in the leather!

(In case you’re wondering, this week’s Sweet Treat is the Trippen Drama Boot! Zip up with flair for 20% off when you click “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left of most Ped pages. No code needed—when you click through from “be sweet to your feet,” the discount is automatic when you add the Drama to your shopping bag! Yep, the treat just got a little bit sweeter.)