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!

Admittedly, what follows is not exactly a “tale,” but we felt so happy after reading Frances Hersey’s note that she immediately became our October favorite. We really do think of you Ped fans as our friends—people who are unique and interesting—so it makes our day to find out that affection is mutual. Plus, we love the photo Frances sent, which had everyone at Ped Central smiling. (We do love a cute pooch!) So, without further ado, here’s what Frances wrote that made us blush and feel warm all over:

Oh, my gosh!! I am in love with the shoes and boots that you sent to me. I love them so much, and they are both so special and beautiful. I have the Chie Mihara’s on today, and they are just to die for.

This morning as I was getting ready for work I had the Fiorentini + Baker Emma Boot on, and I could live in those boots. They are incredible, and I truly think they are a work or art.  (Thank you also for the kind note that you sent—it made my day.) I really appreciate you remembering that I wanted to try the boots. They are even more incredible in person. I must have looked at them online a thousand times, and now I have them. I am in heaven.

Thank you for wonderful you and for your wonderful online store. Everything you sell is special and beautiful, and I am so appreciative and grateful that I found you. I also love my scarves and wear them almost everyday. Thank you for helping me look stylish and for being so great to work with. I am so thrilled with my new shoes and boots. Thank you, Dayna.

Frances and her sweet dog, Ruth, looking gorgeous in Sophie Digard scarves and Chie Mihara heels.

You are welcome, Frances!!! Doesn’t she look fantastic? She’s radiant! We like to think wearing Ped will do that for a gal. For being such a sweetheart and sending us such a great picture and lovely note, Frances gets $100 in Ped credit!

Do you have a Tale of the Sole? Tell us—and show us (we LOVE pictures!!!)—what happened to you while wearing a Ped item, and you, too, might be the recipient of $100 in Ped credit. Each month we pick the most sole-ful tale to share on the blog. So, let us know what in the world you’ve been doing in your Ped!

At Ped, we’re always on the lookout for those rare designers who adhere to socially and environmentally responsible practices while making beautifully crafted items with scads of style. So, we went right over the moon when we discovered Argila, a wonderful shoe line featuring beautiful leathers and meticulous workmanship produced in designer Pep Monjo’s hometown of Menorca, Spain! We first introduced Argila to the Ped lineup last spring, and now we’re back with round two for fall. Let us just gush for a minute because these shoes and boots are truly something special!

Argila’s Maya is the holy grail of women’s shoes—a comfortable heel that’s conservative enough for the office but still lets you express your individuality (because who wants to be a corporate cog?). The leather is such a rich smoky grey, and it goes with absolutely everything. The t-strap is a classic style, but the details set this beauty apart, from the perforated leather at the front and back to the suede-wrapped heel to the circular buckle at the ankle. We can’t stop sighing.

Maybe your career let’s you be a little more badass—or maybe you like to shed your work clothes and get your ya-yas out after hours! If so, look no further than the Argila Katrine. This rockin’ ankle boot will make everyone around you catch their breath—it’s that stunning! We love the way the black leather suggests just a hint of bondage with the way it crisscrosses the taupe boot.

Speaking of beautifully cut leather, Argila’s Sadie is a veritable work of art with the way its chocolate leather radiates at an angle across the toe box and arches over the heel. It’s got a vintage feel but is thoroughly modern (check out the beautiful line of the heel). The schoolgirl look was never sexier!

Finally, Argila’s Josephine boot is perhaps our favorite black short boot of the season (although, admittedly, there are a lot of other beautiful ones at Ped). Again, it’s Argila’s attention to detail that sends this knockout over the top. We are especially smitten with the lace-less brass rivets running up the front of the boot—so very cool!

Such smoldering styles coming out of Spain! Argila es muy caliente!

Ped fans, don’t forget there are just two days left in Ped’s Bag Sale. Tote one of our Cydwoq, 49 Square Miles, or Jutta Neumann lovelies away while you can because they’re back to full price after August 19!

Here at Ped HQ, we’re smitten with the new First Lady! Not only is Michelle Obama accomplished and brilliant, but she’s also got miles of style! We admit we reveled in every minute of the January 20th inauguration, admiring her chartreuse dress during the day (as you probably know, I love green) and her white gown at night.

That said, we were all a little worried about how well her feet were holding up. Ms. Obama was standing practically all day! Whenever they showed close-ups of her during the parade, I thought I detected a well-masked hint of “oh-do-my-feet-ever-ache” underlying her smile. Nothing against the Jimmy Choos she wore, but, let’s face it, most heels are instruments of torture after a few hours!

Which is why Ped humbly suggests the First Lady consider Cydwoq Vintage and/or Chie Mihara for her White House footwear wardrobe. Both lines offer super chic, cutting-edge yet sophisticated designs, perfect for the types of state functions Ms. Obama must attend. But, amazingly, both remain comfortable even after hours of standing and making diplomatic chitchat.

So, if you run into the lovely Ms. O, perhaps you could steer her to our list of recommendations, which we’re offering in two parts. We’ll start with a few Cydwoq Vintage beauties, and in a few weeks, we’ll suggest a few Chie Mihara styles.

First up, the new Cydwoq Vintage Osmosis:

(No, that’s not what you think–our little Corgi friend, Cooper, accidentally knocked over her water bowl in her excitement to see us.) How gorgeous are these??? When Ped’s Laura saw them, she almost fainted! We think Michelle Obama would rock these, and their 2″ heel—placed precisely where it’s most comfortable by Rafi, Cydwoq’s genius in residence—would give her just enough lift. Considering she’s a statuesque 5’11”, we’re guessing she likes to keep her heels fairly low. 

Or how about the ultra chic Palm?

It is the epitome of understated sophistication! Plus, its neutral color palette would allow Ms. Obama to pair it with so many outfits (and if she’s bored at a luncheon, she could just look down at her feet for some entertainment). We’re pretty sure it would become a favorite!

Another goes-with-anything option is Cydwoq’s Wing:

Can’t you just envision Michelle in this embossed faux croc and bronze number? We can!

Finally, we’ve noticed Ms. Obama appreciates a zing of color, but we also know she probably needs a pair of fall-back black pumps. Which is why we think the Canvas has “Michelle Obama” written all over it:

That little red edge just makes this shoe! 

Looking ladylike was never such a treat for the feet! After all, it’s not whether the shoe is too big or too small,* it’s whether it works for you.

(*actually, it kind of is, but I couldn’t resist the line…)