Every season it happens. Shoes we absolutely adore here at Ped HQ seem to go unnoticed and wind up sitting on the shelf rather than heading out the warehouse door on new adventures.

Often it’s because Ped fans can’t quite envision out how a certain style might fit into their wardrobes. We’re here to help! Below are some of our overlooked favorites put together with outfits that show off their potential! And did we mention that all but one are on sale?

First up, the fantastically comfortable Trippen Rom:

The Rom is bold and, yes, a little masculine, so it works especially well with relaxed feminine pieces, like a drop-waist sundress or an airy top and jeans. We added Sophie Digard’s Alpine necklace for extra fun! The Rom was great at $328, but it’s even better at $164!

Heading in a more feminine direction, Chie Mihara’s Calanta sandal has a dual personality:

This heeled lace-up is the definition of “versatile.” It looks sophisticated and urban worn with the modern outfit on the left but instantly becomes retro-chic with the vintage-inspired look on the right. We’ve accented the left ensemble with Epice’s Girasole Scarf and the right with Cydwoq’s Bright Bag (which would also look terrific with the outfit on the left). The Chie Mihara Calanta was gorgeous at $368, but it’s even lovelier at $184!

Another deliciously versatile sandal is the Argila Marisol:

 

Metallics are so of the moment, and the silver and black Marisol looks spectacular with lots of outfits, as demonstrated by its loveliness with the three different looks pictured! The Cydwoq Bright Bag in black is another goes-with-everything winner. The Marisol sparkled at $428, but it really shines at $214!

The cheeriest flat sandal in the Ped warehouse this summer is definitely Chie Mihara’s Elio sandal:

The curry-colored suede is fantastic, but it’s also what makes some would-be wearers hesitate. However, the Elios is not as hard to pair as you might think! It looks great with flowing feminine summer clothes, picking up any bit of yellow, but it’s also splendid with more structured casual wear, like this great plaid shift, with which it simply “goes.” Fun at $378, the Elios is a party at $189!

Speaking of color, some people think a red shoe, like the Trippen Zen, requires thought to wear, when they prefer everything to coordinate effortlessly.

What could be cuter or easier than these six pieces? The tops and skirts are completely interchangeable (mixing prints is on trend), and the Fine and the Trippen Carola bag match perfectly! The Zen was bliss at $248, but it’s heaven at $198!

Matching, however, is not necessary! As Stacy and Clinton used to say, “It only has to ‘go,'” which is demonstrated well by the unusual olivine color of the Trippen Magnolia:

None of the prints and colors above precisely match, but they all play well together, and the sweet Magnolia wedge looks stellar with both outfits!

As you browse through the ideas above, note that many of the shoes would go wonderfully with other outfits shown. We say if you love a shoe, you can make it work for you! Be adventurous and always have fun getting dressed!

Ped fans, we are loving the current emphasis on COLOR—all the new shoe hues have the Ped warehouse looking bright and lively! It’s amazing how an infusion of color makes the daily grind less grind-like and more like a party.

Quite a few of you, though, are mystified by how to work the new shades into your wardrobe. It’s easier than you think! You simply need  to realize things don’t have to match as long as they “go.” In fact, matching too precisely can make an outfit look “twee,” as the British say. (Laura says a friend of hers calls it the “flight attendant look.”)

You’ve also told us you worry that you’ll only wear colorful shoes once in a while, with one specific thing. To demonstrate the versatility of some of our more show-stopping shoes, we’ve incorporated them into not one but two outfits, often quite different in tone and purpose, to help spark your imagination. Let’s take a tour, and along the way, we’ll offer a few colorful tips.

First up, the Trippen Calexico:

This fun boot offers a lot more options than simply wearing it with jeans! We love the Calexico with the easy day look on the left, but it can even go after-five when paired with the dress on the right. We’ve also included Jamie Joseph’s Round Rock Crystal Ring since it looks stellar with the white in both the top and the dress.

Another shoe that’s more than simply casual is the Cydwoq Lodge:

Sure, it’s great for weekend apple-picking in the outfit on the left, but look at the chic edge the Lodge gives the argyle sheath dress on the right! The Cydwoq Bright Bag also easily transitions from brunch casual to workweek sleek. OD-ing on all that red? Simply add the Epice Plaza Scarf to change the flavor!

Perhaps your personal style trends toward conservative, and although you like to browse at Ped, you can’t imagine how you’d incorporate a colorful style into your wardrobe. The answer is to let a shoe, like the Cydwoq Larkspur, punctuate your outfit, like a great piece of jewelry.

What a way to jazz up a suit!

Chie Mihara’s Tunisia is a shoe that immediately produces oohs and aahs, but the unusual color and patterned heel mistakenly lead people to think it might be hard to pair.

The key is not to worry about matching the color and instead simply let it “go.” The Tunisia‘s checkerboard heel echoes the black and white photo on the dress on the left and complements the variety of patterns in the skirt on the right. Since the shoe and clothes are doing the heavy lifting style-wise, it’s nice to go with a simple bag, like the Cydwoq Bright.

Sometimes it’s not just the color but also the cut that gives Ped fans pause when they think about how to wear a design. Case in point, the Trippen Drama boot:

A couple options: 1) contrast the Drama‘s fabulous flared top with simple straight lines up top, such as wearing it with a pencil skirt and streamlined top; or 2) let its shape play up the lines and movement of a flirty A-line dress. We tossed in Jamie Joseph’s round carnelian ring for a little extra red zing!

If you approach dressing with a sense of adventure, it won’t matter an iota if you don’t own anything blue to wear with the Trippen Tender:

When you want to reference the color of your shoe, accessories can work that magic. We like the contrast of the floral of the skirt on the left with Epice’s Baya Scarf, which includes a periwinkle color that calls out to, but doesn’t match the blue of the Tender. On the right, it’s fun to mix the squares of the dress with the circles on the Epice Los Lunares Scarf.

Finally, let’s consider  Chie Mihara’s Kalendu, which is simply too juicy to miss!

You don’t have to go be a girly girl to take advantage of its delicious greenness! The Kalendu adds such fun to the workweek look on the left (again without actually matching any of the colors in the sweater) and is utterly chic with the casual jeans and top on the right. We also like Cydwoq’s Bright Bag and Jamie Joseph’s Organic Circle Earrings with both outfits.

As you’ve probably noticed, many of the shoes above work equally well with outfits paired with other shoes. We hope these ideas bolster your confidence that colorful shoes truly can be your constant companions and not just once-in-a-blue-moon friends! Life is so much more fun in color!

(Psst, you only have a few more days to snap up this week’s Sweet Treat, the Trippen Yard. Simply click “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left of most Ped pages to reach the Yard with the code that will bring 20% off at checkout.)