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.)

Ped fans, it’s been a while since we’ve posted a Tale of the Sole, and since summer makes us long for a vacation, it’s the perfect time to tell the following tale. Let’s join Ped fan Anna for a vicarious jaunt to London. Here’s her report about her Ped-happy trip:

This fall I travelled to London. Black Trippen Casanovas were the perfect choice for spending hours on a plane and at the airport, as well as for extensive walking on stone-paved streets. I felt stylish yet comfortable even when I was on my feet all day.

Wearing her Casanovas, Anna takes in the ornamental monkeys at the Tower of London. (Luckily, wire-mesh primates can’t get their paws on her Flap Bag!)

The Casanovas are a great shoe since they can be easily slipped on and off.  They are casual enough to be worn all day but can also be dressed up in the evening.

Anna’s Casanovas go for a whirl and take in the view on the London Eye.

I carried all of my essentials in my black Cydwoq flap bag, which was roomy enough to also store small souvenir purchases, maps, and, of course, snacks.  The leather and style of both the shoes and bag go with just about anything in my wardrobe!

London calling! Anna looks cracking in her Trippen and Cydwoq!

I received compliments from several women who teach fashion design in the University Arts London. They immediately recognized my Trippens and wanted to know where I got them (and, of course, I shared with them my source!)  Thank you, Ped, for keeping my travels fun and stylin’!

THANK YOU, Anna, for spreading the Ped love across the pond and making us smile!

As a token of gratitude for sharing her travel tale, Ped is delighted to give Anna a $100 gift certificate!

Do you have a Tale of the Sole? Tell us—and show us (we LOVE pictures!!!)—what happened to you while wearing something from Ped, and you, too, might be the recipient of $100 in Ped credit. We’d love to share your sole-ful story on the blog, so let us know what in the world you’ve been doing in your Ped!

Ped fans, we have a confession: we feel a little conflicted this time of year. On the one hand, we love the lights, the parties, the month-long festive feeling, and especially the chance to give those we love something nice! On the other hand, it’s a conundrum to find just the right thing for each woman on our list, ranging from our elderly aunt to our teenaged niece. Good thing all we need to do is look in our backyard—a.k.a. the Ped warehouse—to find treats that any gal any age will treasure!

If you, too, need a few ideas, check out the following suggestions, which are sure to brighten anyone’s holidays. (Best of all—no size knowledge is needed to produce smiles!)

As every woman knows (and every guy should, too), a gorgeous and functional bag is truly a gift that keeps on giving. Practicality and style make beautiful music together in Fiorentini + Baker’s Sylver Bag:

Since I love all things green, you can imagine how my heart raced when I ran across this bag in Europe! Perfect for Ped! The Sylver has twin exterior pockets, plus its spacious interior boasts another zipped pocket! And the leather is so soft. (It also comes in a grey and brown leather combo, in case that’s more to your giftee’s taste!)

Another sure-to-please bag is Accessoire’s Seine Tote:

We absolutely love this carry-all, which is the first bag we’ve offered from Accessoire. The deep red color has beautiful blue undertones! We also like having the option of wearing the Seine as a shoulder bag or carrying it as a hand-held tote.

If your designated recipient wants something a bit smaller and a little funkier, Cydwoq’s Postage Bag might be just the thing:

Constructed using rivets instead of stitching (talk about durable!), the Postage Bag features Rafi and Ari’s latest twice-dyed leathers, neutral on one side and zingy on the other! In addition to the above caramel-and-red combo, Ped also offers a brown-and-orange combo and a super-saturated all-red version! Cydwoq always puts the “fun” in functional!

Another gift sure to warm a woman’s heart is a scarf to warm her neck! Epice makes the most beautifully loomed woolens that not only feel soft and cozy but also wow with style. The Jubilee Scarf is a perfect example:

We’re always dazzled by Epice’s wonderful and often unexpected color combinations! Who else would think to mix pale pink, olive, leaf green, bright orange, and deep blue stripes in the same scarf, creating a design with beautifully balanced panache? Gorgeous! In addition to the Coral Reef combo pictured, the Jubilee also comes in two other equally eye-opening color schemes, Autumn Leaf and Pilot Blue.

In winter, flowers always brighten up grey days. Why not give your gal a wearable garden via the Epice Fleurs d’Hiver scarf?

This nosegays and bouquets strewn across this scarf, which is wide enough to wear as a shawl, have such a lovely vintage sensibility! We love the freshness of the slate version pictured here, but this toasty scarf also comes in a silver version that features more muted blooms.

Our favorite Parisian virtuoso of crochet, Sophie Digard, also designs scarves guaranteed to delight. Who wouldn’t love receiving her magnificent Petits Carres Scarf?

Hundreds upon hundreds of tiny squares come together to form a wearable mosaic of woolen artistry! Truly a masterpiece, this wonderful scarf comes in several color compositions—the Winter palette pictured here, as well as Desert, Bonheur, and Joyeux—all stunning!

Jewelry is another way to express your affection for your favorite females. It doesn’t have to be bling-y or suggestive of romance—it can just be fun, like Sophie Digard’s Velvet Pop Necklace!

The colorful baubles on this necklace not only move along the cord, allowing your gal to cluster them in various ways, but they also spin to reveal a different color combo of velvets on each side. Ped’s Laura has this necklace, and every time she wears it, she’s deluged with compliments and questions about where she got it! Truly a show stopper!

If you do want to go for the sparkle, though, Jamie Joseph is your best gift-giving friend! JJ’s Smooth Indian Ruby Earrings are sure to make your special someone sigh with joy:

Aren’t those stones to die for? Jamie personally selects every gem she uses in her simple yet devastatingly lovely designs!

Determined to dazzle? A time-proven way is with a gift of gold and diamonds! Jamie Joseph’s 14kt Gold Organic Circle Necklace is simple, elegant, and drop-dead gorgeous!

The very embodiment of good taste, without a hint of stuffiness, this sweet necklace will remind her of you every time she wears it!

Lots more possible presents, each guaranteed to please, await your browsing pleasure at Ped’s main site!

We like to think anything you pick will make your recipient’s heart sing, but if you’re still nervous about making a good choice, why not invite her to make a “wish list” via the green button just under the “add to shopping bag” gold button on every Ped item’s page? Another alternative is to have her email you her heart’s desire via the “Share” button under the right corner of her chosen item’s picture. At Ped, we make it easy to please! Happy stress-free holiday shopping!

(By the way, you’ve got another day and a half to take advantage of this week’s tempting Sweet Treat: Chie Mihara’s sparkle-plenty Exito Oxford! Brighten up your holiday by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page. You’ll be delivered to the Exito with the magic code that will bring 20% off at checkout!)

Ped fans, you know how it goes: you’re window shopping on the Internet when you run across a shoe or a bag that makes your heart beat faster. You think, “Oooh, I LOVE that!”  Then you quickly rein yourself in with the follow-up question, “But what would I wear it with?

We know certain styles and colors may seem daunting. Chances are, though, they’re easier to wear than you think! To help you see the possibilities and spur your imagination, we offer a few visual prods below.

All the gals at Ped HQ are committed to ease—the less fuss in getting ourselves out the door, the better. With that in mind, each of the following five ready-to-go outfits consist of only four elements.

Here Vialis’s Claudette peep-toe clog offers an ideal complement to the the textural interest of the drape-y top and skirt. Add the Cydwoq Cedar Bag in turmeric, and all the colors become richer! Easy and elegant.

Maybe you want to incorporate a mod Mad Men-esque look into your wardrobe?

It’s all about geometry and balance! We love the chunky-heeled Coclico Vidal paired with this fun shift dress! Square everything up with Fiorentini + Baker’s sleek Milano Shopper and Jamie Joseph’s Smoky Quartz Ring. (Did we mention every Ped item in this look is on sale?)

If you have a penchant for black and your aesthetic trends toward urban sophistication, why not give it an artistic edge?

Riveting (literally)! Cydwoq’s versatile Bright Bag and Trippen’s fantastic Agave sandal boot anchor the dazzling patterns of the skirt and jacket. Sure, it’s “a lot of look,” as Tim Gunn would say, but it’s a lot of look we like!

What’s that? You say you simply want something comfortable to dash from class to lunch and then off to run errands? No problem!

Easy as pie and just as tasty! Fiorentini + Baker’s Ding Clog‘s fringe echos the movement of the striped skirt, and the Dean Towner Bag makes an ideal everyday satchel.

Maybe you’d like to amp up the femininity for a garden party or date night? If so, florals and jewel tones are your best friends!

Although not exact matches (that would look twee), Dean’s green suede Thimble Bag, Jamie Joseph’s Orange Chalcedony Ring, and Accessoire’s Sagan in the prettiest shade of dahlia all work with the dress’s colorful palette!

And to demonstrate the versatility of these styles, imagine how terrific  F+B’s Ding Clog from outfit #4 would look with the shift dress in the second outfit, or how beautiful outfit #1’s Vialis Claudette would be with the skirt in outfit #4. Feel like creating edgy contrast? Then envision pairing the Trippen Agave from outfit #3 with either outfit #1 or #5! Fun and unexpected!

A great way to figure out how a tempting shoe or bag might work with your wardrobe is to play around—like we did—at Polyvore!

(Speaking of tempting bags, this week’s Sweet Treat is Cydwoq’s Flap Bag! Get Flap happy for 20% off by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page, which will take you to the Flap Bag with a magic code to enter at checkout.)

I’ve written before about Ped’s high standards for any line we carry. Just to reiterate: 1) the company must have a commitment to social and environmental ethics; 2) the items must exhibit outstanding craftsmanship using the best materials; 3) the designs must be comfortable and easy to wear; and 4) the goods must be gorgeous and have style for miles!!! Which is why I’m so excited about the newest member of Ped’s family: Dean Leathergoods.

Dean was born in Los Angeles in 1999 when its founder couldn’t find a watchband that combined vintage quality with a modern sensibility. He decided to design and make what he had in mind. And we’re so glad he did because 13 years down the road, Dean is producing some of the finest leather goods we’ve ever encountered, each meticulously crafted by hand in the Dean L.A. studio. The materials are luxe. The designs are interesting and architectural. And the colors are eye-popping!

Take a look!

The quickest way to our hearts at Ped HQ is with a small bag for those times when we only need to carry a few items (e.g. cell, keys, ID, and cash). Dean’s Rivet Wallet is just the thing!

Perfect! We especially love the wrist strap that lets us slip it on and go! But that strap also detaches so the Rivet Wallet can easily slip into a larger bag, where it keeps the bibs sorted out from the bobs.

At the other end of the size spectrum is Dean’s wonderful Suede Tote:

What a gorgeous way to haul everything you need for a day on the go—books, files, even a small laptop! And the suede is so delicious to touch!

Speaking of things that you might slip into that tote, couldn’t your iPad use a classy new cover?

We love the lean elegance that characterizes Dean’s designs. Undo the twin rivets of this clean-lined case to reveal an interior with four elastic corner straps to hold your iPad securely without obscuring the screen.

That laptop case would also fit sweetly into Dean’s smashing Thimble Bag:

This knockout everyday bag takes its name from the two stainless steel thimbles that attach the shoulder strap to the bag. With Dean, hardware always marries form and function in aesthetic wedded bliss! (By the way, we also have the Thimble Bag in black leather and fuchsia suede, too.)

Looking for something a little more capacious that could work as an overnight bag? Feast your eyes on the Dean Bell Bottom Bag:

Just looking at its picture, you can practically feel how buttery the leather is! Plus, Dean realized an extra-big bag needs an extra-hearty strap made to stay on your shoulder, so they lined the Bell Bottom Bag‘s generous shoulder strap with suede to help it stay put! (We also offer this beauty in brown.)

Looker for something a little leaner? Check out the simple yet edgy Dean Zip Clutch:

A charming companion for a night on the town, the Zip Clutch opens to reveal two credit card slots and a larger slot, perfect for holding concert tickets.

When you need to carry a bit more, like a book to read on the train or plane, Dean’s Towner Bag has you covered:

Every season, Ped’s Laura falls in love with one item above and beyond all others, and this spring it’s the Towner Bag! From the long leather tab ducking under the silver bar on its front flap to its cool woven sides and double-buckled shoulder strap, the Towner is truly crush-worthy!

So bag your old bag, and start a meaningful relationship with Dean! It’s sure to last for years!

(Speaking of beautiful bags, have you checked out this week’s Sweet Treat? It’s Cydwoq’s stellar Stamp Bag! Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to land at the Stamp Bag with the code that will bring a welcome 20% off at checkout! Swinging!)