Now this is the kind of Tale of the Sole we LOVE! Not only do we get to hear about the adventures of Ped items after they’ve left the warehouse, but we also get to enjoy a vicarious trip to Greece, all thanks to Vicky E. Here’s what she wrote:

I am sending this email to tell you about where my Cydwoq shoes from Ped took me this summer: Greece! Yes, I spent a week basking in the sun and walking, walking, walking on the island of Santorini and then a few more days exploring the contrast between modern and ancient in Athens.

Vicky shows off her Cydwoq Bare sandals for the ladies of the Erechtheum!

I enjoyed some delicious Greek foods and brought back some beautiful jewelry and textiles to accessorize outfits that can only be complete with a pair of Ped shoes. (I am building a beautiful collection of mostly Cydwoq shoes, all purchased from your amazing online boutique; every pair that arrives at my doorstep, once I slip my feet into them, feel as if I were born in them, thanks to their genius construction as well as to the perfect-fit assistance from Dayna when I call Ped.)

Vicky walks up not quite all the 200 steps at Armoud in her Cydwoq Thong sandals.

I traveled with Cydwoq’s Bare in red (purchased last summer) and Thong in black sparkle (purchased especially for this trip). Both kept me well-heeled traversing both urban and island-scapes and while on the town in the evenings, as well as along the ocean, beaching it, sailing it, or relaxing it portside.

Vicky "relaxing it portside" in her Cydwoq Thong sandals!

I spend most of my year as a high school English teacher, so taking a trip like this was part of venturing to cross off things from my bucket list. I enjoyed my trip so much that I might just plan another one in a summer or two. What was so cool about my Cydwoqs was that I could wear them anywhere for any situation, AND they packed slim and light. The only other footwear I relied on was my bare feet.

Vicky puts up her feet at the Parthenon! (How cute are her tootsies in those Cydwoq Bare sandals?)

Thanks for keeping me well shod!

You are welcome, Vicky! THANK YOU for sharing your fantastic trip with us!

As a token of our appreciation for giving us a Greek break in the middle of the day, we’re sending Vicky a $100 Ped gift certificate! We can practically feel the Greek sun on our smiling faces.

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.

(By sheer coincidence, this week’s Sweet Treat is Cydwoq’s Thong sandal!!! You, too, can look and feel as terrific as Vicky did on her trip! Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page, and it will transport you to the Thong with the magic discount code that will bring 20% off when entered in the box at checkout!)

For years I’ve been nudging gals to try boots with summer skirts and dresses because the look is so sassy and fun! Finally, the trend has caught on! Everywhere I turn these days, women are rocking boots with breezy sundresses, light, floaty skirts, and even shorts! Not only do they look fresh and chic, but they’re also not stubbing their toes.

Because we think boots are for all seasons, here are few suggestions for how to kick up your heels while the sun shines!

Ped fans will agree that nobody makes better boots than Fiorentini + Baker! One of the easiest boots to wear with anything and everything is F+B’s Mix:

Everyone goes wild for a motorcycle boot, especially when it’s made of such luscious leather! Plus, the Mix gives you a leg up with its chunky 2″ heel!

Want a little less heel and a little more buckle? Then say hello to F+B’s Emmy (also known as Style 713)!

This beauty also comes in rabbit grey (always a good choice), but we especially love the teal version because it looks so cool (as in river-water cool) with light-colored summer skirts!

Still not enough buckles? Then Fiorentini + Baker’s popular Eternity Boot is your answer!

There’s a good reason why this boot is a perennial object of desire: It looks terrific with EVERYTHING! Plus, it exudes a sexy, badass attitude. Ped offers the Eternity not only in delicious dark brown leather (pictured), but also in black, red, and caramel. All gorgeous!

Perhaps you prefer a sleeker, more minimal look, in which case, drink in the loveliness of F+B’s Bessi Boot:

As Ped fans know, I can’t get enough of green, and I adore F+B’s bonsai green shade! It’s like a refreshing breeze on a sweltering day! Gals who like to enhance their height will also appreciate the Bessi‘s 3″ heel.

Another fabulous minimal boot is F+B’s pull-on Elgin Boot:

Also available in mocha ice suede, the Elgin is easy to wear anywhere with its clean-lined, relaxed design.

Of course, we know for some gals, only a tall boot fits the bill. Our personal favorite is F+B’s Emma:

All of us at Ped HQ own this terrific boot (except Terry, of course—but even he’s an Emma admirer)! Black is classic, but we also carry the Emma in dark brown, red, and caramel (which is, psst, on sale right now).

But if you want to go the opposite direction, and bare a little more skin—it is summer, after all—then Fiorentini + Baker’s Paula is ready to be your warm-weather friend:

We love the Paula’s rock ‘n’ roll attitude with its ruched front and zipper up the back! It’s a knockout in chocolate brown, but Ped also offers it in cool blue and always-right black!

Believe it or not, there are still more boots at Ped’s main site to let you two-step through summer’s delightfully long days! So, give your hot-weather wardrobe a boost with a pair of boots!

(By the way, this week’s Sweet Treat is a boot-a-licious sandal: Trippen’s Tarantula! Just click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to reach the Tarantula with the magic discount code that will treat you to a delightful 20% off at checkout!)
Tweet

We’re hearing from many Ped fans that spring is teasing them this year! Just when they think it’s all green grass and tulips, along comes another snowstorm to bury the tender buds in the garden (and their sunny moods).

Ped understands, which is why we’ve put all our Karin Wagner jewelry on sale—so you can have flowers in your life that will never wilt! Hand felted in Switzerland, Karin’s wool pins, rings, and vines bloom with unique style that is always fresh.

Even if your jonquils are suffering from frostbite, you can still get a dose of yellow-flower joy with Karin Wagner’s Daffodil Ring:

Like a sunny day for your hand, this ring was pretty at $98, but it’s even lovelier at $79.

Karin’s Lilia Ring also sings, “Spring!” in a big, beautiful way!

We love the sheer drama of it! Plus, the diamond cutouts on the petals are so unusual (not to mention a true handmade labor of love). Terrific at $178, it’s an even bigger wow at $139!

If you like rings but prefer to make a quieter statement, Karin’s Anemone Ring talks a little more softly.

Tempting at $48, it’s even more inviting at $38.

Perhaps you prefer the versatility of pins—after all, the placement is up to you! We love Karin Wagner’s Rose Brooch for just that reason!

Pin it anywhere and instantly become a femme fatale! Stunning at $124, it’s truly stellar at $98.

The ways to wear Karin Wagner’s works of art are endless. Why not use a pin as a barrette, as we’ve done with the Clochette Brooch?

We guarantee you’ll have the prettiest hair wherever you go! Wonderful at $104, this little bouquet is even better at $79.

Speaking of versatile, Karin Wagner’s vine necklaces offer lots of options—drape one around your neck, entwine it in your tresses, or perhaps wind it around the strap of your handbag!

What could be fresher any day of the year than this Daisy Necklace? Worth smiling over at $164, it’s even more cheerful at $129.

One of our all-time favorite pieces here at Ped HQ is Karin Wagner’s Magnolia Vine:

What a show stopper! This necklace is so pretty you’ll want to keep it out as art even when you’re not wearing it. Smashing at $182, it’s irresistible at $139!

And there are more wonderful Karin Wagner pieces blooming at sweet prices at Ped’s main site! Go ahead—pick the flowers!

(Speaking of sweet, Ped’s sweet treat this week will make you want to eat dessert before dinner! It’s Fiorentini + Baker’s fabulous Mike Boot!!!! Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to land at the Mike Boot with the magic discount code that will bring 20% off at checkout! DELICIOUS! And style nutritious!)
Tweet

Crocuses are poking up, and daffodils are finally showing their sunny faces. Ah, spring! Welcome back!

Here at Ped, we love watching the steady rise of the mercury day after day. And nothing feels better than unsheathing our sock-bound feet and letting them take in the air! Needless to say, we’ve got all kinds of stylish ways to do just that—sandals and shoes that will carry you from the early days of spring right on through the sultry days of summer.

Here are just a few breezy ideas to get you started.

We realize  some of you may not be quite ready to bust out the sandals, and we know many Ped fans are loathe to leave behind your edgy oxfords. Happily, Argila has just the in-between thing:

Meet the Sophia! What a yummy treat: an oxford made from wonderfully soft leather that features air-conditioning right where it counts! As always, Argila adds exactly the right accents, like the fold-down lip at the back and the hand-cut wooden heel. Delicious!

Another laced lovely from Argila is the Riley, which lets your toes wiggle in the sun in the most stylish way!

In addition to the more obvious design notes that make this wooden-heeled sandal sing, the subtle rust topstitching on the toe straps is stellar against the cement-gray leather!

Coclico also has a winning wooden-heeled sandal that’s so sinfully hot they’ve called it the Lucifer:

Whoa! Don’t be surprised when people in your immediate vicinity start mopping their brows because this statuesque sandal is sizzling! Take a second to admire the ingenuity of the design. The t-strap ducks under three narrow straps arcing over the toe, before joining with several more parallel straps at the ankle. Now you’re cooking with gas!

Coclico has all kinds of ways of giving you a lift! One of our personal favorites at Ped is the new Whoo!

Standing on a lightweight cork platform, this easy suede slide is just the thing for kicking up your heels on a spring day! We are crazy about the airy cutouts and the to-die-for red brick color!

Did you perk up when we mentioned color? If so, then you are going to love what Couple Of is bringing to the table this season!

Does this sweet slip-on look familiar? It’s because it’s the heel-less version of Couple Of’s popular Lily, and, in fact, is called the Lily Flat! What could be fresher than skipping around town in a grass-green ballet flat?

But if your toes are begging for full exposure to the fresh air, then bask in the beauty of the sunniest sandal in the Ped warehouse, Couple Of’s Paspas:

What an instant pick-me-up! The design is ingeniously edgy, with the straps coming together into an architectural ridge that moves sinuously down the front of this comfortable flat. By the way, the Paspas also comes in black!

And if it’s edge you’re after, then look no further than Couple Of’s Zebra:

It’s a gladiator sandal gone wild in the best possible way! Zebra-like cut-outs and slits accent the supple black leather exterior of this knockout, which is lined in cream-colored leather. When you step out in the Zebra, you’ll be the envy of shoe-lovers everywhere you walk.

Is your interest piqued? Then click over to Ped’s main site to see the full range of new designs from Argila, Coclico, and Couple Of, all guaranteed to heat up your style for the hot days ahead!

(Psst, if you haven’t discovered it already, the “sweet treat” this week is Cydwoq’s excellent Smile Mary Jane! Cheer up your tired tootsies 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 Smile, along with the discount code that will garner 20% off when entered at checkout!)
Tweet

Here’s something that makes everyone at Ped HQ smile: boxes of new Chie MIhara styles arriving on our doorstep from Spain! We have such a good time admiring each design as we unpack Chie’s latest! After all, Chie Mihara exemplifies everything we love at Ped: a unique design sense, meticulous craftsmanship, and comfort without compromise.

Let us tantalize you with a taste of what Chie’s whipped up for the upcoming warm weather!

We know it’s still winter where many of you live, so we’ll start with a number you can wear right now—and keep wearing right through spring and summer: Chie’s Lorensa.

Honestly, this heeled oxford is in a class by itself! As usual, Chie gets the details just right, from the parallel lines of sinuous topstitching to the perforated leather that lets your tootsies breathe when the weather heats up.

Another new design that features beautiful topstitching and leatherwork is the Fideua:

The woven leather over the toe, contrasting stitching, and lacing are rather unusual ingredients to combine, but what a tasty dish they make! Plus, we love the navy blue color!

Chie is always so good with selecting the perfect hues! Our favorite style for sheer cheerfulness is the sunny-day Yoisho:

What a great shade of yellow, and it works so well with the 1970s’ retro vibe of this sandal. Buckling up the Yoisho will give you both a physical and an emotional boost!

Speaking of buckles, we decided to bring back the smoking-hot Bankok, one of the sexiest styles Chie’s ever designed:

The Bankok is the very definition of “knockout”! When you strap on this badass beauty, you may want to carry a pocket fan to revive the people who can’t take the heat of your sizzling sauciness!

But maybe you prefer to go more girly with your flirtatious style. If so, join us in sighing over Chie’s Osmo:

In a word: DEVASTATING! It simply doesn’t get any more glamorous than this rosette-embellished, red suede t-strap! In the Rojo, you’re guaranteed to set hearts afire!

Some gals can pull off the Osmo on a daily basis, but if you want something a little more subdued for everyday wear, check out the Chie Mihara Oyko:

We love the richness of the whiskey-colored suede combined with the rich brown leather—so sophisticated. This gorgeous sandal is perfect for going from day wear to date wear!

Delicious, eh? And there are even more Chie Mihara styles to feast upon at Ped’s main site. But before you click over, watch this video to learn a little more about  Chie’s philosophy and design process. We promise it will make you even happier to have her shoes on your feet!

(By the way, the “sweet treat” this week is Trippen’s fringed and fun Country Bootie. Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to reach the Country with the magic discount code that instantly takes 20% off at checkout!)