In addition to flowers, new leaves, and green grass, another hallmark of spring is the sudden flood of occasions that require us to spruce up and deck out. The calendar bursts into virtual bloom with weddings, graduation ceremonies, and garden parties. Personally, we Pedsters love to dress up, especially since slipping on a pair of heels no longer means our dogs end up whimpering after a few hours!

At Ped, we are committed not just to artistry and craftsmanship in what we carry, but also to C O M F O R T! Our highest heels and girliest shoes still feel great on your feet hours after you step out the door—all gain, zero pain! Plus, a little heel height is guaranteed to make a gal’s gams look like a million bucks!

Here are a few of our favorite ways to ensure your style stands head and shoulders above the crowd:

If you want to get big bang for your shoe buck, Chie Mihara’s Xantili is one of the most versatile heels of the season:

It’s strappy good looks and snake-printed leather are distinctive, but its neutral color story means it will work with practically everything in your closet—a one in a million shoe for a million occasions! Plus the .75″ leather-covered platform under the toe makes the 3.25″ heel a breeze to wear.

Chie Mihara not only excels at creating comfortable heels, she’s a whiz with whimsical details. Case in point: the zingy red poppy on her new Josy:

It’s so neat how the caramel leather straps provide a virtual trellis for the red suede flower! And, again, a .75″ platform up front offsets the 3.5″ heel, bringing the pitch to an easy 2.75″!

If you want to bring the height down a notch, without losing an inch of style, check out Chie’s Quory:

Talk about sophisticated fun! You can be a lady who lunches and go dotty, too! Plus, this to-die-for t-strap’s heel measures an ultra-manageable 2″.

Cydwoq is another friend to those who don’t like their heels too high. You don’t need many inches to make an impact, as Cydwoq’s Blast proves:

Whoa, Nelly!!! When you make an entry in this cutting-edge sandal, every eye in the room will be on you! Such a beauty, and the sculpted resin heel is a mere 2″!

If you prefer a closed-toe shoe, Cydwoq’s Volcano will also leave a trail of sparks wherever you walk:

Way more interesting than your average ankle-strap heel, don’t you agree? The Volcano will instantly elevate the sexiness of your favorite LBD, but imagine how fantastic it also looks with colors and prints! (Update March 10: We also just got this beauty in a stunning textured mocha leather!)

Lots of you Ped fans adore wooden heels. Well, this season Coclico has just what you want. Get an eyeful of the new Klucia:

The design is beautifully balanced, and yet it offers surprising details, like the laser-cut chevron pattern in the leather and the twill lacing that ties everything up! Although the wooden heel is 3.5″, it’s really a cinch to wear, thanks to the 1″ platform under the forefoot.

If you’re looking for something that will really turns heads, you can never go wrong with red (and every woman needs a pair of red heels)! How juicy is Coclico’s Yoni?

Delectable! This bombshell of a shoe is effortlessly chic, with a sculpted 3″ wooden heel made extra comfortable by the 1″ covered platform under the toe.

But we’ve saved perhaps our favorite heel for last: Fiorentini + Baker’s knockout Nene:

Take a minute to drink in the beauty of its design. It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t have to—its simple sophistication will make you the talk of the party and the envy of everyone there! We think that’s 4″ of heel well-spent! Plus, the 1″ platform beneath the toe keeps it all manageable, and Fiorentini + Baker means this femme fatale feels as wonderful as it looks!

So don’t be afraid to amp up your height when you put on your glad rags this spring! It’s suprising how empowering—and comfortable—a high heel can be!

(Psst, this week’s Sweet Treat is Cydwoq’s wonderful Bright Bag! Haul everything you need in this all-time Ped favorite for 20% off when you click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page, which will take you to the Bright Bag with a magic discount code to enter at checkout!)

Ped fans, even on the coldest, most overcast, dreariest day, we LOVE this time of year! Why? Because every day brings a new shipment of boxes packed with spring styles! And this season, the prettiest so far are those designed by our lady of Spain, Chie Mihara!

In addition to scads of new styles, we’ve brought back some Chie favorites decked out in new colors and leather combinations. (Do not miss the Veranito in either curry or magenta!) And every pair of Chie Mihara’s, no matter how high the heel, feels like heaven on your feet, thanks to Chie’s uniquely designed insole. You look fabulous! You feel fabulous! The best of all possible worlds!

Below are a just a few of Chie’s lastest charmers that will make your feet sing, “Spring!”

It’s hard to know where to begin, but one of our favorites for gals who like to amp up their height is Chie Mihara’s Amapola:

Holy cannoli, what a knockout! The large cream dots are so much fun, yet this two-part heeled beauty still radiates sophistication. The arc of gold piping is genius!

Chie is known for her carefully selected leathers, and this season several styles rock the snakeskin look. Drink in the gorgeousness of the Xope:

What a femme fatale! With its softly tucked brown suede up front combined with snake-printed leather everywhere else, the Xope looks like something a 1940s Hollywood starlet might wear!

Maybe your taste for retro runs more toward the 1970s, in which case, dig the Xeroco:

Chie Mihara is a virtuoso at taking fashion history’s hallmarks and reworking them into modern designs. The Xeroco‘s chunky straps are vintage-inspired, but its front-and-center buckle is über cutting-edge.

“All very nice,” you may be thinking, “but what about COLOR?” Well, make sure you’re sitting down because you’re going to swoon! (Chie has truly outdone herself.) Check out the Jaila!

What a sweetheart! This heeled sandal is sunshine on your feet! Everywhere you walk in the Jaila, you’re going to improve everyone’s mood! (Wear cute shoes, do society good!)

And that’s just the start of the color works! Take a gander at Chie Mihara’s Tiju:

We can’t help it—every time we look at this flowered lovely, we sigh. What a shade of blue! Plus, we love the way Chie has spiraled the suede and pinked its edges to make the rosettes on the toe.

For those of you who like to go bold, whip up the sass with Chie Mihara’s Guinyo:

Charm alarms will go off everywhere when you step out  in this red and blue number! The new lower heel is breezy and fresh! The Guinyo will definitely get the party started wherever you go.

And speaking of parties, we saved our personal favorite for last! (Seriously, I’ve made this one my very own!) Say hello to Chie Mihara’s Enty!

So chic! So whimsical! So fun! Multicolored suede dots festoon gold leather on this shoe that just begs to go out dancing! You’ll start saying yes to every invitation just so you can wear the Enty out and about! Love, love, love (love, love, love, love).

And there are even more winning Chie Mihara styles over at Ped’s main site. (Honestly, they’re all so beautiful.) Pick your pleasure, and then go out and charm the world!

(Speaking of charming, this week’s Sweet Treat is Jamie Joseph’s Indian Ruby Droplet Earrings! Just in time for Valentine’s Day, they will warm your heart and dazzle your admirers at 20% off! Simply click “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page to be whisked to the earrings with the magic code for the discount at checkout!)