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.)

Ped fans, it’s been far too long since we’ve said thanks for the wonderful attention other blogs and sites have paid to Ped! Discovering someone has featured a Ped item or said something nice about us always lifts everyone’s spirits here at Ped HQ. It’s the equivalent of walking down the street and having a stranger say, “Cute shoes!”—and you know we all love that!

Here are just a few of the sites we appreciate (and if we missed your recent kindness to Ped, let us know in the comments because we’re definitely grateful):

• At the hilariously named Little Fascist Panties, Emily Louise, who describes herself as “visual artist, cyborg feminist, licensed hysteric, post90s riot grrl,” blogs about all things well-designed. She served up some enthusiastic (and funny) love  for the Trippen Strahl.
• Megan Mae Daily (MMD) is the eponymous style blog of the truly stylish Megan Mae! It doesn’t get any better than this unsolicited review she recently wrote about the Trippen Army! Doesn’t she look fantastic wearing them?! (Plus, she has seriously cute kitties!)
• Lucky Girl Shoes is the blog of a podiatrist in Portland, Oregon, who posts shoes she deems cute, comfortable, and walkable. We’re delighted she gave the thumb’s up to the Cydwoq Samba!
• The Fashionable Bureaucrat is the personal style blog of Megan, a self-described “middle manager in government.” What a breath of fresh air she must be in her office! She recently showed off her Cydwoq sensibility, giving Ped a credit.
• At Pretty Neat Designs, Cindy blogs about all manner of things that interest her. She happily declared the Chie Mihara Guinyo to be “like a party for your feet”! (And she called us “fine purveyors of shoe candy,” which we love!) Be sure to check out the Pretty Neat Designs Etsy shop, where Cindy sells stitched stationery goods.
• East Side Bride, “an evil club of mean hipster brides,” is a blog that offers straight-forward advice with attitude to women who are about to walk down the aisle. Although we have to disagree with the blogger’s response, we were happy to discover the question from a bride who was trying to decide between wearing the Cydwoq Tomcat and the Cydwoq Naked as her wedding shoes. (The comments were also big fun!)
• Ped was featured as a “Gloss Find” on the site myGloss: What Women Want to Know. So nice!
• The design-conscious Michelle Taylor at Blue Moss, a blog of beautiful things, decided Fiorentini + Baker’s Floss was worthy of notice. She also makes wonderful jewelry from vintage baubles, which she offers in her Etsy shop.

A big virtual bouquet of roses to all of these blogs and sites!!! We love what we carry here at Ped, and it’s always thrilling to find out others do, too! THANK YOU!

Lulu and Ella wag their tails for all the virtual Ped love!

(By the way, this week’s Sweet Treat is the Trippen Sinus! Find out why everyone’s wild about Trippen’s wedges by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page, which will take you to the Sinus with the magic discount code that will bring 20% off at checkout.)

Free your toes, and the rest will follow! Okay, so that’s not quite how the song goes, but it’s still good advice! After all, it’s sandal season!

We love spending sunny days almost barefoot in a great pair of run-around flats! This year many of them offer a little extra something in the way of metallics, ranging from subtle shimmers to out-and-out, razzle-dazzle shines. Here are a few ways to make your tootsies sparkle.

Fact: Cydwoq makes THE BEST sandals! As evidence, we present Exhibit A: Cydwoq’s Form:

Ped fans know about my fondness for all things green, but Cydwoq takes it to the next level by adding a little metallic shimmer! Oh my! The Form‘s straps wow with their artistic cut. And how about that sweet circular buckle? So much to love!

Another sandal that benefits from a pearly polish is the Cydwoq Naked:

Blue is the color of the moment, and it looks especially beautiful glimmering like a moonlit sky. Looking for something more neutral? We also have the Naked in pewter.

For those of you who appreciate a slide, Cydwoq also gives the pearl treatment to the Samba:

Simple and pretty, just the way we like it, with the warm burnish of a well-worn penny!

Another understated way to add some metal to your mettle is with Cydwoq’s wonderful Thong:

There are two reasons why this classic Cydwoq design remains popular year after year: 1) its incomparable comfort and 2) its ever-modern style! The silver sparkle makes the Thong shine in a sea of black sandals.

Maybe you’re someone who likes to amp up the dazzle, in which case, Cydwoq’s Tomcat will put a twinkle in your eye (as it did in mine):

The antiqued silver and gold leather is stunning, and yet for being so eye-catching, these sandals are go-everywhere wearable! I wore mine all over Barcelona, for instance—here’s proof:

My Tomcats look pretty sassy on this Gaudi-esque bench!

But let’s get a little shinier, shall we? Everyone at Ped HQ is over the moon for Cydwoq’s new Admit:

Such a great sandal! The leather looks like it was worked in a silversmith’s shop! Gorgeous in every way!

Finally, for all-out gleam, the Trippen Careless takes the prize:

Sure, the Careless is shiny and bold, but its leather is also unbelievably soft! This sandal feels so good against your skin and under your sole, and it provides fantastic support for walking wherever the map takes you!

Slip on any of these breezy sandals, and  your feet will instantly be as dazzling as the sun on a cloudless summer day! Let your toes out to shine!

(Psst, have you oohed and aahed over this week’s Sweet Treat? It’s worthy—Vialias’ saucy Sara! Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to arrive at the Sara with the magic code that will bring 20% off at checkout!)

Whenever June gets close, we still get that giddy feeling we had when we were kids and counting down the days to summer vacation. (Here’s what’s running through our heads!) Whether your ideal holiday is hanging out in a Montana mountain cabin, shopping on the Champs-Élysées, or lounging on a Balinese beach, one thing is certain: the key to a happy getaway is comfortable shoes, good for walking all day or kicking back with a cocktail! So without further ado, here are a few of Ped’s ideal traveling companions.

One of the most charming styles this season is also one of the most practical: Accessoire’s Suisse!

Airy! Chic! But with added protection for your toes! This sandal easily transitions from day to night when you only want to pack one pair. We like black for travel because it goes with everything, but if you prefer a jolt of color, the Suisse is also available in summery green.

Another great sandal for meandering through bazaars or taking a stroll down the boardwalk is the Cydwoq Cobra.

As Vicky E. told us in her “Tale of the Sole,” Cydwoq sandals are great for ambling around ancient ruins, yet they’re stylish enough for  evening drinks al fresco! We especially like the Cobra because its enclosed heel doesn’t impede the ability to just slip it on and go!

Lots of people prefer an enclosed toe for catching trains, planes, and rickshaws. With Cydwoq’s Rocket, you can have a full shoe and breeziness, too!

We love the tab and tiny window over the toe. Plus the color is so much fun! Other travelers will definitely want to know where you got your fantastic shoes!

A Cydwoq style just made for the life of leisure is the Orient:

Effortlessly chic! And isn’t that what we all want to be on vacation? The Orient’s knit leather is so cool, both literally and figuratively! (It also comes in black, although sizing is limited since that color flew out the Ped warehouse door.)

Trippen is another company whose shoes are designed for walking, walking, and more walking. One of the best travel sandals this season is the Sensual:

You simply have to feel the leather of this great flat to believe how deliciously supple it is! The design holds your foot securely through a long day of sightseeing, but it instantly becomes elegant when you slip on a LBD for a night on the town.

Looking for more of a moc for your days away? Consider Trippen’s Chip:

The asymmetrical design adds flair, and the slits on the toe box add ventilation! Perfect for moseying from here to there and back again on a hot day!

If you like the idea of a full shoe, but you want to stay light on your feet as you travel, then Trippen’s Cream is calling your name!

Ultra soft and ultra comfortable, this simple shoe is constructed on Trippen’s “cups” sole, which will keep you nimble no matter how many miles you log. The pistachio color and double laces will have you smiling the whole way.

There are lots more travel-worthy options over at Ped’s main site! No matter what your destination, a new pair of comfortable shoes or sandals is just the ticket to get your trip off on the right foot!

(Speaking of shoes that feel wonderful, Trippen’s Aloe is this week’s stellar Sweet Treat! Just click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to land at the Aloe with the magic code that will bring 20% off at checkout. Get the wedge edge!)

Ped fans, it’s time for our bi-annual flash discount!!! Through this Friday, May 11, just enter “MAYDAY” at checkout and receive 20% off all full-price goods!

Something catch your eye on the Ped color wheel? Here’s how to reach it (clockwise from F+B’s fabulous green shoe at the top): Fiorentini + Baker Eliza Oxford, Argila Allie, Fiorentini + Baker Ding Clog, Coclico Yoni, Trippen Bora, Vialis Claudette, and Cydwoq Cobra.

Have fun shopping for ways to sashay through May (and June and July and August…) ! Remember, the discount code is pffft after Friday, May 11.