Bring on the ice tea and turn on the fans because it’s as hot as blazes! When midsummer gets sultry, we like open-air breezes—and that goes for our feet, too! Although we love prancing around barefoot, feeling green grass beneath our soles and squeezing sand between our toes, it’s not always practical. Which is why a great summer sandal is a Ped fan’s best asset!

And do we ever have some terrific ones! Behold Ped’s favorite tried-and-true sandals that are almost better than barefoot:

Of course, the masters of summer sandal design are Rafi and Ari at Cydwoq! The way the leather of every pair conforms to your feet is simply heaven. Case in point, Cydwoq’s Copy:

So easy to wear anywhere, the Copy cradles your heel with a riveted back that comes around to tie at the ankle! Cool and sexy, just the way we like it! (And it comes in brown, too.)

Another stellar Cydwoq style is one I personally own: the Tomcat!

The way Cydwoq has meticulously cut the toe ring, so that a strap branches off it to arc gracefully over the foot, is elegant without being fussy! (Fans of black, rejoice, we also have  it in your favorite color.) I love mine so much that I recently took a pic of my happy feet :

My Tomcat-wearing toes are smiling and sparkly!

Perhaps you love the feeling of a wooden sole against your skin and the gentle sound it makes when you walk? Well, you’re in luck because Ped just received our summer shipment of Cydwoq’s fantastic Revolt sandal clog!

Ped’s Laura is wild about the beautifully textured turquoise and brown leather, but we also have the Revolt in black. Whichever you choose, it’s guaranteed to be your go-to summer shoe.

Those German design geniuses at Trippen also know a thing or two about strolling through summer in comfortable, arty style! Check out Trippen’s eye-popping Knit Sandal:

Yes, that’s right, the section running up the middle of your foot is literally knit leather! Meanwhile, the heel features Trippen’s sinuous seams running up the back! Cutting. Edge.

For Ped fans who love metallics (and I’m a card-carrying member of that club), the Trippen Nepal is just the ticket:

It’s an ideal travel sandal for long days of sight-seeing! Even as you turn every head you pass, your feet will stay comfortable with every step, mile after mile. (Plus it’s so pretty and shiny!)

But perhaps our favorite sandal this summer for sheer funky drama and all-out impact is Trippen’s Tarantula:

KA-BOOM! Now that’s how to amp up the style! You’ll look as hot as the weather wherever you walk in this super-sexy sandal boot that stands on Trippen’s über-comfortable t-shaped wedge! (We love it!)

As always, there are plenty more sandals at Ped’s main site, ready to help your dogs survive the dog days of summer! So, slip on something airy and let your toes frolic in the sun!

(By the way, although not a sandal, this week’s Sweet Treat is about as sweet as it gets: Fiorentini + Baker’s spectacular Paula Boot!!! Simply click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to arrive at the Paula with the magic code that brings a cool 20% off at checkout! Happy Fourth of July!)

This spring things have been so busy at Ped that it’s taken me until now to tell you about my fantastic March trip to the shoe shows in Paris and Milan. It’s always so fun to catch up with Ped’s favorite designers and see what they have on tap for the coming season!

I’ve decided to split my report into two parts. In this installment, I’ll tell you all about who I saw and what we did. And tomorrow, I’ll tell you the latest trends and how you can make your style cutting-edge and oh-so chic!

First, let’s talk biz in Paris. As usual, I had my wonderful morning and evening walk through the Jardin des Tuileries going to and from the show.

It's tempting to sit down and just spend the day people watching in the park!

The stroll really was the perfect way to begin and end the day. By the way, my home away from home was the Hotel La Perle.

The  booths of interesting items at the show were seemingly endless!

The show's tents are visible in the distance to the statue's left. On the right, booth after booth, on and on...

I get so many great ideas not only from browsing through the displays but also from seeing what everyone is wearing! (Stay tuned for Part II.)

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Paris show without Cydwoq’s Rafi and Trippen’s Michael!

Rafi and Michael take a gelato break!

Sure, they make fabulous shoes, but the geniuses behind Cydwoq and Trippen are also just great guys!

When you spend as much time at shoe shows as I do, you get to know a lot of other nice retailers, like Louise from Gravity Pope!

Isn't Louise's smile great? We're about to have dinner with Rafi and Michael.

Another friend I met years ago is the lovely Amy Gardner, who owns Scarpa in Charlottesville, Va. We met up in Milan for a few days of business and pleasure!

Amy and my husband take in the view from the roof of our hotel!

We loved where we stayed: The Hotel Milano Scala, an amazing “green” hotel with a delightful rooftop deck!

Of course, because we were in Italy, it wasn’t all about shoes—it was about eating, too!!! If you like mozzarella, by all means go to Obika, which is a fantastic “mozzarella bar.” We also enjoyed the fresh fish and ceviche at Pescheria de Claudio.

There were signs of Ped all over Milan—literally:

I came back to my desk at Ped HQ refreshed from seeing old friends and enjoying a dose of European culture, and excited about all the beauty coming Ped’s way in the fall!

Home is where the shoeboxes are!

Check back tomorrow for Part II, when I’ll tell you all about what’s on the horizon for fall and how you can get a jump start on your cutting-edge style! (Why wait?)
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It’s been some time since we gave a big shout out to all the wonderful blogs and sites that have paid attention to Ped! We’re always so happy and grateful when those we admire find something to like at Ped! Here are a few of the people and places that have made our hearts sing over the past few months. (Check ’em out—you might find a new favorite!):

* Michelle Taylor not only makes gorgeous jewelry out of vintage bits and bobs, but she also puts together the noteworthy design blog, Blue Moss. We love that she gave props to Vialis’s Rambla Bootie.

* Another blogger who is a wonderful friend to Ped is Mrs. French at the always interesting and newly redesigned Bliss, where she recently admired Argila’s Riley. (By the way, she also makes lovely photographs.)

* We heart Lindsey Cochran at Every Clog Has Its Day for giving a virtual hug to Ped’s entire Vialis line, even though, as she points out, they’re not technically clogs.

* Fernanda van der Laan included a tribute to Fiorentini + Baker boots on her eponymous blog, which discusses all kinds of things! (We hope she’s enjoying her red Eternity boots!)

* We think Kristin at Lovely Apidae has amazing style, and we’re so glad she thinks her Chie Mihara Loti beauties are perfect!

* Julie, creator of the The Accidental Frock, may be a “reluctant blogger,” but we like what she does and are happy she likes Chie Mihara’s Rumi. Plus, she’s a fabulous textile designer!

* Si, a lovely French lass, blogs in English about beautiful things at French By Design. We are thrilled she called attention to Chie Mihara’s Ruala!

* We are excited Sally McGraw at Already Pretty mentioned we carry Trippen! Sally has such bold style and offers great advice on body image and fashion.

* Of course, we also love it when our overseas friends write about us, even if we are often language-challenged by their words. (We’re sure they’re kind!) Here are a few foreign blogs that have recently mentioned Ped: Portion de vie, Lolapinso, and en Oby Ting.

Since all of us at Ped have so much fun bringing you wonderful things, it makes us feel fantastic when others notice and say so!

THANK YOU!!!!!!

(One last thing: the Sweet Treat this week is Sophie Digard’s fabulously fun Flower Petal Necklace! Just click “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page to land at the Flower Petal Necklace with the discount code that will bring 20% off at checkout!)

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Hello to Ped fans from the flood of treasures deluging the Ped warehouse! Fantastic new things for spring and summer are arriving as fast as we can open the boxes!

When we started unpacking Trippen’s latest, though, everything came to a momentary halt while we all gathered around to smile. Such innovation! Such fun! Such sheer funkiness that makes everyone want to dance! The fact that Trippen is socially committed to treating its workers well and making shoes with as little environmental impact as possible makes us love them all the more! Give it up for German ingenuity and genuine ethics!

Here, for your viewing—and wearing!—pleasure, are a few new Trippen favorites:

Embodying everything we like about Trippen, the new Match is the perfect kick-around shoe for spring (and every other season, come to think of it):

Constructed on Trippen’s “penna” rubber sole, this pebbled brown flat will keep you light on your feet. We love the exposed seams and the back-to-back button closure in front!

Another winner in the lightweight category is the Trippen Sioux:

So soft and utterly featherweight, this simple leather charmer redefines “comfortable.” Once you wear it,  we predict the rest of your shoes are going to get a little dusty.

Another great wear-everywhere shoe, also built on Trippen’s “cups” rubber sole, is the Knife:

What’s fantastic about the lacing is it not only looks great, but it also adjusts to accommodate almost any foot width. Form and function = the best!

For those of you looking for little more height and a jolt of urban edge, check out Trippen’s Tarantula:

Not nearly as terrifying as a big, hairy spider, but heart-stopping in its own way, the Tarantula will have all eyes on you! But you’ll be comfortable in the spotlight since this stunning sandal boot stands on Trippen’s super-cushy 1.75″ t-shaped rubber wedge.

It’s hard to single out one design, but perhaps the favorite of all our favorites is Trippen’s new Good:

This sliced and spiced interpretation of the classic mary jane is off the hook! Plus, we adore the “black ice” leather—a color like no other! Too cool!

And lots more Trippen fabulousness  resides over at Ped’s main site! So click over, and put a German spring in your step this spring!

By the way, this week’s “sweet treat” is Trippen’s Medea Boot, which looks terrific any season! (Ped fans know I love boots with summer dresses!) Simply click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page, to arrive at the Medea with the discount code that will enable you to take 20% off at checkout! Give the people behind you something to see, while you give your feet a gorgeous and comfortable treat!
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The Tale of the Sole that won our hearts this past month came to us via Michele K., the appreciative friend of the winner, longtime Ped customer, Jenny P. It’s such a sweet story, so we’ll turn it over to Michelle:

I want to tell a tale about my really dear friend, Jenny.  Jenny and I met online; we’ve actually never met in real life. I’m in New Jersey, and she is in Portland, Oregon, but we talk everyday through e-mail or on the phone.  She has been so kind in sharing some of her Ped shoes with me—we send shoes and jewelry back and forth across the country! She has let me try and even given me her Trippen Fence and Skylla boots. I’ve also had the pleasure of trying out her Fiorentini and Baker boots, such as the Eternity and Emma, so I could figure out my size.

The generous and lovely Jenny P in her Fiorentini + Baker Emma boots.

She even sent me her Jamie Joseph Chrysoprase Teardrop Locket to wear for Thanksgiving!  (I told her not to, but she sent it anyway.) She is so generous and just an awesome person, who puts the care of her husband and children before herself.  She never says, “I can’t do this,” or “It’s hard for me”— she just does. I strive to be like her and embody the outstanding qualities she has.

Jenny P's feet looking sassy in one of her latest Ped purchases, the Cydwoq Vintage Micron. (Perhaps they'll soon visit Michelle?)

What a great testimony to fantastic friend! How fun to have a deep bond reinforced by the exchange of shoes and jewelry! In appreciation of Jenny P’s generosity, we’re sending her $100 Ped gift certificate! She makes us grin from ear to ear!

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 the way, the “Sweet Treat” this week is super delicious: Fiorentini + Baker’s Eliza Oxford!!!! Get 20% off this drool-worthy classic by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page, which will magically take you to the Eliza Oxford, where you will find the discount code! Lace it up Italian style!)