Knee-high, mid-calf, and ankle—those were the three basic boot heights for what seemed like forever. But a couple years ago, three newcomers jumped in to jazz up the mix: shootie, low, and over-the-knee. The low boot, with a shaft falling somewhere between ankle and mid-calf height, quickly became a fan favorite with its rock ‘n’ roll vibe! Let’s take a look at some of Ped’s low-boot hotties:

If you want a boot unlike any other on the street, Argila’s Celia is guaranteed to please:

The seaming and the leather’s pinked edges make this boot a head-turner! We also like the effect of the unexpectedly demure ankle strap, and let’s not forget the wooden wedge! All the parts are beautiful, but the sum is even better!

Another boot that puts a lot of details to good use is the new Cydwoq Pilot:

This bad grrl of a combat boot is ready to wage war on the battlefield of style! In its rock ‘n’ roll arsenal: a sexy zipper up the back, grommeted lacing in front, and two kickass buckles at the top!

Too many bells and whistles? Perhaps the new Cydwoq Statue is more along the line of what you have in mind:

The way those wizards at Cydwoq cut leather is truly a thing of beauty! We particularly love the contrast of the natural edge along the exposed seams with the blue of the Pilot‘s luxe leather!

Blue is one of the IT colors this season, but color in general is big on the streets. If you’re ready to do hue, consider lacing up the Trippen Fountain:

Fun and funky, this boot is guaranteed to steal the scene wherever you walk—and you can walk anywhere, thanks to Trippen’s famously comfortable t-shaped rubber wedge! We love the Fountain in spring green, which looks great strolling through the fall leaves, but this low-boot lovely also comes in a washed blue!

As always, there are more low boots to love at Ped’s main site. (Also, as always, Fiorentini + Baker offers some of the best, like the ever-popular Emmy and versatile Ella.)

Stay tuned—in our next installment we’re booting it up to mid-calf!

In our last post, we showed you a few options for taking boots as low as they go. Today we move on to ankle boots that stand a little taller, peaking just above the ankle bone. It’s a height we love at Ped because it looks fantastic with skirts and plays nicely with jeans (without having to confront the over-or-inside-the-boot dilemma).

First up, one of our favorites this season,the Coclico Willa:

In a word: YUM! The gorgeous Willa is on trend with its laceless good looks, yet it’s streamlined and classic, so it will never go out of style!

Of course, laces also have their place, as illustrated by Argila’s Lauren:

This suede and leather beauty checks three things off the au courant list in one easy sweep. Wooden wedge? Check. Oxford styling? Check. Ankle boot? Check! And scene (or should we say “seen”)!

Taking things in a more mod direction, the Artisan from Cydwoq has everyone at Ped HQ swooning:

Wow. Just wow! The brown leather lattice over the textured metallic leather, sparkling with a subtle plaid pattern, is FAN-TAS-TIC! Can’t you just imagine Megan on Mad Men wearing this with a micro mini ? (Don would be a helpless drooling puppy.)

Looking for something a little less overtly feminine?  Then get your attitude on in the Trippen Fence:

The sliced-up and laced-up (in back) Fence has held court at Ped for several years, but it still looks fresh and futuristic! Great barefoot but also sensational flashing colorful tights between its straps, the Fence will make friends everywhere you walk because everyone’s going to ask where you got your boots!

There are plenty more ankle-high ankle boots to tempt you over at Ped’s main site. (And just to ring the Fiorentini + Bell one more time, the new Pansy is super juicy!)

Stay tuned because we’re about to heighten the boot interest again in the next day or two.

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.)

Have you noticed? For the past few years, designers have been showing sandals with socks on the runway. We admit, at first, we thought it was a little weird, but the look has grown on us. The spirit is retro, fun, and funky! However, it all comes down to pairing the right sock with the right sandal.

A great place to start is with Antipast’s picnic of summer socks, which we just unpacked at the Ped warehouse! Whether you wear these Japanese treats with closed-toe shoes or walk the cutting edge by synching them with heeled sandals, Antipast’s socks are guaranteed to bring smiles wherever you go!

An argyle sock defines “classic,” but, of course, Antipast’s Emiko and Junko give it a unique spin, mixing up the colors by adding a contrasting border at the top:

Feeling bold? Why not take the Antipast Cross Diamond Sock in blue in a decidedly un-classic direction by wearing it with the Vialis Arabelle? Dynamite!

Want to wear a flirty skirt with a taller sock? We’re crazy about Antipast’s Monet Knee High!

If you really want to make an impression (sorry, we couldn’t resist), imagine pairing the blue version with Fiorentini + Baker’s Floss slingback peep toe:

Antipast has so much fun playing with whimsical patterns, and this season, one of the juiciest jazzes up the  Citrus Socks:

Combine this sweet sock in black with Accessoire’s Tamba, though, and it takes a turn towards vintage chic:

As every Ped fan knows we have a thing for striped socks! So of course, we’re over the moon for Antipast’s Railroad Over The Knee:

Want to make sure everyone remembers you (and leave people with their jaws on the ground)? Then consider taking the sexy-schoolgirl look to the extreme by pairing the Railroad in red with the Argila Allie.

Like the idea but prefer to scale it back a notch? Go for the Railroad in trouser length.

We realize these looks aren’t for everyone, but if you have the arty verve to put them into action, they’re sure to turn heads! And let’s face it, just thinking about the possibilities makes getting dressed much more fun! There are plenty more Antipast styles to spark your imagination over at the main Ped site! So get psyched about socks!

(By the way, the Sweet treat this week is really, really, really sweet: Fiorentini + Baker’s Emma Boot! Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to land at the Emma with the code that will bring a sugary 20% off at checkout! Mmmmmm, now that’s tasty!)

Ped fans, it’s no secret, we love C O L O R !!!! Granted, a neutral go-to shoe has its place in every woman’s closet, but slipping on a sandal, oxford, or boot in a knock-’em-dead hue is a sure-fire way to lift your spirits!

So we present a Ped ode to Roy G. Biv, patron saint of all things colorful!

R is for red, revved up and ready to go, all of which describe the new Cydwoq Indies!

R is also for riveting, which describes this boot both figuratively and literally since the construction is all rivets—not one stitch!

O is for orange (Laura’s favorite!), so juicy in Fiorentini + Baker’s Elgin Boot:

Although F +B calls this shade “Indian Red,” it’s a lovely and soft orange reminiscent of canyons at sunset. The perfect boot to wear with a floaty summer dress!

Y is for yellow, one of the “it” colors this season. Yellow always makes us smile, and Cydwoq’s Submit makes us smile even wider!

A great everyday sandal, the Submit is one to leave by the door (especially if that door is at a beach house)! Slip it on and off you go!

G is for green (Dayna’s favorite!) and all things good and growing. G is also for Germany, the birthplace of Trippen’s Fountain:

Let your cutting-edge style bust out like leaves in spring when you lace up this boot! Steal the scene with your green!

B is for blue, which exudes mystery and romance in a heel like Accessoire’s Safari:

What a way to make an entrance! Old Hollywood glamour is alive and sizzling in the Safari!

I is for indigo, the inky rich hue that’s almost black but not quite and much more interesting. Exhibit A (or should we say I): the Trippen Aloe.

See what we mean? What a delicious color for a tasty style that easily transitions from spring to summer to fall!

V is for violet, a color that always inspires oohs and aahs! How lovely it looks on Accessoire’s Sagan:

Tres chic! Buckle up this girly wedge, and feel the love as the compliments cascade over you!

All hail Roy G. Biv! And when you wear any of the above beauties, your feet will feel as good as the gold in the pot at the end of the rainbow!

(Psst, have you checked out this week’s Sweet Treat? It’s Coclico’s knockout Klucia! Simply click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to arrive at the Klucia with the magic code that brings 20% off at checkout! Set off sparks and break some hearts!)