You don’t have to shout (or even whisper) to command attention in the Coclico Tyrion, which is this week’s savvy and chic Sweet Treat! Walk the cutting edge for 20% off by clicking “be sweet to your feet” at the bottom of the box on the left at Ped’s main site! Once you land at the Tyrion with the “Sweet Treat” designation, simply add it to your bag to get the cool discount at checkout!
There was a time last century when fashionable young ladies regularly enrolled in charm schools to polish their manners and feminine style. Lessons included walking in heels while balancing a book on one’s head to improve posture. Fun (not).
Fortunately, today we women determine our own style and are more concerned with balancing the books of our companies than balancing books on our heads. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up girliness if that’s what your heart desires. Chie Mihara is here to school you, and every one of her shoes provides a lesson in the three F’s: femininity, functionality, and fun!
Slip on a pair of Chie Mihara shoes, and you’ll instantly become a Chie charm school graduate! Here are a few of the colorful courses she’s offering this spring at Ped:
When it comes to charm, nothing’s more charming than a classic mary jane. Chie Mihara gives the m.j. a modern spin with the new Onna:
You have to love how Chie takes a neutral—the Onna‘s sesame body and platinum trim work with everything—and makes it anything but middle-of-the-road! Dig the wooden heel!
Another “lady” shoe that gets the Chie Mihara treatment this season is the timeless spectator pump. Behold the fantastic Zelia:
Everything from the stacked heel to the leather’s perforated edges to the ridged rubber outsole is so well thought out! And the cream and tomato red color combo is to die for!
Red also amps up the charm of Chie Mihara’s Joelia heeled sandal:
The playful houndstooth-patterned leather and the oversized patent rose on the toe offer a wink and a nudge to more conservative styles in a way that’s sexy, artistic, and wearable!
Want even more whimsy? Then consider lacing up the new Chie Mihara Bandera:
Ped fans know a beautiful green shoe always makes me sit up and take notice! Needless to say, the Bandera has my full attention. A checkerboard heel? Chie at her very best!
Love oxfords but prefer yours with a lower heel (but no less style)? Then feast your eyes on the spectacular Chie Mihara Isias:
How cool is that color combo? Everyone at Ped HQ is crazy about the braided-leather detail that Chie introduced this winter, and wow, does it ever look fantastic on the Isias for spring! (If rosy colors are not your thing, you might prefer the black, cream, tan, and gold version.)
“Fine,” you may say, “but what I really dream of is an oxford that’s more open-air.” Well, Chie fulfills your wish with the fresh-as-can-be Ingra:
Wearing this breezy lace-up is guaranteed to lift your spirits—and brighten the day of everyone who sees you! Imagine how cute the Ingra would look with a pair of skinny ankle-length pants!
To give your winter-weary feet a true taste of the sun, though, we suggest you buckle up the Chie Mihara Present:
Talk about charming! The stylized black leather bow on the cream toe band makes the understated Present the valedictorian of Chie Mihara’s charm school!
Even more lucky charms from Chie Mihara are waiting at Ped’s main site, so click over and go girly this spring and summer!
Everyone knows how crazy we are for all things Cydwoq! But, honestly, Rafi and Ari—the father and son team responsible for Cydwoq’s ultra-cool designs—have really outdone themselves for 2011. A smorgasbord of new warm-weather styles just arrived in the Ped warehouse, and Cydwoq has served up something for everyone from strappy heels for the girly girls to run-around-town flats for the tomboys at heart.
Here’s a taste to whet your appetite and encourage you to think spring (or, if you’re lucky, mid-winter vacation)!
One area where Cydwoq excels is in creating practical walking shoes that still turn every head with their unusual style! Case in point, the new Sabates:
Too cool!!! But cutting edge funkiness is not the end of the story because these artistic shoes are also easy to wear. Simply slide your foot into the welcoming interior—no buckles, zippers, or even elastic to fiddle with!
Another great runabout style is Cydwoq’s Penalty, which is our pick for the first thing to pack if you’re heading somewhere warm.
You can cruise through sightseeing, shopping, and sipping a cocktail at the end of the day, looking terrific whatever the venue. And thanks to Cydwoq’s famous construction, you may be tired, but your feet will be blister-free and ready to go again tomorrow.
But maybe you’re looking for a wearable heel to go to the office (without sacrificing any snazz). Then breathe in the Vapour!
Everyone at Ped is smitten with the Vapour’s off-center t-strap. Plus the red color is simply delicious. (I ask you who doesn’t love a red shoe?)
And if you enjoy a sassy buckle-and-heel combo, then Cydwoq’s new Possession has your name on it!
Just like A.S. Byatt’s novel of the same name, this beautiful heel embodies both a 19th century romanticism and an utterly modern attitude. For lovers of the steampunk aesthetic, the Possession is a retro-futuristic dream come true!
Another thing we admire about Cydwoq is how their designs often bring artsy and organic together into a harmonious whole.
The new Buds sandal is earthy and urban all at once. We love the way rivets connect the leather leaves, but we confess this sandal had us at green (our favorite)!
For sheer impact, though, we recommend lacing up Cydwoq’s new Expo!
Kapow! This sandal’s rustic yet clean-lined design takes the gladiator sandal a step ahead, out of the arena and onto the runway! Super chic—imagine how terrific the Expo will look with a floaty summer dress! A perfect exercise in contrasts!
The above bevy of beauties is just a glimpse of the panorama of Cydwoq styles awaiting you at Ped’s main site! You’ll love the view—but Cydwoq’s hand-crafted comfort is what will win your heart!
(Have you seen this week’s “sweet treat”? It’s Trippen’s over-the-knee Nox Boot! Whether you pull it high or cuff it and scrunch, the Nox is the perfect tall, dark, and lovely boot you’ve been hoping to find. Just click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to be transported to the Nox, where you’ll find the magic code that will bring a cool 20% off when entered in the box at checkout!)
Sure, ankle boots are all the rage this season (and Ped has some of the best), but the knee-high boot’s lock on style is still solid! A tall boot always adds extra “oomph” to whatever you’re wearing. At Ped, whenever one of us is scratching her head (Terry is exempt from this) about what would look great with a particular outfit, nine times out of 10, the answer is a full-height boot. Effortless but full of impact, tall boots instantly amp up everything, including our positive attitudes!
Here are a few of the to-the-knee (and over) lovelies currently enlivening the Ped house.
Our arty new line from Israel, Couple Of, has one of the coolest boots at the party:
This Elon embodies everything Couple Of does so well: a clean design with a few key details that escalate the interest, all packaged in a meticulously crafted boot that’s as wonderful to wear as it is to see. We love the faux split spat with its topstitched detailing. So cool! Plus, the washed leather and the discreet elastic insert on the inside of the calf make this boot easy on the leg.
If you like your boot to shout a little louder, then take a listen to Cydwoq’s Alpha!
Get down with your bad self—how kickass is this boot? We’re down for the count over how the six nickel silver buckles complement the marbled black leather of this knockout. And word to the wise: adjust the buckles to get an ideal fit for your calf, and then use the inside zipper to whiz in and out of this boot in a flash. (By the way, I bought this one for myself, and I’m going to rock it on the streets of Paris later this week!)
Perhaps you appreciate the take-no-prisoners style of the Alpha, but you want something a little more feminine with a heel. Presented for your approval, the Cydwoq Vintage Kappa:
Be still our boot-loving hearts, this one is over the top! The color—unbelievably beautiful! The design (especially the back)—drop-dead gorgeous! And because the Kappa is from Cydwoq, its heel is placed in the sweet spot directly under your weight for maximum stability and comfort. So much to savor!
On the other hand, there’s a place in every closet for a simple black boot with a sophisticated heel. This season, Coclico’s got just the ticket:
The Niben boot may be minimal, but it’s far from plain! The design is ultra clean, and the stained wooden heel and platform sole give this buffalo leather boot just the right kick. This is a boot to work many ways on any number of occasions, and you’ll always know you look spectacular!
Some of you Ped fans, though, enjoy the high drama, so we’ve saved our true boot diva for last: Fiorentini + Baker’s Beck boot!
Yes, applause, please! What a boot! This gorgeous black number looks terrific cuffed and laced behind your knee, BUT you also have the option of unlacing the back and unfolding the top to create a true over-the-knee boot! So saucy! And so beautifully crafted because it’s from F+B, the Italian wizards of boot-making!
As always, there are many more tall boots to choose from at the main Ped site. So, go get high—it’s perfectly legal!
(Although it’s not up to your knee, this week’s “Sweet Treat” is still delectable! Get 20% off Argila’s Josephine Boot by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page, which will magically take you to the Josephine and the sought-after discount code! Laceless is riveting!)
Some of you Ped fans have let us know how much you adore clogs! It’s true there’s nothing like the feeling of wood beneath your feet—so solid yet comforting. But we wouldn’t be Ped if we simply offered run-of-the-mill clogs, especially when we know your toes want to be free to enjoy the summer! So, we combed our sources to find a few especially beautiful wood-bottomed sandals that will speak to your stylish souls as well as your soles.
Although we hate to play favorites (we truly love all our shoes), Trippen’s Ritzy is the stand-out style of the season:
It is just IT! Starting with the fabulous way the supple black leather crisscrosses and wraps around your ankle and ending with how the wooden sole gives you a window on the world beneath your heel, the Ritzy is like no other sandal out there. Fun, edgy, and sexy!
Another clog sandal with head-turning power is Giraudon’s Riley:
The lines of this airy peep-toe are so interesting, and we love how the ankle lacing gives the subtle suggestion of an ankle boot. Absolutely of the moment! (And the gold lining is so fun!)
But maybe what you like in a clog is the ability to just slip it on and go, in which case Trippen has your number with the Zen:
Nothing could be simpler to wear, yet the Zen still has enough ‘zazz to make any outfit juicy! After all, who doesn’t love a red sandal?
Another easy-to-wear style with a sole of hand-sculpted wood is the Cydwoq Revolt, a perennial Ped favorite:
Cute and practical, this sandal makes a great traveling companion (slide off, slide on when navigating airport security). And because it’s from Cydwoq, you know the Revolt’s leather will comply with the shape of your individual foot for a custom fit.
So, clog lovers, choose whichever wood-soled siren sings your name, and take a solid step into summer!
(Psst, just fyi, this week’s “sweet treat,” Cydwoq’s Proud, will only be especially sweet for a couple more days, so click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner for 20% off while you still can.)
