Do you belong to the church of Chie Mihara? Because for anyone who has suffered through long hours in high heels, discovering Chie Mihara is like finding religion! This Spanish designer preaches (and practices) the gospel that beautiful and feminine shoes can also be comfortable!

Born in Brazil to Japanese parents, Chie Mihara studied fashion design in Japan and New York City before establishing her company in Spain. Her multicultural background comes into play whenever she designs a shoe: Brazil’s celebration of the feminine, Japan’s penchant for innovative design, the get-it-done practicality of NYC, and Spain’s appreciation of craftsmanship. Her vintage-inspired styles, embellished with playful details, all feature a footbed Chie designed specifically to accommodate a woman’s foot. And once you’ve walked a mile in her heels, you’ll never again be satisfied with anything less.

Our first shipment of Chie Mihara’s fall styles just arrived, and in a word: WOW! Witness for yourself:

Oxfords are all the rage right now, and Chie gives hers a feminine twist:

A blue leather lace-up with three rows of ruffles? Be still our shoe-loving hearts! The Chie Mihara Loti has us under its spell!

But maybe you’re a member of Team Mary Jane rather than Team Oxford (not that you have to choose):

Fact of life: You can never have too many red shoes! And when you find one as pretty as Chie’s red suede Nilon, why resist temptation? We guarantee you”ll have no regrets—only shoe-wearing joy!

You say what you really want is a gorgeous ankle boot? Chie, again, answers your prayers:

It’s as if Ms. Mihara has magically melded a Victorian lace-up with a riding boot and thrown in a little extra ‘zazz to create the Narista!

For those who like to amp up the volume both in terms of height and unabashed femininity, prepare to say oo-la-la:

Altogether now, “OOH-LA-LA!” The Vasca is the height of old-school Hollywood glamour!

We love that ocean blue leather, but some days we want to step into the world with bang-pow-razzle-dazzle-wow:

Hello, Veranito! This fringy, ruffled, fuchsia peep-toe is Chie’s gift to femme fetales everywhere! Go forth and be fabulous!

And there are five more equally amazing, new Chie styles at the main Ped site. So cast those misery-making, ankle-aching stilettos into the back of the closet, and shout, “Hallelujah!” because Chie Mihara’s heels are nothing short of heaven!

(And, just fyi, this week’s “Sweet Treat” is Trippen’s über edgy Stream sandal boot. Simply click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of this page or any Ped page, and you’ll land at the Stream with the magic code to give you 20% off at checkout.)

It’s such a heady time of year with all the wonderful things in bloom! The lilacs, irises, and peonies may have come and gone (or if you’re a little farther north, maybe they’re still around), but gorgeous day lilies and sweet honeysuckle are hot on their heels, with black-eyed susans and other posies still to come. At Ped, we adore flowers—and we like to wear them whenever we can!

The undisputed queen of lovely blossoms that never fade is Swiss fiber artist Karin Wagner. We recently received a new shipment of her hand-felted wonders.

We are particularly crazy about her floral rings, like this attention-grabbing Lilia beauty:

The way Karin has cut tiny diamonds out of the crimson petals is so unusual! Wear this ring and watch as conversations spring up all around you!

Many of Ms. Wagner’s blooms are versatile. Who says you have to wear a brooch pinned to your clothing? This Clochette cluster, for example, makes a fabulous barrette:

And, attention, summer brides, a wonderful alternative to wearing fresh flowers in your hair is to entwine Karin Wagner’s Daisy necklace in your up ‘do on the big day:

You’ll have a sweet memento that will never wilt (hopefully, like your love). Plus, you can wear this vine of buds, leaves, and blossoms in a myriad of ways.

Another knockout flower necklace comes from Sophie Digard:

We love how each blossom has a different color scheme on each side—you can spin them and move them along the cord to create a new variation every time you wear it.

Sophie also works floral magic in her scarves and bags. For instance, how chic is this Geranium Handbag?

Drop-dead gorgeous with a nostalgic air of romance, this bag’s crocheted blossoms must be seen in person to be fully appreciated. Each one is unique and contributes to the garden-like impact of this sweet bag.

At Ped, we even like to wear flowers on our feet!

The Accessoire Island wedge, with its pretty rosette on the toe, is one of our favorite styles this season (and Ped’s Laura reports it’s a treat to wear—cushy and comfortable)!

There are even more petaled pretties to make you smile blooming at the Ped site. After all, there is nothing like the power of a simple flower to remind us that, despite wretched oil spills and ugly intolerance, the world offers so much beauty.

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.)

When winter’s greys finally turn to green, our thoughts turn to sandals! Nothing’s more delicious than wriggling your bare toes in new grass, but pavement, hot sand, and the aisles at the grocery store require you to put a little something beneath your soles. It doesn’t have to be much, though, and it can feel almost as good as dancing barefoot across the lawn.

Behold a few of Ped’s light and airy treasures.

Hands down, one of the prettiest sandals this season is Coclico’s Victorae:

This sweetheart is so simple—the easiest of t-straps—yet it opens eyes with its vine of leaves running up the center. With a .5″ wedge, it’s not quite flat, but it’s as comfortable as a walk in the park.

When it comes to designing flats that keep feet happy, nobody compares to Cydwoq’s Rafi Balouzian. The man knows just what we like! Case in point, Cydwoq’s Attract:

Cut from a single piece of leather, the upper incorporates an ankle strap, which is so of-the-moment! We also love how the soft yellow color is unusual yet muted enough to go with almost everything in your closet.

Another favorite from Cydwoq is the Bare:

Sandals don’t get more minimal than this perfectly designed little number! When you can’t go barefoot, the Bare is the next best thing! (And how fun is that sassy red leather?)

When it comes to color, though, everyone knows I lean toward green. So, I swooned when I discovered Cordani’s Sarah:

The pistachio leather is so fresh I could almost bite it! But then my feet would be deprived of this flat’s supreme comfort. With a full rubber sole, the Sarah is perfect for navigating all kinds of terrain.

Another great travel sandal that offers a fresh variation on the gladiator look is  Cydwoq’s Mandarine:

Also available in black, this is the one sandal you won’t want to take off because it looks great with everything! (Your other sandals will  be jealous as they gather dust.)

Want your gladiator to have a funkier edge? There’s a flat for that! It’s Cydwoq’s Elect:

Super cute. Super cool. Super comfortable. Cydwoq does it again!

And, believe it or not, there are even more fantastic flat sandals at the Ped site just waiting to help your feet breathe easy!

(Psst, don’t forget this week’s Sweet Treat is Cydwoq’s Flap Bag. Get 20% off by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner on any Ped page.)

Whoohoo—everyone is having such a blast in the Ped warehouse with all the new shipments arriving! It’s one thing to pick out what styles to offer from various designers, and it’s another to have them in our hot little hands! Every box that lands on the doorstep guarantees another round of oohs and aahs when we open it.

A running theme in this season’s sandals and shoes is a focus on the ankle. When I was little, I remember hearing people say a woman had “a well-turned ankle.” I always loved that phrase! So, it’s especially fun to know Ped’s customers are going to have ankles worth a second look this season! Whether wrapped in laces or encircled with sexy straps, the ankles of anyone wearing one the following numbers are destined to be “well-turned.”

Lots of Ped fans love Cydwoq’s Bare sandal. Well, Cydwoq’s Rafi has taken the best of the Bare and amped up the heat by adding an ankle strap. Behold the new Naked:

S-s-s-sizzling! Say no more.

Speaking of Cydwoq, the ever-popular Defend is back this year, sporting a sassy new copper color:

Two, two, two ankle straps are better than one! Well, for some gals, at least. (As Tim Gunn would say, “Chacon a son gout.”)

You say you want even more? Trippen hears you! Get an eyeful of the gorgeous Exotic wedge:

Now that’s a strappy ankle strap (don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it looks)! And this peep-toe stands on Trippen’s oh-so-comfortable t-shaped wedge. Sexy and comfortable—that’s the way we like it at Ped!

But maybe you’re one of those gals who lives for clogs, in which case, Trippen hears you again! How cool is the wooden sole on Trippen’s new Ritzy?

We just can’t get enough of that window in the heel! We love how its airiness finds an echo in the way the ankle strap wraps.

Speaking of wrapping, Trippen also excels at designing styles with laces that twine and vine around your ankle. Case in point, the cuter-than-cute Fish:

We love how Trippen leaves the way you wrap this flat’s double laces to your whim—vine and tie them in front, twine and tie them in back, whatever you fancy.

If you’re a Fiorentini + Baker fan (and who isn’t?), you’re going to swoon over the gladiator-inspired Tessa:

Now that’s a sandal guaranteed to turn your ankle into an attention magnet! Wow–and it’s red, our favorite, although it also comes in black.

Still we know some Ped gals prefer to be a little more understated. Argila’s Elsie is demure without being a bit boring (it’s got that girl-next-door sex appeal going for it):

So pretty! Plus, it’s wonderful to wear and will go with pretty much everything in your spring and summer wardrobe.

These are just a few angles on how to enhance your ankles! Click over to Ped to find even more ways to get that well-turned look! We know you’re going to heat up the joint!