Ped fans, I hope you’re enjoying drooling over all the new styles we’ve been adding to the site. We’re posting shoes and boots as fast as we can unpack the boxes pouring into the warehouse!

Of course, sometimes we have to stop and simply admire the gorgeousness of all the designs! The materials this season are to die for! We’re especially excited about the resurgence of suede! It’s so nice to reach down and feel its delicious softness on your feet.

Here are just a few of the wonderful suede styles that have us oohing and aahing (and petting the shoes!) at Ped HQ.

Since they’re French, it’s no surprise that Accessoire excels in creating chic designs out of luxurious suede. Case in point, the Okinawa:

Ooh la la—emerald green suede in a re-imagined mary jane accented by a fleurette on the toe? Color me love-struck! (Plus, the suede-covered platform sole is so modern!)

Another charmer from Accessoire is the versatile Odin:

We adore all the richly colored suede shoes and boots this season, but everybody needs a basic black shoe! And as the fun and feminine Odin proves, basic does not have to be boring!

On the other hand, when it’s time to step out and make a statement, you can always count on Chie Mihara to offer a sensational way to do it—this season in suede:

Oh my! We think you’ll agree Chie has really outdone herself with the drop-dead gorgeous Frunera heel! We are down for the count for this beauty in knockout red suede, but Ped also offers the Frunera in seductive navy suede.

If you’re looking for a great pair of suede boots, this is definitely your year! There are so many great ones from which to choose, like Chie’s Xolita:

We love everything about this lace-up, from the pinked edges of the placket to the combination of grommets and hooks to Chie’s famously comfortable anatomical footbed!

Coclico is another line that has the suede ankle boot down to a science! How beautifully designed is this Neale?

So sophisticated! Hidden elastic under the cuff makes for a glove-like fit, and the wooden sole is both modern and comfortable.

Another luscious suede number from Coclico is the Rilke:

Grey is the go-to neutral this season, and the Rilke’s particular shade is simply lovely. Plus, the feminine tie at the back of the ankle adds the perfect detail!

Of course, Fiorentini + Baker includes suede in its lineup of boots for fall. We are especially smitten with F+B’s suede version of the Ella Boot:

We love a boot that offers options, and the Ella gives you the choice of wearing it zipped up to mid-calf height or unzipped slightly and folded down to make a cuffed low boot! (The back zipper is so sexy!)

But for sheer beauty and turn-every-head impact, the clear winner in the suede boot category is Vic Matie’s Chloe:

WOW! This beautifully made boot makes us eager for chilly days because its faux fur lining is so inviting! We like how you can let it peek out at the top! Meanwhile the strap spiraling around your calf and ankle gives this boot unmistakable style. Truly a suede boot to treasure!

And there are many more touchable suede boots and shoes waiting to be admired at Ped’s main site! This season the cutting edge is oh so soft!

(Psst, this week’s Sweet Treat is Cydwoq’s all-occasion Textile flat! Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to be transported to the Textile with the magic code that will get you a sweet 20% off at  checkout!)

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For years I’ve been nudging gals to try boots with summer skirts and dresses because the look is so sassy and fun! Finally, the trend has caught on! Everywhere I turn these days, women are rocking boots with breezy sundresses, light, floaty skirts, and even shorts! Not only do they look fresh and chic, but they’re also not stubbing their toes.

Because we think boots are for all seasons, here are few suggestions for how to kick up your heels while the sun shines!

Ped fans will agree that nobody makes better boots than Fiorentini + Baker! One of the easiest boots to wear with anything and everything is F+B’s Mix:

Everyone goes wild for a motorcycle boot, especially when it’s made of such luscious leather! Plus, the Mix gives you a leg up with its chunky 2″ heel!

Want a little less heel and a little more buckle? Then say hello to F+B’s Emmy (also known as Style 713)!

This beauty also comes in rabbit grey (always a good choice), but we especially love the teal version because it looks so cool (as in river-water cool) with light-colored summer skirts!

Still not enough buckles? Then Fiorentini + Baker’s popular Eternity Boot is your answer!

There’s a good reason why this boot is a perennial object of desire: It looks terrific with EVERYTHING! Plus, it exudes a sexy, badass attitude. Ped offers the Eternity not only in delicious dark brown leather (pictured), but also in black, red, and caramel. All gorgeous!

Perhaps you prefer a sleeker, more minimal look, in which case, drink in the loveliness of F+B’s Bessi Boot:

As Ped fans know, I can’t get enough of green, and I adore F+B’s bonsai green shade! It’s like a refreshing breeze on a sweltering day! Gals who like to enhance their height will also appreciate the Bessi’s 3″ heel.

Another fabulous minimal boot is F+B’s pull-on Elgin Boot:

Also available in mocha ice suede, the Elgin is easy to wear anywhere with its clean-lined, relaxed design.

Of course, we know for some gals, only a tall boot fits the bill. Our personal favorite is F+B’s Emma:

All of us at Ped HQ own this terrific boot (except Terry, of course—but even he’s an Emma admirer)! Black is classic, but we also carry the Emma in dark brown, red, and caramel (which is, psst, on sale right now).

But if you want to go the opposite direction, and bare a little more skin—it is summer, after all—then Fiorentini + Baker’s Paula is ready to be your warm-weather friend:

We love the Paula’s rock ‘n’ roll attitude with its ruched front and zipper up the back! It’s a knockout in chocolate brown, but Ped also offers it in cool blue and always-right black!

Believe it or not, there are still more boots at Ped’s main site to let you two-step through summer’s delightfully long days! So, give your hot-weather wardrobe a boost with a pair of boots!

(By the way, this week’s Sweet Treat is a boot-a-licious sandal: Trippen’s Tarantula! Just click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to reach the Tarantula with the magic discount code that will treat you to a delightful 20% off at checkout!)
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Yesterday I told you about the social side of my March trip to Paris and Milan. Today I’ll fill you in on the trends and style statements I saw at shoe shows in France and Italy. Ped fans, you have a lot to look forward to in the fall! But the GREAT news is Ped is on its game—much of what will be all the rage in a few months is already on the shelves at the Ped warehouse!

Perhaps the most noticeable trend was FUR! It was everywhere—on shoes, on boots, on vests, hanging off of bags, more than I’ve ever seen. Just to whet your appetite, I ordered a version of Cydwoq’s gorgeous Podium boot with fur panels.

That said, ankle boots will continue to hold court next season, so our current version of the Podium is also right on trend:

Cydwoq’s 2″ resin heel is perfect since flats and low heels are going to be in vogue.

If you want to get a jump on the flat bootie trend, consider Vic Matie’s Euro-chic Luisa:

Another trend with staying power is men’s oxfords for women, such as Fiorentini + Baker’s terrific Eliza Oxford:

People were not only wearing their oxfords without socks in Paris and Milan, but fashionistsas were also wearing oxfords and boots with laces and buckles completely undone. All the Japanese buyers were rocking the deconstructed laceless and unbuckled look! If you have a size 36 or 37 foot, you can get ahead of the curve with the Vialis Mila, which Ped currently has on sale. (Lucky you!)

Innovative leather treatments are also going to be a hallmark of next season. Get an eyeful of the variety Cydwoq had on offer to retailers:

Ped fans can also look forward to eye-popping patterned leathers from Chie Mihara and jewel-toned suedes from Accessoire.

Regarding color trends, the new black is definitely GREY, which was all over the place in Europe in all kinds of shades. You can show off your trend-setting savvy right now by stepping out in Vic Matie’s Allegra:

You’ll be doubly cutting-edge in this slate-grey beauty since wooden soles also hold sway next fall. Expect knockout wood-soled styles from Vialis and Ellen Verbeek, too.

Given the style forecast, if you’re fortunate enough to fit into one of our remaining pairs of Ellen Verbeek’s Elise Bootie (on sale!), you’ll be right on trend on three fronts simultaneously:

Simply remove the laces, and you’ll be ultra-chic with a laceless wood-soled bootie! What could be better? And everyone will admire you for being so in the know!

Of course, everyone at Ped Central is excited about the fantastic things I ordered for fall while in Paris and Milan. But I have to say we’re also feeling pretty sassy about having so many cutting-edge styles already in the house! Advantage: Ped fans!
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When I discovered Coclico a few years ago, I knew immediately it was a match made in Ped heaven. Named for coquelicots—the poppies that bloom all across the Brittany countryside—Coclico is the brainchild of French-born Sandra Canselier, who founded the NYC-based company in 2000. Since then, she’s teamed up with famed shoe designer Lisa Nading (Ped’s Laura still sighs about a pair of purple Lisa Nading slingbacks her dog chewed up when he was a puppy), and the two now produce the most beautiful designs, crafted using environmentally aware practices, that make style-loving gals sigh with desire.

Per Ped’s stringent standards, though, Coclico shoes don’t just look like a million bucks; they feel fantastic, too. This season Coclico has really outdone itself in making our hearts beat faster with each new arrival at the Ped warehouse. See for yourself:

When you need a tall boot that’s sophisticated enough for work but hot enough to wear on a date, look no further than Coclico’s Ether:

The light grey leather is luscious and looks terrific with everything from a suit to a mini skirt. Plus, the streamlined design is so lean and lovely! (Your gams will look gorgeous.)

But for those of you who like to go even more feminine, especially if the girliness is spiced with a little vintage-inspired glamour, Coclico’s Pebon peep-toe is singing a siren song to you.

Wow. Just wow. Need I say more? I didn’t think so. Wow.

Then again, maybe girly isn’t your thing. You like to steam up the streets with a bit more of a badass attitude. No problem—just pull on Coclico’s Telesto boot and head out the door with your bad self.

Again, Coclico has thought out every detail for maximal impact. Plus, the steel grey suede looks fabulous with everything in your closet, guaranteed.

But if you really want to turn up the heat to the max, well, the most direct way to do that is with Coclico’s Ndakinna ankle boot.

Oo la la!!! It just doesn’t get much edgier or sexier than this wood-soled number! The way the toe peeps out from beneath the overlay of pebbled leather is so saucy, and the tie at the back is like pouring gasoline on the flames! HOT!

Is it any wonder that everyone at Ped Central goes crazy for Coclico? Come on, join our party!

At Ped, we’re always on the lookout for those rare designers who adhere to socially and environmentally responsible practices while making beautifully crafted items with scads of style. So, we went right over the moon when we discovered Argila, a wonderful shoe line featuring beautiful leathers and meticulous workmanship produced in designer Pep Monjo’s hometown of Menorca, Spain! We first introduced Argila to the Ped lineup last spring, and now we’re back with round two for fall. Let us just gush for a minute because these shoes and boots are truly something special!

Argila’s Maya is the holy grail of women’s shoes—a comfortable heel that’s conservative enough for the office but still lets you express your individuality (because who wants to be a corporate cog?). The leather is such a rich smoky grey, and it goes with absolutely everything. The t-strap is a classic style, but the details set this beauty apart, from the perforated leather at the front and back to the suede-wrapped heel to the circular buckle at the ankle. We can’t stop sighing.

Maybe your career let’s you be a little more badass—or maybe you like to shed your work clothes and get your ya-yas out after hours! If so, look no further than the Argila Katrine. This rockin’ ankle boot will make everyone around you catch their breath—it’s that stunning! We love the way the black leather suggests just a hint of bondage with the way it crisscrosses the taupe boot.

Speaking of beautifully cut leather, Argila’s Sadie is a veritable work of art with the way its chocolate leather radiates at an angle across the toe box and arches over the heel. It’s got a vintage feel but is thoroughly modern (check out the beautiful line of the heel). The schoolgirl look was never sexier!

Finally, Argila’s Josephine boot is perhaps our favorite black short boot of the season (although, admittedly, there are a lot of other beautiful ones at Ped). Again, it’s Argila’s attention to detail that sends this knockout over the top. We are especially smitten with the lace-less brass rivets running up the front of the boot—so very cool!

Such smoldering styles coming out of Spain! Argila es muy caliente!

Ped fans, don’t forget there are just two days left in Ped’s Bag Sale. Tote one of our Cydwoq, 49 Square Miles, or Jutta Neumann lovelies away while you can because they’re back to full price after August 19!