Hello, Ped fans! Sorry to leave the blog untended for so long, but I have the best possible excuse: I was shoe shopping for you in Milan and Paris! And, wow, is there a lot to look forward to next spring! Not only will Ped have the latest from your favorite designers, but we’re bringing back NDC from Belgium and adding Vic Matie sandals from Italy.

I began my style hunt in Milan, where the shoe show had an ultra-hip, retro-70s aesthetic.

So fun to look for shoes at the Micam show in Milan!

Of course, I ran into several of Ped’s treasured designers. It’s always a treat to see Chie Mihara!

Chie Mihara has such a great spirit—you just have to smile with her!

And here’s the lovely Ellen Verbeek, one of the latest additions to the Ped family. (If you haven’t checked out her gorgeous wood-soled boots yet, you really must!)

Ellen Verbeek is as beautiful as her designs!

After Milan, it was off to Paris for another shoe show (tis the season).

The Paris show's aesthetic was streamlined and modern.

I managed to get three of Ped’s favorites in one shot! Check it out:

Cydwoq's Rafi Balouzian, Chie Mihara, and Trippen's Michael Oehler—what a design-tastic trio!

You may be wondering what trends I discovered. Well, next spring is going to be very colorful; I ordered shoes in red, yellow, grey, teal, navy, caramel, along with lots of metallics, which continue to sizzle. Look for studded detailing on bags and shoes. Also, wedge heels—both wood and cork—are all the rage. And Chie’s line for Spring 2011 features lots of contrast stitching and mixes of suede and leather.

Perhaps my favorite trend is oxfords worn with skirts or cropped pants and no socks! Love that! Two looks I don’t care for, though, are thick socks with heels and nylons worn with peep-toe wedges. Ugh!

I became a little obsessed with photographing the wide range of shoes the buyers and sellers were wearing at the show. Here’s a sampler of what the shoe pros were sporting in Paris:

Honestly, two of the best parts of the day were walking to and from work because my route let me stroll through the beautiful Jardin des Tuileries, which looked particularly spectacular blooming with fall flowers.

Aahhh, I love Paris in the autumn!

(By the way, in case you haven’t discovered it yet, this week’s “sweet treat” is Ellen Verbeek’s knockout Camille Boot! Get 20% off this Belgian stunner by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page, which will instantly take you to the Camille and the sought-after discount code!)

As Ped’s summer sale continues (stock is getting low, so jump on it while you can), we’re getting in big boxes of what we love best: BOOTS!!! Ankle boots, in particular, are smokin’ hot this year, but there are also a lot of gorgeous tall and mid-calf boots ready to style up the pavement. Every day, a few new designs arrive, and I find myself wondering how to decide which to buy for myself. It is the best boot year ever! Here are just a few of my new BFFs–Boot Friends Forever (if I posted all the ones I love, though, I’d be here all day).

For sheer sizzle, Coclico is definitely cooking with gas. Last year, they brought us the stellar Mick (which we happily ordered again this season for any of you who missed it). This year, we’re swooning over the tall Obama:

and the ankle-height Ophelia:

We’ve also got a new line, NDC, a Belgian company that uses the loveliest leather to handcraft their footwear. Check out the gorgeous green Emily (you know us– we so love green…):

The Caitlin is another NDC style that’s captured Ped’s heart because it looks both badass and sophisticated all at once (kind of like the way I feel most days). And the suede is something else:

And, finally, I give you two Cydwoq Vintage styles because Rafi is really outdoing himself this season with the new heeled styles. This tall Pine Boot is a wonder of beautifully pieced-together leather (click through to Ped’s site and go to “Views” to see just what I mean–or just click “Views” there to the left or here– see how easy I made that for you?). I love that its neutral combination of grey and bronze goes with everything:

And, last but not least (and not even last since I haven’t gotten to Ped’s amazing collection of Fiorentini + Baker boots or our Trippen selection), it’s back to green for me with this sweet Solid Bootie, which is so, so sexy.

Normally, I don’t look forward to cold weather, but this year there are  not enough chilly days ahead to wear all the boots I want to put on my feet! The great thing about Ped’s boots, though is they’ll all look and feel just as good when they come out of the closet next year! Timeless quality–Ped’s committed to it.