Did you see this New York Times article about the versatility of scarves? Apparently, stylists and trendsetters have suddenly discovered the myriad ways a beautiful scarf can rework a wardrobe—something Ped fans have known for years! The NYT may have declared the scarf the “IT” item of the season, but an exquisite scarf is timeless and will never go out of style. Many families pass them down from grandmother to mother to daughter.

Whether you’re new to scarves or a connoisseur, you’ll recognize Ped’s are delightfully different and true works of art. We’ve recently added a few new designs to let you wrap up summer in style!

Printed scarves my be pretty, but they can’t compare to the luxury and beauty of a loomed textile, where the pattern is actually woven into the fabric! Epice excels in just this area, hiring the most highly skilled and respected weavers in India to produce their designs. One of our summer favorites at Ped HQ is Epice’s Toulouse Scarf:

A tad smaller than Epice’s Rose Garden scarf, the Toulouse is still wide enough to wear as a shawl when you need just a little something on your shoulders. We love the “latte” color palette shown here, but this beauty also blooms in terracotta and marigold yellow.

Another pretty floral that will complement so many things in your closet is Epice’s Monte Carlo Scarf:

So light and soft, this all-cotton lovely is a luxury you’ll find yourself wearing every day. (Think beach pareo, think sarong, think sash…) Aqua not your favorite? We also have it in juicy lime green and dreamy lilac!

If you’re a Ped regular, you know how much we love stripes! So, Epice’s Avignon Scarf is right up our alley:

The combination of linen and cotton make this striped treat the perfect weight for warm-weather wear. We think the aqua / mocha combo pictured looks so fresh, but the Avignon in rose /mustard/ mocha is equally beautiful!

Another stripe-tastic creation from Epice is the gorgeous Chamonix Scarf:

Whereas the Avignon’s understated stripes run vertically, the Chamonix’s bolder stripes are arranged horizontally. Also available in a black / brown / blue palette, this sweetheart just happens to be the “Sweet Treat” through tomorrow, Tuesday, July 11. Just click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to reach the Chamonix with the discount code that will bring 20% off at checkout!

Speaking of deals, we recently added Sophie Digard’s wonderful Love & Chance Scarf to the Ped Summer Sale:

Sophie has scattered a beautifully loomed linen background with 85 hand-sewn velvet flowers—so pretty on a hot summer day! This Sophie Digard treasure also comes in fresh grass green. A labor of love well worth the original price of $398, it’s as refreshing as a glass of lemonade at $299.

Perfect for wearing to a garden party or wrapping around your shoulders during an al fresco dinner, Epice and Sophie Digard scarves are the summer romance your wardrobe has wished for!
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Everyone at Ped HQ is glad the days are finally growing longer here in the northern hemisphere, but it will still be a while before green leaves deck the bare-limbed trees. Which is why we love anything and everything floral this time of year! A few blossoms here and there remind us that, no matter how gray the wintry day, spring is not too far off.

So, even when there’s snow, here are a few ways to still have your garden grow.

Swiss textile artist Karin Wagner understands the power of the flower, and her hand-felted accessories are guaranteed to make you (and everyone around you) smile!

What could be more welcome than Karin’s cheerful Daffodil Ring on an icy day? Having a yellow flower blooming on your hand is just the tonic for the mid-winter blues!

If  rings are not your thing, you can always pin a bold flower, like this Edelweiss Brooch, to your winter coat:

What a way to start a conversation! Get ready to hear the following over and over: “I love your pin! Can I ask where you got it?”

Sophie Digard, that Parisian queen of crochet, has also created a wonderful sprig of flowers to enliven your woolen sweaters:

We love Sophie’s whimsy in including a striped linen blossom in her Three Flower Brooch.

Several of Sophie Digard’s cozy scarves are also abloom with flowers!

The tufted velvet centers of the one-of-a-kind blossoms strewn across this smokey lavender wool Wildflower Scarf are so charming. (This beauty is also available in a sassafras green linen version).

Another wonderful floral scarf is Epice’s Lake Como Scarf:

The orange border on this finely loomed wool wonder gives it such zest, plus the Lake Como Scarf is wide enough that you can wear it as a shawl—a garden for your shoulders!

Or you could let Antipast’s flower-decked socks sprout on your legs!

These over-the-knee Source of the Earth cuties would look terrific with a short skirt and a pair of oxfords or ankle boots! They’re guaranteed to put a springy spring in your step!

Of course, when I think of fun flowers, my mind always turns to Pepita’s Florinda necklace:

My love affair with Pepita’s fantastic jewelry began with this necklace. As soon as I tried it on, it had to be mine! I still smile every time I wear it (which is often)!

So, don’t let winter’s barren landscape get you down—plant your own garden of style and let the sunshine in!

(And, hey, if you’re chilly, have you checked out this week’s “sweet treat”? It’s Epice’s sinfully soft Chevron Scarf loomed from cashmere and wool! Mmmmm! Just click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to land at the Chevron Scarf with the magic code that will bring you a 20% discount when entered in the box at checkout. De-lish!)

Spring has arrived in Ped-land, and although we love how the leaves are leafing and the buds are budding, the daily variations in the mercury make getting dressed a challenge. The forecast may call for a warm afternoon, but, brrr, that first step out the door in the morning can be brisk. Which is why at this time of year, a scarf is our constant companion! Not only does it keep us cozy, but it also spices up outfits with a little extra zing. Once the temperature rises, we can either loosen it or take it off and tie it around our handbag’s strap (that way, we keep the zest).

Luckily, Ped has new scarves from both Mia Zia and Sophie Digard, ideal for navigating the transitional season. Here are just a few of our favorites:

We are wild about dots here at Ped, so Mia Zia’s Dotti Scarf is high on our list! It’s such an instant pick-me-up. Loomed from ultra-soft cotton, it feels so good against your skin.

You say you’d like a little texture  with your dots, thank you? Then say hello to Sophie Digard’s Gumdrop Scarf! Ms. Digard, our favorite Parisian textile artist, wows with this playful design that charms with multicolored velvet hemispheres hand-sewn to the prettiest colored linen (it also comes in grass green).

Speaking of green, the Mia Zia Willow Scarf received an invitation to join the Ped family the instant we saw it:

Doesn’t the color make you think of sunny days in the garden? Mia Zia’s woven fabrics are so exquisite that they have to be touched and seen in person to be fully appreciated! And if green isn’t your scene, the Willow also comes in go-with-everything grey.

Another grey beauty is Sophie Digard’s Bauble Scarf, created in linen for warm-weather wear:

Every tiny sphere adorning this crocheted masterpiece is a world unto itself—no two baubles are the same. Truly, Sophie’s creations are labor-intensive works of art!

Plus, we admire how she’s always changing things up and venturing in new directions! One of the most innovative scarves this season is Sophie’s Serendipity Scarf:

This striped wonder incorporates an organic-shaped curve in its design that makes it especially easy to twine around your neck or drape across your shoulders. And the colors? They make us daydream about beach cabanas under a Mediterranean sun by an azure sea.

Of course, if you long for a classic Sophie Digard scarf that expresses her unique approach to crochet-work and color, the linen Maccaron will make you smile:

In a word, tasty!

More wonderful scarves await at the Ped site! Settling on one may be hard, but, luckily, there’s absolutely no way to go wrong. So, wrap up and rock out!

The days are rarely frigid here in the Bay Area, but I know winter has been running roughshod over many of you Ped fans! I see photos of mounds of snow in the Midwest and on the East Coast and hear about day after day of icy temperatures everywhere. Brrrrr!!! When you’re simply trying to stay warm, style often gets relegated to the backseat.

But it doesn’t have to be that way! Ped has lots of ways to keep cozy that also let you turn up the style temperature! (After all, your admirers count on you to lift their chilly spirits!)

Our mothers always told us, “Put a hat on!” They were wise because there’s no cuter way to combat the cold than with a Karin Wagner flower-embellished cap:

Our beloved Swiss mistress of textile art first hand-knits a cap of 100% soft wool and then pretties it up with her one-of-a-kind, hand-felted blossoms.

Now that your head is covered, let’s go to the other extreme and make sure your toes are toasty.

These striped tights from Antipast aren’t just snazzy (which they definitely are), they’re also 71% wool to keep your whole lower half warm when it’s cold!

One of the most practical fashion trends to come along has been arm warmers, which keep your wrists and palms snug while leaving your fingers free. We especially love the ones from Rain + Jack:

Rain + Jack combines the softest Australian lambswool with the most wonderful colors to warm your heart as well as your hands!

And, of course, you need a scarf! The winter wind will just have to blow down someone’s else’s neck when you wrap up in one of Sophie Digard’s woolen wonders:

We just got in this Wildflower Scarf and is it ever GORGEOUS!!! Each little velvet-centered flower is unique. With this wool beauty twined around your neck, you’ll be the envy of everyone who sees you!

But perhaps you live somewhere more temperate and only need a little something to stave off the chill. Sophie’s still your go-to gal because our Parisian queen of crochet also makes lighter linen scarves, like this Pastille Pop stunner:

Winter won’t last forever, but as long as it’s here, pull on your Ped and look and feel wonderful! Don’t let the ice keep you from feeling nice!

Admittedly, what follows is not exactly a “tale,” but we felt so happy after reading Frances Hersey’s note that she immediately became our October favorite. We really do think of you Ped fans as our friends—people who are unique and interesting—so it makes our day to find out that affection is mutual. Plus, we love the photo Frances sent, which had everyone at Ped Central smiling. (We do love a cute pooch!) So, without further ado, here’s what Frances wrote that made us blush and feel warm all over:

Oh, my gosh!! I am in love with the shoes and boots that you sent to me. I love them so much, and they are both so special and beautiful. I have the Chie Mihara’s on today, and they are just to die for.

This morning as I was getting ready for work I had the Fiorentini + Baker Emma Boot on, and I could live in those boots. They are incredible, and I truly think they are a work or art.  (Thank you also for the kind note that you sent—it made my day.) I really appreciate you remembering that I wanted to try the boots. They are even more incredible in person. I must have looked at them online a thousand times, and now I have them. I am in heaven.

Thank you for wonderful you and for your wonderful online store. Everything you sell is special and beautiful, and I am so appreciative and grateful that I found you. I also love my scarves and wear them almost everyday. Thank you for helping me look stylish and for being so great to work with. I am so thrilled with my new shoes and boots. Thank you, Dayna.

Frances and her sweet dog, Ruth, looking gorgeous in Sophie Digard scarves and Chie Mihara heels.

You are welcome, Frances!!! Doesn’t she look fantastic? She’s radiant! We like to think wearing Ped will do that for a gal. For being such a sweetheart and sending us such a great picture and lovely note, Frances gets $100 in Ped credit!

Do you have a Tale of the Sole? Tell us—and show us (we LOVE pictures!!!)—what happened to you while wearing a Ped item, and you, too, might be the recipient of $100 in Ped credit. Each month we pick the most sole-ful tale to share on the blog. So, let us know what in the world you’ve been doing in your Ped!