One of our favorite things at Ped is receiving Tales of the Sole from customers. Every story is different, but they always put everyone at Ped HQ in a good mood! For instance, here’s what Heather wrote us on June 1:

Well Lovely Ped Folks, I am not sure if this qualifies as a tale, but its making has certainly been epic for me. I am pregnant with our first kiddo, due June 22nd. The first six months were no trouble in the style department, but boy howdy, when I hit the third trimester things got pretty boring in the sartorial department.

I have been pretty determined not to buy clothes that I know I’ll only need for three months, so the same handful of shirts it has been. And one might think that I could do a little spring sprucing with some of the fabulous shoes you’ve been getting in, but nope! I am one of those gals whose feet have gotten a wee bit bigger, so I knew that anything that fit now would not fit later.

What’s a girl to do for a little spring fashion under such circumstances? Buy the handbag of her dreams, that’s what! Last month’s sweet treat hooked me up with this gorgeous teal Cydwoq bag. I have been on The Bag hunt for, sheesh, years now, and it’s over. It’s the perfect size, wears delightfully over the shoulder or across the chest, the color is gorgeous, and the leather is super supple. It joins my ever growing collection of Cydwoq shoes, which have all aged and worn beautifully—I’m sure this bag will do the same!

Thanks for hooking a pregnant gal up just about when she lost her patience.

Heather and her Cydwoq Flap Bag---how to do nine months in style!

What a smile! Since she was due June 22, we hope congratulations are in order by now! Such a lucky baby to have such a beautiful mother!

See what we mean? Isn’t your day just a little brighter now? Thanks, Heather! For sharing her story, we’re delighted to send Heather $100 in Ped credit! (As a no-doubt exhausted new mom, she could probably use a little treat.)

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!

(Did you notice Heather found her bag through the “Sweet Treat”? In case you don’t know, every week Ped chooses an item to offer at 20% off—and you never know what we’ll pick! So, when you visit Ped be sure to click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any page to discover the current “sweet treat” and receive the code for 20% at checkout. Sweet!)

Ped fans, we hear it all the time: “I love those shoes, but I’m not sure what I’d wear them with…” We understand—the last thing you want is to buy a knockout pair of shoes only to have them languish in the closet! But chances are even the most offbeat color or bold design is easier to wear than you think. Here are a few ideas for how to make things work.

On the other hand, you may prefer your style more muted. Even so, you can still wear a sandal boot and have it look smashing:

All these outfits were created at Polyvore.com, which offers a wonderful way to try out items together when you’re shopping online. It’s also just plain fun! So, if you fall in love with a shoe, don’t resist; in the words of Tim Gunn, you can “make it work.”

(By the way, we’re pretty sure you could make lots of things work with this week’s “sweet treat,” Cordani’s Erin. Just click “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page to get 20% off this fresh espadrille platform!)

As Ped fans know, I have a serious thing for green. Nevertheless, when fall rolls around and the green world of summer transforms into a sea of orange, red, purple, and ochre, my heart sings! To celebrate, here’s a tempting array of Ped treasures to put you in the spirit of autumn.

Who doesn’t love the Fiorentini + Baker Emma boot? Well, now we’ve got your favorite in drop-dead gorgeous red:

People in Berkeley will tell you that I practically live in my black Emma’s, and Ped’s Laura has them in caramel. But this red edition may be the prettiest of them all! Combine old-school Italian craftsmanship with red leather and sexy lacing in the back, and you’ve got an unbeatable boot!

I love green, but the color that has Laura’s heart is orange. So, you’ll understand why this Jamie Joseph ring is on her personal wish list:

The stone is orange chalcedony—thought to encourage happiness and a positive attitude—and it’s beautifully set in 14kt gold mounted on a sterling silver band. Why not put a little fire on your finger?

Everyone at Ped Central burst out with oohs and aahs when 49 Square Miles’ fall bags arrived because those SF girls have added “loganberry” to their leather colors. It makes us think of maple leaves and chrysanthemums:

This Starlet Top Zip is a new style for Ped, too. I fell in love with it because not only does the bag embody the best of 49 Square Miles—supple leather, hammered brass hardware, and fantastic detailing—but its two straps also let you choose between wearing it as a short over-the-shoulder or handheld bag and slinging it  across your body courier-style.

Another beautiful new bag in a rich fall color is Cydwoq’s Oak in “Alma brick”:

Cydwoq’s Rafi took his cue for this design from bowling ball bags. We love the clean-lined shape, and, needless, to say the leather is luscious!

But autumn is not without its greens (yay!)—they just tend to be more of the olive and moss variety, as embodied in the Cydwoq Vote:

This is one of those shoes that once you put it on you won’t want to take it off. It’s practical and comfortable yet unlike any other kick-around shoe you’re likely to find.

Maybe, though, you want a shoe that doesn’t just shine with one fall color. You want one that dazzles with a combination of autumnal hues. Chie Mihara has your number:

Ped just added the Gretchen to our Chie lineup, and it’s instantly become one of our favorites! The tan top-stitching and bow are just so pretty with the deep blue suede toe and cocoa suede heel.

Friends, you don’t have to turn your back on black—just spice it up with some seasonal color! You’ll look as fresh as a crisp fall day.