Crocuses are poking up, and daffodils are finally showing their sunny faces. Ah, spring! Welcome back!

Here at Ped, we love watching the steady rise of the mercury day after day. And nothing feels better than unsheathing our sock-bound feet and letting them take in the air! Needless to say, we’ve got all kinds of stylish ways to do just that—sandals and shoes that will carry you from the early days of spring right on through the sultry days of summer.

Here are just a few breezy ideas to get you started.

We realize  some of you may not be quite ready to bust out the sandals, and we know many Ped fans are loathe to leave behind your edgy oxfords. Happily, Argila has just the in-between thing:

Meet the Sophia! What a yummy treat: an oxford made from wonderfully soft leather that features air-conditioning right where it counts! As always, Argila adds exactly the right accents, like the fold-down lip at the back and the hand-cut wooden heel. Delicious!

Another laced lovely from Argila is the Riley, which lets your toes wiggle in the sun in the most stylish way!

In addition to the more obvious design notes that make this wooden-heeled sandal sing, the subtle rust topstitching on the toe straps is stellar against the cement-gray leather!

Coclico also has a winning wooden-heeled sandal that’s so sinfully hot they’ve called it the Lucifer:

Whoa! Don’t be surprised when people in your immediate vicinity start mopping their brows because this statuesque sandal is sizzling! Take a second to admire the ingenuity of the design. The t-strap ducks under three narrow straps arcing over the toe, before joining with several more parallel straps at the ankle. Now you’re cooking with gas!

Coclico has all kinds of ways of giving you a lift! One of our personal favorites at Ped is the new Whoo!

Standing on a lightweight cork platform, this easy suede slide is just the thing for kicking up your heels on a spring day! We are crazy about the airy cutouts and the to-die-for red brick color!

Did you perk up when we mentioned color? If so, then you are going to love what Couple Of is bringing to the table this season!

Does this sweet slip-on look familiar? It’s because it’s the heel-less version of Couple Of’s popular Lily, and, in fact, is called the Lily Flat! What could be fresher than skipping around town in a grass-green ballet flat?

But if your toes are begging for full exposure to the fresh air, then bask in the beauty of the sunniest sandal in the Ped warehouse, Couple Of’s Paspas:

What an instant pick-me-up! The design is ingeniously edgy, with the straps coming together into an architectural ridge that moves sinuously down the front of this comfortable flat. By the way, the Paspas also comes in black!

And if it’s edge you’re after, then look no further than Couple Of’s Zebra:

It’s a gladiator sandal gone wild in the best possible way! Zebra-like cut-outs and slits accent the supple black leather exterior of this knockout, which is lined in cream-colored leather. When you step out in the Zebra, you’ll be the envy of shoe-lovers everywhere you walk.

Is your interest piqued? Then click over to Ped’s main site to see the full range of new designs from Argila, Coclico, and Couple Of, all guaranteed to heat up your style for the hot days ahead!

(Psst, if you haven’t discovered it already, the “sweet treat” this week is Cydwoq’s excellent Smile Mary Jane! Cheer up your tired tootsies for 20% off by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page, which will whisk you to the Smile, along with the discount code that will garner 20% off when entered at checkout!)
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Here’s something that makes everyone at Ped HQ smile: boxes of new Chie MIhara styles arriving on our doorstep from Spain! We have such a good time admiring each design as we unpack Chie’s latest! After all, Chie Mihara exemplifies everything we love at Ped: a unique design sense, meticulous craftsmanship, and comfort without compromise.

Let us tantalize you with a taste of what Chie’s whipped up for the upcoming warm weather!

We know it’s still winter where many of you live, so we’ll start with a number you can wear right now—and keep wearing right through spring and summer: Chie’s Lorensa.

Honestly, this heeled oxford is in a class by itself! As usual, Chie gets the details just right, from the parallel lines of sinuous topstitching to the perforated leather that lets your tootsies breathe when the weather heats up.

Another new design that features beautiful topstitching and leatherwork is the Fideua:

The woven leather over the toe, contrasting stitching, and lacing are rather unusual ingredients to combine, but what a tasty dish they make! Plus, we love the navy blue color!

Chie is always so good with selecting the perfect hues! Our favorite style for sheer cheerfulness is the sunny-day Yoisho:

What a great shade of yellow, and it works so well with the 1970s’ retro vibe of this sandal. Buckling up the Yoisho will give you both a physical and an emotional boost!

Speaking of buckles, we decided to bring back the smoking-hot Bankok, one of the sexiest styles Chie’s ever designed:

The Bankok is the very definition of “knockout”! When you strap on this badass beauty, you may want to carry a pocket fan to revive the people who can’t take the heat of your sizzling sauciness!

But maybe you prefer to go more girly with your flirtatious style. If so, join us in sighing over Chie’s Osmo:

In a word: DEVASTATING! It simply doesn’t get any more glamorous than this rosette-embellished, red suede t-strap! In the Rojo, you’re guaranteed to set hearts afire!

Some gals can pull off the Osmo on a daily basis, but if you want something a little more subdued for everyday wear, check out the Chie Mihara Oyko:

We love the richness of the whiskey-colored suede combined with the rich brown leather—so sophisticated. This gorgeous sandal is perfect for going from day wear to date wear!

Delicious, eh? And there are even more Chie Mihara styles to feast upon at Ped’s main site. But before you click over, watch this video to learn a little more about  Chie’s philosophy and design process. We promise it will make you even happier to have her shoes on your feet!

(By the way, the “sweet treat” this week is Trippen’s fringed and fun Country Bootie. Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to reach the Country with the magic discount code that instantly takes 20% off at checkout!)

Your friends at Ped wish you and your loved ones joy and peace through the Holidays and into the New Year!!!!!! CELEBRATE!

(And just in case you missed it, through December 25, use code “Twinkle 10″ at checkout to receive 20% off any full-price item.)

Ped fans, remember back in October when there was a lapse in blog posts? Well, part of the reason was that after shopping for Ped at the European shoe shows, Terry and I met in Barcelona, Spain, to celebrate our anniversary (and my birthday). Although we were only there for four days, we had the most romantic and wonderful time!

Our home base for our stay was the modern Hotel Claris, which is located right in the heart of the city and boasts a fabulous rooftop deck! (It even allows small dogs.)

Terry and I (over on the left) relaxing on the Hotel Claris's rooftop deck!

To get ourselves acclimated, we took a Barcelona City Bus Tour the first day. A two-day pass lets you jump on and off wherever you like. For us, that meant visiting places designed by that Catalan visionary of modernism, Antoni Gaudi, with whom I am obsessed!

One of the most spectacular stops was the Sagrada Familia, the elaborate Roman Catholic cathedral that Gaudi began building in 1882 and worked on until his death. (He’s buried in its crypt.) Still under construction, this awe-inspiring church is scheduled to be finished in 2026.

Terry shot this cool photo of the Sagrada Familia (note the ongoing construction) in a motorcycle mirror. The interior resembles a forest!

Other Gaudi destinations included the Casa Batilo and the Park Guell, my favorite, which includes Gaudi’s home (although the line was too long to go inside—if you’re going to go Gaudi sightseeing, go early). We loved it so much we named one of our favorite Vialis boots after the Park Guell!

I'm listening to an audio tour of the Casa Batilo, which has an interior inspired by the sea and an exterior that looks like leaves and bones. On the right is one of the many fantastical mosaic-covered sculptures in the Park Guell.

Everywhere you look in Barcelona, there is something amazing to see!

The guy on the left was performing a show with Beatles marionettes! On the right, I could not resist trying this random beautiful bench!

As Ped fans know, Terry and I revel in good food, and Barcelona did not disappoint! We had fabulous seafood at the tiny Bar MUT, delicious tapas at Tapas 24, and wonderful espresso at Il Caffe di Francesco. We also snacked at Mercat de Santa Caterina, a great market for meats and cheeses, and we ate paella on our last day at Cal Pinxo on La Barceloneta, Barcelona’s seafront promenade.

On the left, Terry beams over the best paella EVER on our last day. On the upper right, we enjoy some jamon at the Mercat de Santa Caterina, and on the lower right, Terry smiles over anchovies!

Of course, no trip is complete without doing one of the things I do best: shopping!!! We found all kinds of interesting stores, ranging from the original Vialis boutique to Vincon, which is a modern home store that’s kind of like IKEA but cooler, to Almacen Marabi, a wonderful shop full of felt toys. We also stopped by Nu Subates, our friend Roger’s all-Cydwoq store!

Standing in the doorway of Barcelona's all-Cydwoq store, Nu Sabates.

(Note the men’s Classic Oxford in the Nu Subates’ window—Ped just got this style for women!)

Our four days in Barcelona flew by! We’re sure to go back, though, because we fell head over heels for the food and culture (and, of course, Gaudi)—what a way to celebrate love!

"Buenos Dias!" with a smile from Park Guell!

As you Ped fans know, we’re always on the lookout for new shoes and treasures to add to the Ped family. But our standards are almost impossibly high. Our checklist includes ethical and environmentally responsible production, exquisite craftsmanship (preferably by hand), first-rate materials, unusual design, style for miles, and comfort!

Which is why we are beside ourselves with joy to welcome Vialis into the Ped house!

Founded in Barcelona in 1996, Vialis (pronounced Vee-alis) quickly became known throughout Europe for beautifully made shoes designed to meet the demands of modern stylish women. Vialis’s shoe salons in Spain and France became shopping destinations, and in 2004, the company introduced their shoes to the global market. Opening eyes with unmistakable Spanish flair, every Vialis style is constructed from carefully selected leathers and other materials, meticulously put together by hand to create a show that feels just as spectacular as it looks!

Take a gander and you’ll see why we’re wowed!

Since our previous blog post was all about oxfords, let’s start with Vialis’s unconventional take on the classic:

Wow! The Mila shoe is simply the coolest thing going! So urban and edgy, its design suggests an oxford but foregoes the laces. You can tell how supple the leather is simply by looking at the picture (it’s that buttery)!

Moving on to our other must-have style of the season, Vialis puts an equally interesting spin on the ankle boot. First up, the Rambla:

So many things to like: the wooden heel, the exposed nail heads so perfectly placed, the folded-over cuff, and the double-D ring brass buckle in back (which you don’t even have to undo because Vialis has cleverly hidden elastic inserts to let you slip in and out of this bootie in a flash)! Color us enamored!

Perhaps your black bootie quota is filled, and you’re looking for a brown number instead. Then drink in the Guell:

Of course, we love the hand-cut wooden heel, but our favorite design element is the double-layer cuff /collar of this lace-up beauty. You have the option of wearing it down and letting the interior suede show or wearing it up, so it curves around the back of your ankle just so. Either way, people are going to want to steal the boots off your feet! (Don’t fall asleep on the train.)

Perhaps you’ve noticed at Ped HQ we’ve recently developed a thing for blue leather. We can’t get enough, and Vialis is happy to fuel our new passion with the Marcella bootie:

The acme of chicness! The combination of seaming and grosgrain piping gives this minimal boot maximal style! And, needless to say, the blue color is to die for.

Taking things a little taller, Vialis has created one of our favorite mid-calf boots ever:

The way Vialis combines a rich brown leather front with a caramel suede back in the Barceloneta Boot is so eye-opening! Ped’s Laura is beside herself with love for this wood-heeled beauty!

But we’ve saved Vialis’s most innovative design for last! Behold the totally rockin’ Fontana Boot:

Sure, it’s a gorgeous boot that’s ideal for chilly days with a faux shearling-lined suede shaft, but you can whip that off by unsnapping it from the bottom and wear the stylish clog-like shoe on its own! In a word, FABULOUS!!!! We love, we love.

The Spaniards certainly know a thing or two about making artistic shoes that are wonderfully feminine and utterly wearable (witness our other Spanish lines, Argila and Chie Mihara), but Vialis has put its distinctive stamp on Spanish style. We’re thrilled to add their winning personality to the Ped lineup!