Wonderful Ped customer Patrice is so smitten with her Trippen Casanova that she confesses she rarely spends a day without “him.” Although she’s had many adventures with her Casanova, she recently wrote to tell us about a visit to the Seattle Art Museum:

Being of Spanish (Catalan) descent, when the Picasso (a Catalan) exhibit arrived at the SAM, we were ecstatic! My mom (the Catalan) actually scheduled her trip to Seattle so that she could see the show. As an artist myself, I’m often fascinated with the person behind the art. So, as we wandered through the crowded but luminous exhibit, I found myself gravitating to a hall where Picasso’s old black and white photos stood by themselves, revealing a small window into his personal life. In one particular photo, he stood proudly in front of his many canvases stacked carelessly against a wall, wearing his trademark striped boatneck fisherman’s shirt and short pants. As I got closer to examine every detail, my husband pointed to Picasso’s slipper shoes and said: “His shoes look almost like yours!”

I was wearing my Casanovas – which is fitting since Picasso himself was considered quite the Casanova!!

Patrice out for a stroll in her Trippen Casanova!

I don’t mind in the least that my shoes are reminiscent of an extraordinary male artist. It made me love them (and him) all the more. For me, I find romance in these shoes, hence my adoration—so befitting of the name.

Wonder if Picasso's shoes were as comfortable and loved as Patrice's Casanova?

Thanks, Patrice! We’re thrilled when Ped’s “works of art” go out and about in the art world! For letting us imagine Picasso wearing a pair of Trippen shoes, we’re delighted to give Patrice $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.

(By the way, there’s no Sweet Treat this week because we’re celebrating PED’S 18TH BIRTHDAY!!! Whoop it up with us by getting 20% off ANY full-price item when you enter “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” at checkout from October 19-24! PARTY ON, PED FANS!)

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!)

Now this is the kind of Tale of the Sole we LOVE! Not only do we get to hear about the adventures of Ped items after they’ve left the warehouse, but we also get to enjoy a vicarious trip to Greece, all thanks to Vicky E. Here’s what she wrote:

I am sending this email to tell you about where my Cydwoq shoes from Ped took me this summer: Greece! Yes, I spent a week basking in the sun and walking, walking, walking on the island of Santorini and then a few more days exploring the contrast between modern and ancient in Athens.

Vicky shows off her Cydwoq Bare sandals for the ladies of the Erechtheum!

I enjoyed some delicious Greek foods and brought back some beautiful jewelry and textiles to accessorize outfits that can only be complete with a pair of Ped shoes. (I am building a beautiful collection of mostly Cydwoq shoes, all purchased from your amazing online boutique; every pair that arrives at my doorstep, once I slip my feet into them, feel as if I were born in them, thanks to their genius construction as well as to the perfect-fit assistance from Dayna when I call Ped.)

Vicky walks up not quite all the 200 steps at Armoud in her Cydwoq Thong sandals.

I traveled with Cydwoq’s Bare in red (purchased last summer) and Thong in black sparkle (purchased especially for this trip). Both kept me well-heeled traversing both urban and island-scapes and while on the town in the evenings, as well as along the ocean, beaching it, sailing it, or relaxing it portside.

Vicky "relaxing it portside" in her Cydwoq Thong sandals!

I spend most of my year as a high school English teacher, so taking a trip like this was part of venturing to cross off things from my bucket list. I enjoyed my trip so much that I might just plan another one in a summer or two. What was so cool about my Cydwoqs was that I could wear them anywhere for any situation, AND they packed slim and light. The only other footwear I relied on was my bare feet.

Vicky puts up her feet at the Parthenon! (How cute are her tootsies in those Cydwoq Bare sandals?)

Thanks for keeping me well shod!

You are welcome, Vicky! THANK YOU for sharing your fantastic trip with us!

As a token of our appreciation for giving us a Greek break in the middle of the day, we’re sending Vicky a $100 Ped gift certificate! We can practically feel the Greek sun on our smiling faces.

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.

(By sheer coincidence, this week’s Sweet Treat is Cydwoq’s Thong sandal!!! You, too, can look and feel as terrific as Vicky did on her trip! Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page, and it will transport you to the Thong with the magic discount code that will bring 20% off when entered in the box at checkout!)

For the longest time, pointy toes, high heels, and frou-frou dominated the catwalk. Girly girls rejoiced, but the rest of us said, “So fussy…” and “Ow!” Happily, the pendulum is now swinging the other way—the classic oxford is the coolest shoe going (this year worn laceless if you’re on the cutting-edge), and a clear masculine influence is everywhere on the runway.

But the new menswear-inspired shoes go beyond just tomboy appeal—these designs are devoted to modern women who need to go, go, go but who want to look stylish getting from here to there. Here are a few of Ped’s latest ways to do just that:

Chie Mihara always excels at putting a feminine and modern spin on classic styles. Case in point: the Darrer, Chie’s contribution to the laceless look:

So fun and super chic! The boys may have inspired the oxford, but the metallic leather and heel are just for us gals! Think how great this laceless beauty would look with a pencil skirt!

We are always begging Rafi and Ari at Cydwoq to rework some of their men’s designs for women. When they indulge us, the results are predictably fantastic, as demonstrated by the Date:

I couldn’t resist this one and got it for myself! I’ve hardly taken it off since i first laced it up! I’m a skirt-wearing kind of gal, and the Date is so flirty with my knee-length, A-line numbers!

Meanwhile, Ped’s Laura has a big crush on the Cydwoq Collect:

What a fantastic shoe! The woven brown leather is eye-opening and will have everyone talking! And the western-style buckle provides the perfect accent, as well as a custom fit.

Speaking of fun details, take a look at Cydwoq’s new Legal:

J’adore! This knockout flat calls to mind a classic golf shoe, with its smashing front flap punctuated by a central rivet. But the Legal is so much cooler than anything that’s ever hit the links and features “aging” grey leather that darkens with wear.

Cydwoq also uses “aging” grey leather in the Recent, which offers a hep-cat take on the interplay of masculine and feminine:

We love the fluid insets on the heel and toe. Plus, this loafer-like flat is a cinch to slip on and off, thanks to the artistic elastic lacing!

It’s not only shoes that are benefitting from putting a little male in the mix—check out the fabulous Deform ankle boot from Cydwoq:

When you buckle up this bootie, you are instantly going to become the object of envy for everyone who sees you! Definitely badass in the best kind of way!

We love all the different ways the above designs put an infusion of femme into traditionally male shoes, but if you simply want a timeless oxford, Fiorentini + Baker’s Eliza is the straight-up, gold standard:

So gorgeous. So comfortable. So beautifully made! And it looks GREAT with everything!

Sure, menswear is the inspiration for this new crop of wonderful shoes, but it’s the feminine twist that makes them must-haves! Classic sophistication was never so much fun—or such a treat to wear!

(By the way, this week’s Sweet Treat is Trippen’s incredibly comfortable  Sioux. Simply click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of an Ped page to land at the Sioux with the discount code that will bring 20% off at checkout!)

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!