Let’s face it, Ped fans, wearing heels can give you a boost beyond just a few inches in height. Heels are authoritative and at the same time feminine and glamorous. Plus, they make a gal’s gams look fantastic! “Sure,” you say, “but who wants to teeter with every step when our lives demand we go, go, go?”

Enter the wedge! Solving the problem of comfort and balance, while still maintaining the advantage of wearing a heel, the wedge is the answer when you want your style to stand out and stand up. And do we ever have wedges that wow this season! Take a gander:

We all agree the French know a thing or two about looking chic, so, of course, Accessoire’s wedges are magnifique!, like this Papaye:

How stunning is this sexy peep-toe? How luscious is that tulip pink? Every time we look at the Papaye, we fall in love all over again! (And for those of you who insist on black, Ped also has the Papaye in your favorite color.)

Another winning wedge from Accessoire, the Nairobi, has a lower profile, but is no less beautiful:

If you’re looking for one sandal to do it all— walk the dog, attend a meeting, go out to dinner, and jet off for a weekend in Madrid— the Nairobi is up to the challenge! And your feet will thank you because they’ll be sooooo comfortable!

Speaking of Spain, both Argila and Chie Mihara, our favorite Spanish designers, have lovely wedges in Ped’s lineup. First up, Argila’s Eliana:

This go-with-everything wedge is back by popular demand, and it’s just as fresh and sexy as ever! We love the buckled wrap at the ankle, which is so of the moment!

As only she can, Chie Mihara brings rich color and femininity together in one glorious wedge she calls the Ruala:

Illustrating how less is more, this sandal’s minimal design is dazzling! Plus, the marine blue hue is so deep and delicious you’ll practically want to dive into it!

You say you want a funkier edge to your wedge? Then Ellen Verbeek’s Elka is right up your alley!

We are down for the count when it comes to this beautifully made shoe!!! Inspired by a bowling shoe, this lace-up peep-toe is striking! (Okay, yes, that was a bad pun—but a bad pun about a gorgeous sandal!) And Elka’s edgy wedge is wooden!

Of course, if it’s urban artiness you’re after, Trippen has just the ticket in the Airy!

The design is deceptively simple, but the bold cut of the straps and studding over the ankle make this sandal super hip and modern! Trippen’s t-shaped wedge sole, however, is what will win your comfort-loving devotion.

And there are lots more wedges to help you step up your style over at Ped’s main site! Slip one on and find out what it means to be well-heeled!

(By the way, this week’s Sweet Treat is also funk-a-licious: Couple Of’s cutting-edge Zebra sandal! Click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to land at the Zebra, with the discount code that will bring 20% off at checkout. You’re guaranteed to be all the buzz!)

Tweet

Everyone knows how crazy we are for all things Cydwoq! But, honestly, Rafi and Ari—the father and son team responsible for Cydwoq’s ultra-cool designs—have really outdone themselves for 2011. A smorgasbord of new warm-weather styles just arrived in the Ped warehouse, and Cydwoq has served up something for everyone from strappy heels for the girly girls to run-around-town flats for the tomboys at heart.

Here’s a taste to whet your appetite and encourage you to think spring (or, if you’re lucky, mid-winter vacation)!

One area where Cydwoq excels is in creating practical walking shoes that still turn every head with their unusual style! Case in point, the new Sabates:

Too cool!!! But cutting edge funkiness is not the end of the story because these artistic shoes are also easy to wear. Simply slide your foot into the welcoming interior—no buckles, zippers, or even elastic to fiddle with!

Another great runabout style is Cydwoq’s Penalty, which is our pick for the first thing to pack if you’re heading somewhere warm.

You can cruise through sightseeing, shopping, and sipping a cocktail at the end of the day, looking terrific whatever the venue. And thanks to Cydwoq’s famous construction, you may be tired, but your feet will be blister-free and ready to go again tomorrow.

But maybe you’re looking for a wearable heel to go to the office (without sacrificing any snazz). Then breathe in the Vapour!

Everyone at Ped is smitten with the Vapour’s off-center t-strap. Plus the red color is simply delicious. (I ask you who doesn’t love a red shoe?)

And if you enjoy a sassy buckle-and-heel combo, then Cydwoq’s new Possession has your name on it!

Just like A.S. Byatt’s novel of the same name, this beautiful heel embodies both a 19th century romanticism and an utterly modern attitude. For lovers of the steampunk aesthetic, the Possession is a retro-futuristic dream come true!

Another thing we admire about Cydwoq is how their designs often bring artsy and organic together into a harmonious whole.

The new Buds sandal is earthy and urban all at once. We love the way rivets connect the leather leaves, but we confess this sandal had us at green (our favorite)!

For sheer impact, though, we recommend lacing up Cydwoq’s new Expo!

Kapow! This sandal’s rustic yet clean-lined design takes the gladiator sandal a step ahead, out of the arena and onto the runway! Super chic—imagine how terrific the Expo will look with a floaty summer dress! A perfect exercise in contrasts!

The above bevy of beauties is just a glimpse of the panorama of Cydwoq styles awaiting you at Ped’s main site! You’ll love the view—but Cydwoq’s hand-crafted comfort is what will win your heart!

(Have you seen this week’s “sweet treat”? It’s Trippen’s over-the-knee Nox Boot! Whether you pull it high or cuff it and scrunch, the Nox is the perfect tall, dark, and lovely boot you’ve been hoping to find. Just click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to be transported to the Nox, where you’ll find the magic code that will bring a cool 20% off  when entered in the box at checkout!)

The Tale of the Sole that won our hearts this past month came to us via Michele K., the appreciative friend of the winner, longtime Ped customer, Jenny P. It’s such a sweet story, so we’ll turn it over to Michelle:

I want to tell a tale about my really dear friend, Jenny.  Jenny and I met online; we’ve actually never met in real life. I’m in New Jersey, and she is in Portland, Oregon, but we talk everyday through e-mail or on the phone.  She has been so kind in sharing some of her Ped shoes with me—we send shoes and jewelry back and forth across the country! She has let me try and even given me her Trippen Fence and Skylla boots. I’ve also had the pleasure of trying out her Fiorentini and Baker boots, such as the Eternity and Emma, so I could figure out my size.

The generous and lovely Jenny P in her Fiorentini + Baker Emma boots.

She even sent me her Jamie Joseph Chrysoprase Teardrop Locket to wear for Thanksgiving!  (I told her not to, but she sent it anyway.) She is so generous and just an awesome person, who puts the care of her husband and children before herself.  She never says, “I can’t do this,” or “It’s hard for me”— she just does. I strive to be like her and embody the outstanding qualities she has.

Jenny P's feet looking sassy in one of her latest Ped purchases, the Cydwoq Vintage Micron. (Perhaps they'll soon visit Michelle?)

What a great testimony to fantastic friend! How fun to have a deep bond reinforced by the exchange of shoes and jewelry! In appreciation of Jenny P’s generosity, we’re sending her $100 Ped gift certificate! She makes us grin from ear to ear!

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, the “Sweet Treat” this week is super delicious: Fiorentini + Baker’s Eliza Oxford!!!! Get 20% off this drool-worthy classic by clicking “be sweet to your feet” in the top right corner of any Ped page, which will magically take you to the Eliza Oxford, where you will find the discount code! Lace it up Italian style!)

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!

As I mentioned in my last post, my favorite new look—so hot in Europe right now—is oxfords worn without socks and paired with either cropped pants or skirts! Simultaneously chic and casual! Of course, for lots of you the temperature is dropping, so you can always add funky tights or cozy socks to keep your ankles warm. The key ingredient is the oxford!

Happily, Ped’s designers have come up with endless variations on the classic menswear lace-up! Whether you like yours heeled or flat, embellished or plain, Ped is sure to have an oxford that’s right up your alley. Here are a few of our favorites this season.

The newest oxford in the Ped warehouse is Accessoire’s cutting-edge and comfortable Martial Oxford:

We love everything about this shoe from the inky blue color of the super-soft suede to the easy-going wedge sole (all the height and none of the hurt) to the subtle seaming over the toe and heel! The French always know how to turn a head.

Another especially arty oxford is Couple Of’s Shelly Oxford:

Now this is how to do black without getting boring! Couple Of excels at meticulously constructing a shoe with just the right details to take it out of the ordinary and into funky town! Cutting the outsole so it arcs over the toe and dips down behind the stacked-leather heel is pure design genius!

Of course, if you’re looking for a flat, no-nonsense oxford, there are still ways of doing that with style and flair. Presented for your approval, Fiorentini + Baker’s Eliza Oxford:

Although its design is straightforward, there’s something about this F+B classic that takes our breath away. Plus, we just received a shipment in our new favorite Rabbit Grey color (and it also comes in luscious Marine Blue).

You say like the simplicity, but you also appreciate a heel? Then Coclico’s got your number with the Bathan Oxford:

Between the fabulous chunky wooden heel, the sinuous curves and topstitching of the design, and the grey anthracite suede, there is just so much to like about this shoe! Just think of how many outfits it would enhance! (And, psst, it’s just about to become this week’s “sweet treat,” starting tomorrow, October 19! Be sure to click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of any Ped page to get to the Bathan with the magic discount code that will enable you to get 20% off at checkout.)

Another great heeled number is Argila’s rocking Lucie Oxford:

The caramel color is so rich! But this beauty also comes in black for you noir fans! Such a wonderful way to turn up the heat with the sexy schoolgirl look!

Although we think all of the above offer a feminine twist on the menswear look, we know some of you Ped fans like things a little frillier. As always, Chie Mihara is the BFF of girly girls around the world. With her Loti, you can have your oxford and ruffles, too!

And, needless to say, the royal blue leather is to die for!

The “o” in oxford has zero to do with being old-fashioned and everything to do with being on the cutting edge (au courant, if you will)! So, lace up and step out!