Socks make a statement. What do your socks say about you?
First things first; what are the different types of socks? There are dress socks, athletic socks, protective socks, kilt socks, and more. Dress socks may be worn with dress cloths, suits, or even casual attire. Athletic sock can be worn with boots, sneakers, or more and are saved for casual and athletic attire. Kilt socks are for kilts and protective socks are the thicker socks, such as the warm wool socks worn with boots in the winter.
Socks are made from a variety of materials. Wool, cashmere, silk, and cotton are some of the more common. All of these may be blended with bamboo, spandex, linen, nylon, or more for better durability, elasticity, comfort, and performance. Wool is often blended with synthetic materials, yet is still the most common for hiking and cold weather socks as wool breaths well and keeps feet warm. Cotton is the most common and may be found is casual and dress socks. For the best dress sock, for suits and such, silk or cashmere are the way to go. They are light weight and may be blended with wool for better breathability.
Some say socks are optional, but for the dapper gentleman they are not. The only exception would be sandals. Never wear socks with sandals, gentlemen. Just don’t do it.
Style Tips
What are the rules on socks? The first would be, throw the white socks away. One only need a few pairs for athletics, but really ankle socks are preferred with sneakers.That said, the majority of socks a man owns does not have to be dress socks. If a gentleman own boots, he should invest in the appropriate length boot socks, but they should not be white. Wear the correct type of socks for the attire. Lightweight, knee high, silk dress sock for white or black tie, for example. A more casual look, wool argyle socks will work. The majority of socks a man owns does not have to be dress socks.
Just remember, a gentleman should keep in mind why he wears socks. They are not just to make one’s shoes more comfortable or keep feet warm. Socks are also there to hide hairy legs! A gentleman is sure that his legs cannot be seen when sitting down.
The next rule notes matching them to the rest of the attire. Do not be mislead, the color of of the socks matters. Don’t match socks to the shoes. The key is; shoes to belt, socks to pants. However, dress socks do not have to be solid or black or brown. If one does not wish to wear socks that match the pants, match them to the tie, or pocket square (remember, the tie and pocket square should not be identical). This also works when picking a tie. If a tie doesn’t go perfectly with the suit, the socks can fix that. These do not have to be a perfect match, but they should fit well together.
One’s socks should be clean, match and free from holes. This is a rather simple rule, but forgotten at times for stylistic fads. If there is a toe showing, hem or replace that pair of socks. One may patch socks, but only the parts not visible – hidden from view inside the shoe. Just be careful that the best socks are worn at anytime shoes will be removed in public. If someone has new carpet, expect a shoe-less visit.
Final thought:
Socks are the only thing one has to express himself in a suit, so keep that in mind when buying socks. A man’s socks will tell people something about him. A gentleman allows his socks show his personality. Just make sure the socks worn are as formal as the rest of the attire.