Mens Socks: The Ultimate Fashion Accessory

Men’s socks have walked through history almost under the radar when it comes to fashion. A necessary article of clothing that was more about comfort and necessity than style and character. However, Those days are long gone as socks are the latest fashion battleground on the catwalk and they are making a splash in more ways than one.

Socks have gone from dowdy and boring where they were almost a ‘groan-worthy’ Christmas present to a position of importance when it comes to completing an outfit and showcasing your style and personality.

THE TOP BRANDS LEAD THE SOCK REVOLUTION

All the major brands have come to love and appreciate the way men’s socks can add a little accent of colour, pattern and texture to any outfit whether casual, smart casual, business, business professional or for cocktail attire. Men’s socks have pulled themselves up into fashion royalty, and they are not here to be part of the party, they are looking to steal the show!

Manufacturing of men’s socks has come a long way since we first started using plant material and animal skins to protect our feet. With a multitude of different materials, styles and lengths available to fashion designers, the floodgates have opened for men’s socks. Men’s socks are manufactured in cotton, bamboo, modal, Merino wool, Viscose Rayon, Polyester, Nylon, Acrylic, Polypropylene, Tencel, spandex, and the list continues to grow as technology improves. But let’s take two of the materials and compare the benefits.

Men’s Merino Wool socks versus Bamboo socks

The many natural benefits of merino wool – its moisture-wicking, insulating, temperature-regulating, odour-resistant, breathable and elastic qualities – provide exceptional comfort and protection in the outdoors. Due to fine fibres, it takes twice much wool to do a merino blanket of the equivalent weight using if using the standard / conventional wool. Flock sizes have to be really big to meet the demand. This is the cost of super soft and its wonderful properties. Regular wool is a material fibre that is extracted from the hide of hairy animals such as s sheep and goats while merino wool is a material fibre acquired particularly from Merino sheep. … In particular, it is gentler and better than regular wool. It is more adaptable and less elastic than regular wool.

Bamboo gives you a softer and more luxurious experience. Moreover, bacteria don’t like to live and grow in bamboo fibre which makes our bamboo socks naturally antibacterial. It also absorbs moisture from the skin, keeping your feet drier and eliminating foot odour. Bamboo is much smoother than cotton, and feels more like high-quality silk or cashmere, making them very comfortable to wear. Bamboo has incredible moisture-wicking capabilities, being able to keep feet dry even if there is excess sweat. Bamboo socks are also very absorbent, due to the micro-gaps in the bamboo fibre.

Mix & Match

Along with being an attention-grabbing article of clothing themselves, men’s socks can also be used as a complementary capacity as well. They serve as a garnish to the perfect entree, the lemon wedge or olive on a skewer in your cocktail. Imagine you have a watch you want to show off, and the face is a distinct colour. If you have a pair of socks that match the colour from the watch, you immediately draw attention to both articles of clothing without one taking away from the other. You don’t have things fighting for attention but rather they are working harder together to create a look that feels polished and balanced. It is the salt and pepper on the rest of your outfit and people notice these touches more than you would be aware.

The reality of men’s sock status!

Men and women’s sock choices have exploded over the last few years and when reality TV family royalty the Kardashians are getting in on the act you know they have reached the point of no return. Rob Kardashian, brother of Kim, Kourtney and Khloe, launched on the reality show that he was launching a sock brand called Arthur George the Twittersphere nearly exploded with sock metaphors and questions about the sock industry.

Put your best foot forward

In the past, people have tried to match their men’s socks with their shoes and this is a fashion fail because it doesn’t help the shoes or the socks but rather gives you an unnecessary sock shoe boot combination. Think more of matching your socks to your belt, tie or as we mentioned a watch face. Maybe the pocket square is enough colour on a suit to bring the socks to the forefront of what might have been a standard blue or black suit. You look great but those accents are what take your fashion barometer to the heights where you are the talk of the event.

Men’s socks are a great way to showcase your personality and no, we are not talking about novelty socks. We are talking about men’s socks that are bright colours, elegant patterns and some additional texture to any outfit. In a crowd of men all wearing suits and ties a beautiful accessory like choosing the right socks could elevate you from the rest.

In fashion, statement socks have been big for a few years. In 2017, kicked off by the Vetements’ socks with the DHL logo T-shirt, they became “the most loaded accessory of the year”, according to the GQ columnist Justin Myers. Prada played with pulling socks up to men’s knees and, thanks to logomania, socks have become a more affordable way for fashion fans to conspicuously buy into their favourite designer labels.

What kind of socks should I be wearing now?

What kind of socks would you like to wear? Given the proliferation of styles, there is a good sock option for everyone. According to the stylist Bemi Shaw, you can never go wrong with a sports sock. “They add a bit of edge to a basic outfit and make streetwear look more authentic.”

A Matisse-bright pair, which you’ll find at Arket, is an easy way to elevate a thrown-on outfit. At John Lewis, according to Elena Bergonzi, a fashion accessories buyer, classic sports socks are proving popular, “but also glitter and animal prints for the fashion-forward customer”.

Should I wear my socks pulled up?

Really? Why would anyone want slouchy, bunched up socks? Men’s socks come in so many different lengths that you should be able to find the length that suits your look and feels comfortable for you. Men’s socks start from mini toe covers all the way up to just under the knee. Prada, in particular, seems to be a huge fan of the high pulled tight sock look with shorts for both men and women but if you are not ready for that leap into high fashion territory you can still bring some designer look for a very little cost. Sure, the high fashion brands are expensive but you need to judge the materials they use as well as the styles.

Ankle socks are often confused with no-show socks but they are quite different. No-shows sit below the ankle and are meant to be hidden. Ankle socks sit on or slightly above the ankle and protect your heels and ankles from chafing.

Ankle socks are not fashion accessories. This means that wearing them should be limited to the gym or other physical activities, like moving a friend out of a 4th-floor apartment — or running as fast as you can away from any friend moving out of a 4th-floor apartment.

Men’s Mid-calf socks are the socks that should be filling up your sock drawer — they’re the workhorse of the modern man’s sock supply. The mid-calf style is perfect with sneakers, loafers, dress shoes, boots and everything in between. Plus they can be found in just about any colour, pattern, thickness or material you can dream of.

Try Adding Texture or Ribbing

Just because you’re wearing conventional solid socks doesn’t mean you’re left without options. For something with a bit more interest, experiment with texture. Ribbed socks are available in almost every neutral colour imaginable and the seams add subtle visual interest.

Wear No-Shows with Discretion

Beware of bearing ankle in any formal environment — many conservative types consider no-show socks to be in poor taste, especially with suits. If you love making those types of people uncomfortable, more power to you.

Try Bold Solids

Use solid or colour-blocked socks to add a sense of sartorial know-how to your look. Bold toned socks are the easiest way to dip your toe into thoughtful accessorising.

Stripes, Dots & Argyle

The next safe bet after coloured solids are stripes, polka dots or argyle. The three of these sock patterns are timeless and make for easy matching.

Coordinate Your Colours

When it comes to the question of colour, we suggest that you mirror your sock colour with another colour that you’re wearing above the waistline. This colour continuity ties your outfit together. If however, you’re already great at colour coordination, do as you like. At the end of the day, if it looks good, it looks good.

Avoid Pattern Matching

Avoid matching the pattern of your socks with a pattern that already exists in your look. If you’re wearing a polka dot shirt, avoid dotted men’s socks. If you’re rocking an argyle sweater, avoid argyle socks. Matching pattern on pattern can look a little too deliberate — and not in a good way.

Going Bold School

Novelty socks are not everyone’s cup of tea but when done right, this is the just about the most fun you can have with fashion. These kinds of men’s socks range from boldly tasteful to just plain tasteless, so step with caution.

Cuff or Crop Your Pants

If you really love your novelty socks, don’t hide them from the world. Try cuffing your pants or having them tailored with no break (or even cropped) in order to put your socks on display.

Let Your Socks Be the Star

We’re big proponents of socks that show off your personality. But if you decide to rock a novelty pair, consider toning down the other aspects of your ensemble. The more toned down the rest of your outfit is, the more striking your socks will be in comparison.

Keep Your Sock Drawer Organised

The more organised you keep your sock drawer, the more likely you are to find the right pair for the right outfit. Instead of folding them inside out, try folding your socks and stacking them in a row horizontally. This will give you a great idea of what socks you’ve got at any moment.

Sock It to ‘Em

Whichever way you decide to sock up, make your choices premeditated and deliberate. At this point, there’s no good excuse for a threadbare sock drawer.