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The new rules of socks: novelty ones are out – but yes you can wear them with sandals
You may have noticed that print socks aren’t what they used to be. Think back: for a long time socks were just something you used to cover your feet. Possibly black, probably ankle-height and definitely an afterthought. Socks are now an important part of your outfit at the least, the making of an outfit at most.
Socks have become an area of diplomacy and woke-signalling – the Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau is perhaps the biggest name to use socks in this way, choosing pointedly themed ones for public occasions. Or a telling insight into a political mind: Boris Johnson was criticised recently for not washing his lucky unisex socks, emblazoned with a ruler of the Neo-Assyrian empire King Ashurbanipal, often enough.
Vetements’ DHL socks.
Vetements’ DHL socks. Photograph: @vetements_official/ Instagram
In fashion, statement socks have been big for a few years. In 2017, kicked off by the Vetements’ socks with the DHL logo teeT-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.
If none of this is ringing any bells, then it might mean it’s time to reassess your sock game. This is where the rules come in, because, in the words of Monica Geller from Friends: “Rules help control the fun.” EVB
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, like 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 sport socks are proving popular, “but also glitter and animal prints for the fashion-forward customer”.
To this, the answer is a definite: Yes. But again, make clear it is deliberate. As the sock-styling expert and Man Repeller journalist Harling Ross has noted, explicit coordination makes it clear that any unusual use of accessories is intentional. If you’re feeling a bit hesitant, see the sophisticated version of the sports socks and sandals look as touted at the most recent Agnona show. Socks were paired with sandals of the same shade or just a little different; a subtler way to dip a toe. Or, one step up: look to the styling of duck-egg-blue socks with navy-blue sandals at spring/summer 2020 Sies Marjan menswear show.
“Is there another way to wear your socks?” Shaw asks. For her, pulling them up “looks the best but also avoids the awkward bunching that can look like cankles”.
There’s an easy sartorial win to be had for men in shorts and sports socks just by pulling them up – but be sure to look like you mean it. Charlie Teasdale, Esquire’s style director, also thinks socks should be pulled up “in any vaguely formal situation” – he even suggests, “if you were so inclined”, investing in some sock suspenders. EVB
Is it OK to wear white socks?
Yes and no. Yes, when playing sport; no, when wearing a suit – until recently that is. Now, it is the subversive nature of white socks that makes them so appealing, says the fashion stylist Tom Stubbs, who wears his with Prada penny loafers. “That’s what’s so good about them, they’re wrong!” he says. “For a tiny bit of man-hosiery, [they are] freighted with controversy … They appear synonymous with the 80s, a decade decreed fundamentally bad stylistically. This obviously adds to the attraction.” So when to wear them? “Whenever you want to break the norm … socks don’t usually have attitude – but these white fellas defo do.”
Where is a fiver best spent on socks?
“Asos has a great selection of mens socks for decent prices,” says Shaw. Calzedonia has spotty, fishnet and preppy Argyle styles galore. A supermarket pair of white cotton socks plus some dye and string will allow you to make your own take on the tie-dye sock trend. While if it’s volume over style points you’re after, you can’t beat a seven-pack of cotton-blend navy socks from M&S. EVB
If I’m going to buy one expensive pair of socks, which should I get?
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