I own many socks. Many, many socks.
I don’t like to do laundry and I hate wearing socks more than once a day. In fact, if I even take my socks off, I am loathe to put the same pair on again. Because I don’t like wearing socks, I take them off whenever I can. So, I often end up wearing more than one pair a day. Consequently, I own many socks.
My socks only come in two colours: black and white. No colour. No patterns. I buy only the plainest black socks available and only the plainest white socks available. I wear white socks with white athletic shoes and black socks with everything else. Fear not: socks and sandals are always no-go.
I found myself wondering the other day: is my sock aesthetic too regimented and monochromatic? Is it wrong perhaps to wear black socks with brown shoes? I know women check out the shoes guys wear; do they also check out their socks?
So, what does your sock drawer look like? Should I consider sock diversification? Are there sock style tips about which I should be aware? And, most importantly, is the female gaze assessing my socks?
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HM
November 20, 2009
I find it interesting you say you take your socks off at every opportunity – a certain man (who shall remain nameless) once told me that the reason he always takes his socks off when he gets home is because they bother the hair on his feet. This is a problem (most) women do not experience. I wonder, is this true for you as well?
sterlinglynch
November 20, 2009
My feet are mostly hairless. I’m not sure I can wholly describe the feeling of wearing socks but it is bothersome. I think my feet need to breathe!
That’s another unique virtue of new Zealand. You can pretty much go barefoot anywhere. None of this no shoes no service business.
Lady Rose
November 20, 2009
yay! a silly sock post.
I guess it is technically so passe to wear black socks with brown shoes but I do it all the time if my pants are long enough. And I’m careful to sit in a way where my socks will never be on display.
I myself have multiple pairs of patterned socks but for solid colours I only one type of black and one type of white. This way I’m never trying to match up slightly different black socks.
The patterns are great for Mary Jane’s but I don’t imagine you wear those. And if you’re going to a party where you have to take off your shoes.
I don’t think socks really matter for guys though. You can’t really use socks as an acessory the same way so focusing on cleanliness and a lack of holes is probably the most important thing!
sterlinglynch
November 21, 2009
Hmm, I like brown shoes but can’t quite imagine myself buying brown socks to wear with them. Hmm. Isn’t there also the risk of the browns clashing?
Yes! I also hate wearing non-matching socks, even if they are the same colour! It offends my sense of order. Plus I don’t like the differing feels of the elastics, fit, etc.
Fortunately, because I have so many socks they are usually clean and in good shape. As soon as a hole appears, they are in the trash.
Chantale
November 20, 2009
I hate when socks go missing. Man i have a drawer full of one socks that don’t match because the other got eaten up by the laundry. however I believe that Black socks are the staple. White – not so much – only for gym wear. But now I am a total convert to Soft Wool socks for working out, and merino wool socks in general as everyday sock – warm, can wear twice, won’t spell, and great even in summer if you have light ones.
Chantale
November 20, 2009
and it’s not spell but SMELL…LOL
sterlinglynch
November 21, 2009
I wish my socks could spell!
Wool for working out? A paradigm shift! I’ve always been a white cotton exerciser.
Chantale
November 23, 2009
Wool wicks, cotton does not. You get some light merino wool socks and you will see a difference my friend!
sterlinglynch
November 23, 2009
I am intrigued!
nadinethornhill
November 21, 2009
I tend to notice if guys (and gals) have funky footwear, but I DON’T notice it’s absence. Does that make sense. If there’s nothing to draw my attention socks aren’t on my style radar.
So unless YOU want to expand your sock wardrobe, I’d say you’re fine.
FYI – Many reknoned stylist not only approve of but PREFER a black sock/brown shoe combo.
FYI (and possibly TMI) – I’m the same way with underpants that you are with socks.
sterlinglynch
November 21, 2009
Yes. That makes sense. Phew & double phew. I can continue with the black and brown combo and leave open the option of moving a brown-friendly colour in there if I find one I like.
What you only have black and white underwear? Kidding. So. Have you ever pulled a Sharon Stone?
nadinethornhill
November 21, 2009
No. In my case flashing law-enforcement officials would surely make things worse.
Nancy
November 25, 2009
I hate socks as well, for the same reasons, however I’ve taken a different approach. I figure that if I have to wear socks, they might as well be fun ones and I should entertain myself by trying to match them to my outfit. Therefore I own a ton of multi-colored, often argyle (because what’s more fun than argyle? Who’s with me?!!) socks.
They never go missing however. One of the benefits of living alone.
sterlinglynch
November 25, 2009
Makes sense and I see how it could be fun. Now, let me ask you this: What do you think of a man in argyle socks?
post-fab princess
November 26, 2009
I go barefoot at home too most of the time. I don’t why, it is just part of my comfy-clothes routine. As soon as I get home I change my work clothes for PJs and revert to sloth mode.
Mostly in the winter I am wearing some sort of tights or hoisery (sp?) because I pretty much wear only heels or tall boots. I keep my socks/tights in a wretched heap in a basket by my dresser. Pudding the cat likes to take them out and walk around the house with the socks in her mouth, crying. No one knows her reason.
As for boy socks I say keep it simple. Dark colours. A dark argyle sock is cute on a boy. My pet peeve are those grey wool socks with the red and white band around the top. I hate those things! Why do guys wear them? They’re so thick and uncomfy looking!!!!
sterlinglynch
November 26, 2009
I was once one of the wool sock wearing boys of which you speak. I only finally stopped wearing them a few years ago. I started wearing them because of cadets. I continued to wear them because they had given me some line about cotton + wool equals comfort. I only realized much later that they actually meant cotton + wool allows boots that are too big to fit nicely. Actually, once I realized i) I no longer had to buy shoes that I could grow into ii) girls dig a decent pair of shoes, I gave up the wool socks because decent shoes almost always require thin socks. Live and learn.
sterlinglynch
December 2, 2009
Update! After an intense session of wardrobe up-dating, I ended up with some free socks which are incredibly colorful. O winds of fate you blow a twisted tale!