Here are the three
categories of men's socks:
1.
DRESS SOCKS.
Rule of thumb: The dressier the situation, the darker the socks.
In addition to
being a dark color, dress socks are usually made from a fine fabric such
as silk, although wool and cotton socks in a thin fabric are also
appropriate. Some socks may also contain a percentage of Nylon for fit,
durability and smooth appearance.
It was the
Victorians who insisted that men should wear dark socks. After Rev.
William Lee of Nottinghamshire invented a machine to knit socks in 1589,
all kinds of colors were worn. But the nineteenth century saw a return to
more somber hues. Sock decoration became popular again after WWI, when
shoes replaced ankle boots. Socks could again be seen, and an embroidered
ankle decoration known as "clocks" became hot fashion stuff!
The length of
dress socks is more commonly over-the-calf (the longest available).
·
Weaves
Plain
-- with no texture,
it’s the most conservative
Ribbed –
woven with raised vertical ribs
Cable --
a raised rib that intertwines.
2. CASUAL
SOCKS.
These are the socks you can wear in a wide range of situations -- whether
you're wearing chinos, slacks or jeans.
The rule still applies for matching socks with trousers, but with casual
socks you can get into more color, pattern and texture.
Heavier weight
socks are perfectly okay in casual circumstances. For length, you can go
for a mid-calf -- also known as crew socks. Just make sure your trousers
fit properly so you don’t flash any leg skin when you sit down.
Pattern. Socks
can be any pattern imaginable – plaids, checks, dots, and stripes. The
more pattern the more casual.
A note about
Argyle. It’s a sporty multicolored diamond pattern reportedly first
sold in the USA by Brooks Brothers in 1949 when the company president,
John Clark Wood, noticed a Scottish golfer wearing them. The distinctive
diamond pattern is derived form the original hosiery worn with Scottish
tartans (plaids).
They were cut from the same cloth as the kilt, but on the bias so that the
squares on the kilt became diamonds on the stocking. The socks are not
related to the clan Argyll (note the different spelling).
Be wary of
wearing dress socks with more casual outfits.
Take it from
Dashiell Hammett.
Here's a clothing note from The Glass Key:
"He was looking at
the blond man's outstretched ankles. He said, 'You oughtn't to wear silk
stocks with tweeds.'
Madvig raised a leg
straight out to look at the ankle. 'No? I like the feel of silk.'
Then lay off
tweeds.' "
3. ATHLETIC
SOCKS.
Athletic socks are about the weight of casual socks, but they usually have
a cushioned-sole or some other feature specific to the sport for which
they were designed. Usually, they're white or white with colored stripes
at top or with a logo. Athletic socks are mostly cotton, a natural fiber
that lets your foot breathe and wicks away moisture.
High tech fabrics
may be incorporated into socks to provide superior wicking properties,
warmth, and blister avoidance.
Andy’s Powder
tip: If you use talc in your shoe, make sure it's in the shoe and not in
your sock. Putting powder in your socks traps the moisture there.
Most Athletic
socks are crew or mid-calf length, however for certain sports like
running, an anklet (the shortest) is available. In other situations --
playing soccer, for instance -- over-the-calf is de rigueur.
Sock Care:
Machine wash in
cold or warm water is fine. Remember socks take a beating, so don't expect
them to last forever. Wash athletic socks in hot water to make sure you
get the stains and smell out!
Andy’s tip:
When you buy a pair of socks get two or three pair of the same style and
color. When the sock monster, who hides in the dryer and eats socks,
consumes one of yours, you’ll still have others to match.
Fit:
There is such a
thing as sock size! Really! Most men’s hose say “one size fits all” on
the package thanks to the addition of some stretchy fabric like Nylon, but
your real sock size is 1 ½ larger than your shoe size. If you wear a 9
shoe your socks should be size 10 ½.
To ascertain sock
quality and comfort, look for a flat seam across the toe.
Go ahead, sock it to
‘em!
-- Andy Gilchrist
