MS05 - Men's Socks

"A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between, he wears a comfortable pair of socks" _ Bob Dylan

The basic rule of thumb about socks used to be (or rather, still is) The color of your socks should match the color of your trousers. Black socks, black pants, grey on grey, etc. Which is an okay look for the corporate business setting but too dull for adventurous dressers. 

In this era, socks have evolved from being basic feet covering garments to being king of the whole outfit. They are no longer the insignificant accessory that you used to put on without a second thought. Now we have big brands coming up like the happy socks. 

This is not to say that people are still not getting them wrong. Especially now that they are colorful and

you are allowed to wear socks which are a different color from your pants.

image courtesy of google

 Do's:

1. Wear long socks (also called dress socks or full length socks) in a formal setting. This prevents the flashing of skin.

2. Wear wool socks. This is because they are good at moisture wicking (absorbing  or drawing off liquids by capillary action), have a good temperature control and they are durable. Talk of cost cutting. Go for fine wool which is not as itchy as coarse wool.

3. Wear cotton socks if your feet don't sweat.

4. If you are confident enough to not go for the same color cliche, compliment your pants by a solid sock color or minimal pattern. 

5. The super confident ones can go for matching the color of your tie, pocket square, shirt to your socks. This can easily go wrong so solid colors are best to work with.  

6. Be aware of your contrast levels. Let the outfit colors flow. Not look like one piece of garment was placed there by mistake. Let the outfit be coordinated. Complementing colors. The color wheel in this post will help in choosing complementing colors.  

7. Finally, if in a 'dull' outfit (maybe a grey suit, white shirt and brown/black shoes), a pair of happy socks can bring a very welcomed contrast and liven up the outfit. I can complement Larry Madowo for pulling these off so well.

Dont's:

1. Do not wear bright patterned socks (happy socks) to a business meeting ; of course unless you are the boss, your style is so sharp no one can question you when you break the rules. Otherwise, stick to the rules. 

2. Do not wear white socks unless you are exercising, or dressed in a sporty fashion.

3. Do not go for cotton socks if your feet sweat. This is because they are moisture-absorbent (not wicking), and if your feet are sweaty,  they'll have a really bad smell by end of the day.

Bonus tip:

 If unsure/in doubt, go for safe classic. The classics in this case are the solids that match your pants or argyle (these are the angled plaid patterns with diamonds and lines on them. 

Hope this post has been of help gentlemen. Next we'll be talking watches. Keep it here.

As always,

MDA