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What color socks are allowed when and with what?

gekko513

gekko513

macrumors 603
Original poster
Oct 16, 2003
6,301
1
When I grew up in the eighties I used white tennis socks, exclusively. You know those that had two stripes in different colors. Life was simple.

Then in the mid-nineties I went to university where I learned, among other things, that white socks were a serious no-no. OK, fine, so I start using black socks, exclusively. Life is still good.

I must admit that when it comes to fashion I'm kind of living under a rock, but in recent years I have noticed that there may be some unwritten rules out there that I might be breaking, and I finally got a revelation is forum very close to you, when I found that wearing black socks in sandals with shorts scored extremely high in a geek elistist rating.

Now, I don't usually wear black socks in sandals with shorts, but I do wear black socks in sandals with jeans at work. Mind you, it's too cold to not wear socks in Norway, yet I don't want to wear shoes all day, as that would make my feet sweaty. Am I committing a fashion crime here?

Also, I think I've heard something about black socks with sneakers being bad. Is that correct? What if the sneakers are black, themselves?

Do I need to start maintaining a collection of different types of socks? :eek: ;)

What about brown and grey socks with diagonal crosspatterns? Are they good for anything?

And what about those socks almost without a heel and an ancle? They look awfully silly to me, but should I bow to the pressure and get those, too? And if I do, what kind of shoes and what kind of pants can they go with?

In general, what are the fashion rules of socks? I need some help here!
 
To me, white socks go with anything, as white isn't really a color (Its a shade and so is black), But I tend not to wear black socks.
 
To me, black socks go with anything, as white isn't really a color (Its a shade and so is white), But I tend not to wear white socks.
 
hahahaha when i first saw the title of this thread i thought "my purple iPod sock is on all day, everyday ;) ". i wear white socks that hit below the ankle so you dont see them in shoes, that one of my pet peeves... :) With suits however, they have to match the suit, no doubt about it.
 
Noooooooo! I think white socks should only be worn to the gym with trainers (sneakers or whatever you guys call them). NEVER with a suit :eek:
 
i wear plain white ankle socks (socks that go just below the ankle for everyday and black stocks or other colors for wearing a suit... simple....
 
dietcokevanilla said:
Noooooooo! I think white socks should only be worn to the gym with trainers (sneakers or whatever you guys call them). NEVER with a suit :eek:
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So how about everything in between the gym and a suit, like jeans and casual?
 
dubbz said:
To me, black socks go with anything, as white isn't really a color (Its a shade and so is white), But I tend not to wear white socks.
Click to expand...


Hey hey. I'll wear black socks from time to time... ;)

But I agree, match your suit.
 
dietcokevanilla said:
Noooooooo! I think white socks should only be worn to the gym with trainers (sneakers or whatever you guys call them). NEVER with a suit :eek:
Click to expand...

Absolutely 100% agreed. White socks and a suit should be a sackable offence.

Dark socks usually for me and if I'm wearing jeans and it's a nice-ish day, then no socks and just flip-flops/thongs. However, jeans and 'thongs' can be a whole other pet peeve for some :p
 
gekko513 said:
So how about everything in between the gym and a suit, like jeans and casual?
Click to expand...

Dark socks then... black/navy/grey... anything but white.
White socks here in the UK really are frowned upon - apart from at the gym.

...and don't get me started on socks with open-toe sandals...
 
dietcokevanilla said:
Dark socks then... black/navy/grey... anything but white.
White socks here in the UK really are frowned upon - apart from at the gym.
Click to expand...
That's what I thought.
dietcokevanilla said:
...and don't get me started on socks with open-toe sandals...
Click to expand...
Ah, that was what I was worried about :) Does that mean I have to use shoes inside at work all day? :(
 
blaskillet4 said:
Hey hey. I'll wear black socks from time to time... ;)
Click to expand...

:D

I do have white socks, but I rarely use them. Most of my socks are black (or very dark blue). Come to think of it, most of my clothes are black, or dark :eek:


dietcokevanilla said:
...and don't get me started on socks with open-toe sandals...
Click to expand...

Why not? Sometimes it gets cold :D
 
gekko513 said:
In general, what are the fashion rules of socks? I need some help here!
Click to expand...
Here's what you need to know: The sock should provide a transition from the pant leg to the shoe.

It should be kind of like a stepped gradient in that the sock darkness should be between the color of the pant and the color of the shoe and it should be of the same color hue. So, if you've got light brown pants and intend on wearing dark brown shoes, the socks should also be a brown that's at least as dark as the pants and no darker than the shoe.

Never, ever, ever wear socks with sandals...unless perhaps you are coming from, or going to, a sporting event in which you are participating which utilitizes shoes you would not wear off of the playing field- soccer or football cleats, for example.

When I wear shorts, I always wear sneakers (even if it's a polo-type shirt), and I believe that white socks are always acceptable in that situation.

Anything else? :)
 
dietcokevanilla, Fashion Consultant to MacRumors says:

"socks with sandals are NOT a good look. anywhere. no matter how cold."

:cool:
 
Now I'm depressed :( My sandal days are gone.


Second question ... should I break this to my colleague? He's also wearing sandals with socks.
 
Here is a very funny article and comment page on the matter of white socks, published on the BBC website of all places!

BBC said:
Dutch Finance Ministry officials deny that they have declared a war against white socks.

Media reports suggested that white sports socks had been labelled as "transgressing the limits of decent dress behaviour" in an internal publication.

But a spokeswoman at the ministry told the BBC that said the words reflected the personal opinion of a high-level official, expressed during an interview in their internal magazine.

She added: "Our opinion is that everyone has to dress according to occasion, and the employees at the Dutch Finance Ministry have a good dress sense".

Do you wear white socks? Or do you agree that they transgress the limits of decent dress behaviour? Send us your views.
Click to expand...

Full BBC discussion!!
 
gekko513 said:
Now I'm depressed :( My sandal days are gone.


Second question ... should I break this to my colleague? He's also wearing sandals with socks.
Click to expand...

Hehe, that's just my opinion (and the rest of the UK's). I have noticed it seems to be an acceptable trend in the rest of Europe though.
 
gekko513 said:
Now, I don't usually wear black socks in sandals with shorts, but I do wear black socks in sandals with jeans at work. Mind you, it's too cold to not wear socks in Norway, yet I don't want to wear shoes all day, as that would make my feet sweaty. Am I committing a fashion crime here?
Click to expand...
YES! That is hideous to see. I'm sorry, I cringe and then I giggle, and then I snort, and then I cringe again before bursting into tears. Socks + open-toed sandals = NEVER!

Black socks w/ suits. White socks w/ athletic wear.
 
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