Put your best foot forward with our guide to sending the right signals with your socks.

The sock has always been something of a silent hero in the everyday male wardrobe. Though it’s a long-held British tradition to have a little bit of fun with them (see the various patterned styles offered by the likes of Welsh brand Corgi, or Paul Smith), they’re hardly known as the kind of piece that one builds an outfit around. But it seems that change is very much afoot in this department, if we’re to judge from the latest menswear collections.

Take Prada’s jacquard socks for spring 2018, for example, which come embellished with constructivist, almost android-like graphic stripes. Pulled up to the knee in the runway show last June, they seemed a core statement of this futuristic, comic-book themed collection, not a mere afterthought. Gucci has also been a leader in this field, with a sock range that covers both the traditional and gawky (from cable-knit knee socks to thick marl hiking varieties) to the wry and sporty.

Meanwhile, in these streetwear-obsessed times, many designers are having a go at reinventing the classic tube sock, whether it’s Vetements’ provocative versions emblazoned with naughty words and metal logos, or the day-glo logo-print socks currently on offer from Balenciaga, or the graphic varieties proposed by Off-White. What all these designers have in common is their regard for this formerly underappreciated accessory – they’ve turned the sock into a style statement. What fun, eh?

This does, of course, raise certain problems: if you are what your feet wear, what are you saying with your socks? Lest you wade into the whole thing haphazardly, and start giving off the wrong signals, we at MR PORTER have put together the following guide, which aims to identify the right socks for various different personality types. Too much time on our hands? No, actually – and perhaps rather sadly – we really do care about this kind of thing. And so should you. Scroll down to find out how to pull your socks up and get it right.

This character is always turned out in clothes designed to make a show: a magnificent suit in an impactful pattern, crisp Charvet shirts, a cashmere coat worn on the shoulders (heaven forbid one puts it on) and handsome accoutrements that can elevate an outfit into the extraordinary. Decorative lapel pins and pocket squares aside, his sartorial weapon of choice is the brightly coloured sock. Claret, sunflower, periwinkle or apricot: there’s a whole spectrum of rainbow-hued hosiery that can add a blast of exuberance to his daily attire. Anderson & Sheppard’s ribbed knit wool blend socks in vivid red are a must-have for gentlemen belonging to this tribe. Wear them with a pair of Church’s Derby shoes and grey flannel trousers for maximum effect.

You are a wise one – you have a look and you stick to it. This usually means exercising complete chromatic restraint and disregarding anything new, trendy or colourful as beneath contempt. Your sock of choice is by Falke – a brand that can always be relied on for quality, durability and supreme comfort – in classic black, navy or charcoal grey. You know that substandard socks can instantly devalue an entire outfit. This pair, crafted from premium Egyptian fil d’Ecosse cotton, will suit you well and work just as easily with tailoring and smart shoes as they will with dark denim and sneakers. Reliable and versatile, these timeless classics are your lifelong sole-mates.

You read all the style blogs, you know the trends, and you like something a little bit different, which is why you’ve been following the rise and rise of Mr Alessandro Michele since he joined Gucci as creative director in 2015. You’ve fully embraced the brand’s maximalist mood, and aren’t afraid to wear its eccentric sportswear offerings – of which its exceptional socks represent a small part. These ribbed examples with bold yellow varsity stripes are just the thing you need for catching the roaming eye of Mr Tommy Ton or Garçon Jon as you saunter outside the nearest zeitgeisty event, especially when they’re worn with a pair of Gucci satin shorts and signature striped sneakers. The howling wolf motif – the latest beast to join Mr Michele’s brilliant menagerie of wild creatures – pays tribute to the age-old fable The Boy Who Cried Wolf, but you don’t need us to tell you that, of course.

Out of office, Mr Utility enjoys the fresh air, wide open skies and rolling hills of the great outdoors, where he can put his O’Keeffe hiking boots to the test. Given that they are a little bit stiffer than your regular item of footwear (and therefore may rub at the ankle), sturdier socks are a wiser option for this bearded adventurer. This pair from utilitarian (but rather aesthetically pleasing) brand The Worker’s Club have been crafted from a chunky mélange cotton-blend that’s naturally breathable so that your feet don’t overheat. They’ll look equally good in the city with a pair of selvedge jeans and wingtip brogues, too.

Mr Streetwear’s natural habitat is the concrete jungle. He’ll camp for weeks in order to snap up something from Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with Supreme or Vetement’s Mitteleuropean-inspired collection. When he’s not being pursued by Hypebeast’s street-style photographers, he’s likely to be found in a warehouse somewhere, dancing understatedly to deep house. As such, he requires stylish but practical pieces to keep up with his urban wanderings. These Vetements + Reebok socks are suitably sturdy and sporty, crafted as they are in a grey cotton blend, and smothered with enough logos to catch the attention of any passers-by (as well as Mr Streetwear’s hyped-up friends, who will no doubt wish to “cop” a pair themselves).

These are for the marathon runners, the CrossFitters and the ceaselessly active fitness junkies whose wardrobes consist exclusively of compression leggings, jersey jackets and an array of mesh-knit running trainers in various shades of grey. You – more than anyone – understand the importance of a “proper kit” when it comes to taking your workout to the next level, which is why you’ve invested in a pair of Nike’s Elite Dri-Fit socks. Made from moisture-wicking fabric to absorb sweat, and fitted with a cushioned sole to minimise impact, they’re designed specifically for intense workouts. No excuse, then, not to go that extra mile…

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