THE JOURNAL
The American founding father, inventor and thinker Benjamin Franklin once noted that “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”. But if you are a man of a certain age – let’s say “over 30” rather than “the 18th century” – you can add receiving a pair of socks as a gift to that list. Here’s why that’s no bad thing.
From the giver’s perspective, socks make sense. Men are notoriously difficult to buy for – and never more so than now when streaming has rendered CDs and DVDs obsolete. As nice as they are, wallets, too, can be of limited use.
Of course we’d suggest clothing, but even the closest of friends and family don’t always know what best suits their beneficiary, let alone their shoe size. A pair of socks, then, is a reliable recourse. It is, after all, a gift that fits most feet. But there’s hidden depths to socks.
“Socks are often seen as the one place where a man is free to experiment”
“I think socks as a gift is underrated,” says Lauren Cochrane, senior fashion writer for The Guardian and author of The Ten. “It just needs to be the right ones – a pair of cashmere socks from Johnstons of Elgin are luxury for the feet.”
We often consider the shoes as the foundations of an outfit. Maybe it’s time to reframe socks as the rebar. And, as with the high-tech architectural movement of the post-modern era, sometimes they can become features in themselves.
“Socks can’t be an afterthought now,” Cochrane says. “And sock trends go throughout the year, with socks becoming a statement [when] worn with shorts.”
Indeed, socks are often seen as the one place where a man is free to experiment. Even if the rest of his wardrobe is awash with grey and navy, or exclusively monochromatic, there will always be a rogue rouge sock lurking – if just to suddenly appear, unwanted, in an all-white wash. For some of us, however, the opportunity to display our interior lives in a mishmash of psychedelic prints and patterns below our hemlines has dissipated somewhat.
“We are long past the age of bright and/or novelty socks,” says the menswear journalist Ashley Ogawa Clarke. “Maybe it is because wide-leg trousers have been trending, but it’s not often you see men showing off their socks anymore. Even so, I’ve found myself spending more on socks in the past couple of years and investing in what I’d call ‘proper’ pairs, which means they’re of robust fabrication and are mostly in dark and moody colours that go with everything.”
“It’s always good to think about your socks, even if you’re wearing trousers that cover most of them,” Cochrane says. Especially at this time of year. “No one wants to be that guy who goes to a no-shoes house and is exposed to have odd socks.”
The modern sock might not have the main-character energy it boasted immediately post-lockdown, when it was a man’s easiest gateway into dopamine dressing. However, there will still be times when you’ll want to flash an ankle – whether it’s in loafers or clogs. Just make sure your ankle isn’t too flash.
“Stripes and colours are a great way to bring a bit of personality to your sock drawer,” Cochrane says. She warns, though, that a novelty pattern should be just that – and not worn on a regular basis. “No one wants it to become a ‘thing’, à la Justin Trudeau.”
Whatever shape your socks come in this gifting season, the best thing you can give in return is thanks. Because, while socks might not seem like much, that’s the thing – they’re a sign that you already have everything else that you could want or need (including love). Not to mention that a great pair can also lift an outfit by a couple of feet.