THE JOURNAL
American founding father, inventor and thinker Mr 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. And no matter how stuffed your sock drawer is, that is no bad thing.
From the giver’s perspective, socks make sense. Men are notoriously difficult to buy for. Lego sets generally go out of style around the age of 10. Streaming has rendered record tokens and DVDs obsolete, so unless the man in question has niche interests and his grandma has access to rare Japanese vinyl imports, such offerings are no longer an option.
Clothing is always a good bet, 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. And the right pair can lift most outfits by several feet, too.
There’s a sense of play and freedom to them, also. Socks have long been 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 a whites wash.
Now, in the epoch of dopamine dressing, all bets are off. Today, displaying our interior lives in a mishmash of psychedelic prints and patterns is a perfectly acceptable thing to do. This brave new world can be intimidating for some, so think of your socks as the gateway and slip into a brightly coloured tie-dye pair. Can a man ever have too many socks when each pair is a vehicle for expressing his emotional state?
“There are few pleasures in life that can compete with a cosy pair of socks”
For those putting their best foot forward, dip a toe into Marni’s fuzzy socks, which bring a touch of mohair to the tootsies. Or allow KAPITAL to put a smile on your heel and a spring in your step. If you’re a traditionalist with a playful side, Paul Smith has something for all stripes (including stripes). Thunders Love, Anonymous Ism and Falke are other specialists to turn to. Each brand has its own trademark style, but puts one universal truth first: no matter how cutting edge, comfort is key. Because there are few pleasures in life that can compete with a cosy pair of socks, especially in winter.
We often think of shoes as the foundations upon which an outfit is built, so consider socks the rebar. However, as with the high-tech architectural movement of the post-modern era, they can themselves become features and in the current climate, it is exactly these details that count.
Lockdowns and the rise of slippers, sandals and clogs, not to mention cropped and cuffed trousers, have made socks more visible and thereby more integral to the way you look. Rather than an afterthought, they have become a focus. So, if you are given a pair of socks this Christmas, it is even easier to show your appreciation – all you have to do is wear them.
Or, to put it another way, if you’ve achieved all there is to achieve and possess all the possessions a man could want, you’re in a good place. The only gift you really need at this time of year is love. And if you are loved, well, socks are a bonus.