Your level of excitement over a pair of socks is directly correlated to your age. If you’re reading this south of 25, you probably can’t even bring yourself to fake a grin upon receiving a novelty pair in your stocking. If, on the other hand, you’ve stumbled upon this article having reached maturity, your thoughts on the item in question are probably overwhelmingly positive. Why? Because good socks are a good thing to have. But, also, have you seen the news? In these worrisome times, who can blame us for wanting to indulge in a few simple, non-Brexit-related pleasures? Socks are the chicken soup of the sartorial world. So, to quiet our very disquieted minds, we’ve picked out three new pairs we’ll be soothing ourselves with as we head into autumn.

Socks are the type of essential garment we usually forget to restock. As with underwear, conventional wisdom dictates you should replace them every six months, but, what with work and the latest series of Stranger Things to still catch up on, we often fail to get around to it. If you’ve been neglecting the sorry state of your sock drawer, replenish your stores with a few of Pantherella’s Rutherford pairs – they’re knitted from extra-soft Super 120s merino wool, a temperature-regulating yarn that’s just right for autumn’s changeable weather.

Purdey’s socks belong to a special subcategory: they’re what we’d call “proper” socks. Thick, cosy and jauntily patterned – the sort you want to pull on when you’re about to set off on a long, rambling walk through the blustery English countryside. Or at least imagine yourself doing as you get on the Central line one bleak morning. We’re big fans of the traditional Fair Isle pattern, which here is rendered in a rich palette of burgundy, mustard yellow and petrol blue, making them feel suitably seasonal.

It’s hard to imagine socks achieving so-called “cult” status, but that’s precisely the acclaim KAPITAL’s joy-inducing pairs have achieved. Appropriately, they’re decorated with smiley faces on the heels, which will buoy you on even the frostiest of days. We’ll set the scene: you arise from your slumber and, upon drowsily drawing the curtains, discover a torrential scene outside. If only there was something that could cheer you? That’s when you reach for this leopard-print pair.