Secrets of SOCKcessSocks (called hosiery in finer men’s stores) protect your feet from rubbing against your shoes, keep your feet warm, and provide another style element in your wardrobe.
Foot Notes:
The word “sock” is derived from the Latin soccus, the Old English socc and the Middle English word socke. The “soccus” was a shoe worn by Roman comic actors. The Middle English socke meant a low shoe or slipper and later a knitted foot covering sometimes extending to the knee.
“Hose” came from the Old English and Old High German word hosa, meaning leg covering.
By 1583 the word "stocking" was used to describe a covering for the feet and legs. Stocking came from Middle English stok or stokke, meaning leg covering, from Old English stocc, tree trunk. A tree trunk isn’t too far from the shape of a human leg. The word evolved into “stock”, used to mean the covering for a leg. Upper stocks were breeches and netherstocks were the lower coverings or stockings.
A pair of socks is referred to in the plural just like trousers.
Coordination (for dress and casual):
Socks should match the color of your trousers not your shoes. Socks should be an extension of the trousers in color tone. They can be slightly darker than your trouser color. This gives an uninterrupted visual line from your waist to your shoes. Otherwise an observer's eye stops at your ankle; not an area we necessarily want to emphasize.
You can use a secondary color in the sock (patterns, etc.) to match a tie, pocket square or shirt color. A burgundy tie for example with a touch of burgundy in your sock can be a great look.
But no matter what kind of sock you're wearing, you have to be careful how you show them off. When you are walking or standing, the only way anyone should see your socks is if your trousers are too short.
Obviously, guys in gyms don't have to sweat this detail, and if you're wearing shorts it doesn't apply, but otherwise your trousers should always be long enough to break on your shoes and cover your socks. One of the worst wardrobe gaffes you can make is to show skin at the ankle thus pulling the sock up to fashion prominence...
Click here to read the rest of this article from AskAndyAboutClothes.com
