While there is no shortage of coverage detailing the shifts in men’s fashion around the world, the focus tends to be on items like new materials for outwear and the latest trends in suit tailoring, but there’s a growing school of people who are taking notice of one area of the man’s wardrobe which was so often overlooked in the past, his socks. The phenomenon of the designer sock has taken off in recent years, with popular designers backing the trend with ever more wild patterns and brighter colors.
Take a designer like VK Nagrani for example, the eccentric New York based designer has made a career developing ultra-high quality men’s socks. The VK Nagrani men’s designer socks have proven their worth with wearers like George H W Bush enjoying their vibrant design and luxury materials like Peruvian Pima, cashmere, and silk. Over the year, the designer has expanded into other areas of menswear but his commitment to finely constructed socks is nonetheless apparent.
Gain Some Style Points
Graduating from the common man’s sock to the upper echelon of designer hosiery is a pleasure unknown by many, but one that should be known by all. Aside from the massive step up in comfort that they provide, these designer socks often make a unique style statement that requires little effort to pull off. They can provide a pop of color and a bit of detail interest to an otherwise bland ensemble. Designer socks are particularly well suited to the workplace, as a way of showing personality while still maintaining a thoroughly professional appearance and not straying from dress code standards. A flash of color between the hem of a pant leg and the top of the shoe is the perfect way to signal that while you may be a professional, there’s more to you than the cubicle.
Get Yourself Noticed
The arbiters of men’s style over at Esquire Magazine have put in their two cents of wisdom on the matter of designer socks. The author, like many of us, had spent his life donning the same anonymous black and navy socks his entire life, never devoting much thought or effort to the simple sock. When he experimented with some more interesting designer socks with a variety of interesting patterns and more vibrant colors, he noticed there was a significant difference in the way he was received at work.
“Having worn nothing but dark, anonymous-looking socks for the past eight years, I decided to spend a few weeks test-driving all different makes of socks — jaunty stripes, kinetic patterns, brightly colored solids. And from the first day, when I wore a pair of navy-blue Etro socks with light-pink stars, I saw a sharp uptick in the number of double takes and “nice/great/cool socks” that came my way.”
It might be a small change, but you’d be amazed what a difference upgrading your sock drawer can make. So go ahead. Live a little. Invest in some funky patterns and some brighter color for your sock collection. You might just be surprised how many double takes you start getting as you walk around in them.
