Categories
Accessories Basic Style Guides Socks

How to Incorporate Colorful Socks in Your Wardrobe (B)

Making a fashion statement or simply enjoying your clothes can be done at all levels of an outfit. It’s important to make sure that you pay attention to all the parts of an outfit, not just the main pieces, as the details will support and complete your outfit. This is why today we are going to be very particular in subject and discuss colorful clothes.

Mint Chocolate Chips socks by Soxfords
Mint Chocolate Chips socks by Soxfords

You might not have known this, but there are brands that specialize in colorful socks. For example, Soxfords is a brand that offers colorful men’s socks that we really like and would recommend. They are really fun, and tell whole stories if you take the time to look at them. Recently, Soxfords launched a new collection of socks and they are all available on their e-store. What’s great about them also is that their socks are affordable and, even though they are a US brand, they ship internationally for a $10 flat fee.

 

Wearing colorful socks is something you should try if you feel that it represents you. Some guys are comfortable to sticking with their black or grey socks (white is for working out), while some will cross the boundaries of neutral socks and dive into the magic world of colorful socks.

 

Firstly, we want to discuss why you should incorporate colorful socks in your outfits. There are several reasons, and they are both practical and just for fun. First of all, you can style up an outfit with colorful socks. A simple outfit will become a lot more interesting if you wear a pair of colorful socks. It will also look more like you have put thought into it.

Secondly, if you wish to coordinate your socks with other items you are wearing. Socks are a great accessory that is often forgotten, but it doesn’t have to be so. If you learn how to coordinate colors, you can use your socks in the color scheme you are using as well. You can match your socks to your other accessories or even to the main pieces.

The third situation can be when you want to look interesting without your socks on. We recently discussed the etiquette of taking your shoes off when entering someone’s house. Well, if you are going to take your shoes off, you can at least make an impression.

These three motivations are not the only ones you can have to wear colorful socks, we encourage you to find your own contexts!

 

Here are a few things you need to be aware of when wearing colorful socks:

 

Take the contrast level in account.

An Ignoble End socks by Soxfords.
An Ignoble End socks by Soxfords.

Whatever clothes you are wearing, you will be creating a contrast. This contrast will be higher or lower. For example, wearing pastel colors (or chalky, as men call them) will result in a low contrast. If you add a bright green pair of socks, it will look like they are from a costume or something. It won’t match.

But, if you keep the tone of your colorful socks with the tone of the rest of your clothes, the contrast will be just right.

Also, if your shirt, jacket and pants are subtle and don’t make a big contrast, meaning they are almost the same color; you don’t want your socks to stand out in an inappropriate manner.

Because we are discussing how socks should match your other pieces, it’s important to remind you that your socks need to go (not match) with your pants, and not your shoes, so don’t forget to have this in consideration when you are buying new socks. If you are wearing colorful socks, they usually go with any neutral colors, such as black, beige, blue, khaki, grey, etc.

 

Consider the type of color or pattern

Wearing colorful socks can be done in different ways. Colorful socks don’t necessarily mean that you need to wear polka dots. A more conservative approach to colorful socks can be argyle, which has already become a classic. Try wearing argyle before jumping off to very bright and colorful socks, so you “test the water”.

Also, you can start out with subtle patterns or stripes (for example navy blue socks with stripes in a slightly lighter shade).

 

Fabric

A pin pair of socks called "Against the Stream" by Soxfords.
A fish-themed pink pair of socks called “Against the Stream” by Soxfords.

Generally when we are talking about socks, it’s important to make sure that your socks are from the same family as your pants, in terms of fabrics. The thing you need to make sure is that your socks do not make too much contrast with your pants in terms of fabrics. For example, silk socks don’t go with everyday wool pants.

 

Socks and outfits

We wish to speak a very important part of wearing colorful socks. This is how you incorporate them with the different outfits that you wear.

To start, we need to establish the rules and remind you that neutral socks (preferably black or grey) are the ones required by formal clothes, while white socks are usually worn only during physical activities.

So, basically, what leaves are casual and semi-casual outfits that go with colorful socks.

But here are a few nuances as well.

For example, the higher the contrast of the socks, the more casual the outfit, for example wearing something red with green socks is not very subtle, but it is fun. To go for a more subtle look, try to have lower contrasts, for example wear something red with pink socks.

A casual outfit is not necessairly a “jeans and t-shirt” outfit. There are casual jackets, blazers, dress pants and so on. These outfits go great with colorful socks and the socks can make a big difference.

Colorful socks can be a nice touch to an outfit that is overall dark. A pop of color will convey the message that you did put thought into it and will be the piece that will “make” the outfit.

If you are wearing prints, try to have a different print than the prints you are already wearing. For example, if you are wearing a checkerd shirt and checkered socks, it will look too matchy and it’s not very pleasing visually. It’s best to either wear very different patterns or to wear only one piece that has a pattern: for example, if you are already wearing a shirt with a pattern, don’t go for socks with patterns as well. You could try a pair of socks such as the ones from Soxfords, that have fun prints but no patterns.

Overall, try not to concentrate your outfit around your socks, but do your best to make them a big part of it. Express yourself through your socks, and try to keep them in line with all the other things you are wearing, but don’t express yourself only through your socks.

 

In short, wearing colorful socks is easy if you follow a few guidelines, such as keeping the fabrics in the same family, matching your socks to your pants and keeping them in tone with your whole outfit. We encourage you to break the rules, but make sure that if you do, you must really pull it off!

It’s very exciting to be able to express your personality on so many levels of style and we hope that you won’t miss out on the opportunity of expressing yourself through your socks!

 

Fraquoh and Franchomme

 

 

 

 

 

Further reading: The complete guide to socks

P.S. What do you think of colorful socks? Do you like wearing them? What advice do you have when it comes to colorful socks? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

 

8 replies on “How to Incorporate Colorful Socks in Your Wardrobe (B)”

I really like colorful socks, but I am not sure about wearing contrast-socks, that come in a very different shade than your outfit!

Dear cihio,

Thank you for the comment!

You should only wear socks that you feel work well with your outfit! Knowing what you like is the first step to great style! Keep it going!

F&F

Your Comment and Input

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.