Dress Socks

[JonDC]

What about nylon v. wool? Don't think I've ever tried nylon socks. Polyester yes, bamboo, yes. Nylon, no.

The Gold Toe socks I wear regularly are their "Metropolitan" style ones, and they are all nylon. They're thin but not sheer (like tuxedo or silk socks), and they hold up and don't fade.

Also, I always wear over the calf ones for work. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I think it's really tacky to cross your legs and show shin. That, and I hate pulling up my socks all day long.

 

[Rudy Vey]

I just make sure that my socks match my trousers and not (necessarily) my shoes. Oh wait, maybe its the other way around. Darn it, I hate it when that happens!

Absolutely right on!! It really shocks me when I see men (or women) wearing black or dark blue socks with their beige or olive green khakis, or worse white athletic socks!! On the other hand, I had a colleague in Germany who only wore red socks with whatever pants he wore, jeans, khakis or even with a dark suit - that was his trade mark.

 

[avsmusic1]

does anyone still make the dress socks that had the "strap" that goes over the top of your calf and keeps them up?

 

[The Knize]

does anyone still make the dress socks that had the "strap" that goes over the top of your calf and keeps them up?

That "strap" is a "garter" and it was sold separately from the socks and attached to them either in one or two places with kind of a clamp.

You can still buy sock garters on EBay. Most modern socks seem to stay up well enough by themselves. I do not know why they did not stay up on their own in the old days, but i guess the did not. Also they seemed to make socke a lot shorrter back in the day.

I got some real old school see-through nylon socks to go with patent leather shoes for black tie--I guess back in the day they would have been made of silk. But they utterly would not stay up at all without garters, so I got a pair. I wear them sometimes with a regular suit an pair of socks where the socks so not seem to stay up too well. They do work very well and are not uncomfortable or anything.

 

[leighton]

Elastics? Just wondering. I noticed that GT said their wool socks with the nylon blend stayed up on the calf better. I figured it was because the nylon was stretchy.

 

[The Knize]

Probably synthetic elasticized thread or whatever made the difference. I guess they had nylon in WWI, because they mention giving nylons to women in the movies, but maybe it took a while for syntheitcs to become used more universally.

I wonder if all guys, or at least all business type guys wore garters. Seem to see them in movies a lot. I guess thought even there it is sort of joke thing. It is not as if they are not an easy to wear highly effective item!

You Tube as that bizarre men's shoe porn that also seems to features some guys wearing socks. Not sure I get all that. Actualy pretty sure I do not get that at all, but whatever turns someone on.

 

[gaseousclay]

i'm not brand specific either. since I don't dress up often, my wardrobe is still fairly limited. I think I have a half dozen pairs of dress socks (black, brown & grey) which I picked up for under $10 at Marshalls.

 

[JonDC]

I thought I was a little old-school in my habits -- more so since I picked up DE shaving -- but garters are really old-school, but in a Cary Grant-ish sort of way.

 

[danrobles]

Only way to go is Pantherella they offer various materials and patterns a little pricey however, well worth the money.

 

[The Knize]

I thought I was a little old-school in my habits -- more so since I picked up DE shaving -- but garters are really old-school, but in a Cary Grant-ish sort of way.

No doubt about that! To get more old school than that I guess you have to go with detachable collar shirts and, what?, spats, I guess! Knickers for golf I suppose? I really can't think of anything much else. Shaving with a straight, I guess!

 

[Klarion]

I don't really use dress socks all that often, but I always go over the calf, since that's all that will stay up on me. And, since almost my entire sock collection has wool (SmartWool ftw), I like Gold Toe Windsor. Inexpensive, and they do the job.

 

[leighton]

No doubt about that! To get more old school than that I guess you have to go with detachable collar shirts and, what?, spats, I guess! Knickers for golf I suppose? I really can't think of anything much else. Shaving with a straight, I guess!

Straight shaving = more old school than garters huh? I'll keep that in mind.

 

[JonDC]

No doubt about that! To get more old school than that I guess you have to go with detachable collar shirts and, what?, spats, I guess! Knickers for golf I suppose? I really can't think of anything much else. Shaving with a straight, I guess!

Spats, now those are really old-school!

By the way cstrother, where did you buy the garters?

 

[The Knize]

Spats, now those are really old-school!

By the way cstrother, where did you buy the garters?

From some place or another on EBay, if I recall. Either that or some US on-line black tie vendor. They were newly manufactured. I got the kind that attach with only one "snap," not two. One seems to work fine. These are very efficient. Ebay prices seem kind of high right now at around $15.99 a pair. I think I paid more like $9.99, and this was about a year ago. There seem to be vintage ones around, including NOS. Not talking about anything that has to be sturdy at all.

They also have these elastic bands that attach to the bottom of shirt tails and to the top of your socks to keep shirt tales in and socks up. I read somewhere that that is a military thing. Seems pretty wild. I do not think of my having a problem with my shirt tail coming out, but this has to add a whole new level of keeping it in and straight! Seems like it might be uncomfortable and a hassle to deal with though.

 

[JonDC]

They also have these elastic bands that attach to the bottom of shirt tails and to the top of your socks to keep **** tales in and socks up. I read somewhere that that is a military thing. Seems pretty wild. I do not think of my having a problem with my shirt tail coming out, but this has to add a whole new level of keeping it in and straight! Seems like it might be uncomfortable and a hassle to deal with though.

Saw a picture of those on ebay. They are wild and do look uncomfortable, like you'd have to flex your legs to keep them from bending from the tension.

 

[Phog Allen]

From some place or another on EBay, if I recall. Either that or some US on-line black tie vendor. They were newly manufactured. I got the kind that attach with only one "snap," not two. One seems to work fine. These are very efficient. Ebay prices seem kind of high right now at around $15.99 a pair. I think I paid more like $9.99, and this was about a year ago. There seem to be vintage ones around, including NOS. Not talking about anything that has to be sturdy at all.

They also have these elastic bands that attach to the bottom of shirt tails and to the top of your socks to keep **** tales in and socks up. I read somewhere that that is a military thing. Seems pretty wild. I do not think of my having a problem with my shirt tail coming out, but this has to add a whole new level of keeping it in and straight! Seems like it might be uncomfortable and a hassle to deal with though.

I will keep this in mind.

Regards, Todd

 

[adamant]

I will keep this in mind.

Regards, Todd

I'm surprised that the auto-censor didn't pick that up.

 

[adamant]

Absolutely right on!! It really shocks me when I see men (or women) wearing black or dark blue socks with their beige or olive green khakis, or worse white athletic socks!! On the other hand, I had a colleague in Germany who only wore red socks with whatever pants he wore, jeans, khakis or even with a dark suit - that was his trade mark.

Help me out here. I am wearing brown leather shoes with jeans. Should I be wearing dark socks to match the shoes? I guess the jeans sort of go with anything, right?

 

[Sam]

GT Metropolitan in Nylon are good socks, and don't fade either, and not sheer. I hate paying for a sock that either loses its elasticity or it fades in the heel area (and has abrasion marks) within 3 months. The Metros dont do that.

 

[Kouros]

Help me out here. I am wearing brown leather shoes with jeans. Should I be wearing dark socks to match the shoes? I guess the jeans sort of go with anything, right?

Socks should either match your pants, be darker than your pants, or come in a color that is complimentary to your pants or shoes. I usually wear navy or dark brown socks with blue jeans if I'm wearing brown shoes. If the shoes are tan or cordovan, I would go with tan or olive socks. If I'm wearing black shoes I will only wear black or navy socks with blue jeans. I have socks in colors to match every pair of pants I own.