Can you help me with socks?

[Singlehouseholdjoy]

Right, I'm trying to move into the visible socks brigade , worn with an ankle graze trouser, or with my jeans (also a shorter cut)
I'm confused about what to wear with each type of shoe though
I really like the fancy sock look at have toyed with a glittery pair, or something more fancy
Here's my shoes : what goes with them sock wise
White trainers : should white socks go with these ? What type?
Chunky brogues (DM) these are black, if I wear with jeans or black trousers, should I wear thick denier pop socks underneath? Again, should these be black based?
Suede closed toe birkenstock mules in a khaki colour. I saw a woman wearing fair Isle socks with these , what do you think?
Burgundy adidas stripe trainers : get burgundy socks?
Please help , I feel like I have confused myself and nothing ever quite looks right!

I'm watching with interest as I've been considering the same thing!

Also - best place to buy lovely socks.

I wouldn't wear white socks with white trainers unless you were playing a sport like tennis where it's required.
I think a pale green or any pastel colour looks nice with white trainers and jeans.
But really it's up to you. Taste is so individual.
I think you are trying too hard. Do what you like.
Personally I don't think I'd wear burgundy socks with burgundy trainers.
the white socks look better there imo.
Pop socks look really dated imo.
Avoid. Also not very comfortable.
Black shoes could take a stronger colour or patterned sock.
Or plain dark. Black or navy.
With Khaki slip ons I might try fawn sox ?or navy. Or possibly patterned.
Experiment.
Buy some cheap ones and enjoy.

I do have quite a few sox....
Not all of which have ever been worn.
Not saying I'm a sockaholic or anything. Or course not.
Why I went into several shops last weekend and did not buy any...
So it's been at least 10 days since my last purchase.
My name's Alex and I'm a sockaholic. It's been 10 days since my last purchase.
Anyone else?

A nice wide rib sock in red is all you need.

Uniqlo for all your sock needs.

I got some gorgeous ones from the Suffolk sock company. In loads of different colours and patterns. I wear them with sliders and trainers and will wear them with loafers in the winter no doubt

What if you have a patterned trouser though? I've got gingham trousers in black and white. I can't add a patterned sock as well can I?
I know I might be overthinking it but currently everything looks wrong of you know what I mean

To quote the great TS - You need to calm down. 😄

I care about clothes and wear socks all the time and really, I’m not aware of any rules. It’s an area where you’re completely free to act on instinct, impulse or careful experimentation.

A lot of sock wearing women cleave to black brogues / trainers with black socks. Looks great, cool, fashionable. I suspect it became a sort of default because it was easiest on fashion shoots emulating unachievable Japanese style.

While that combination might be lovely with a frothy white skirt, it wouldn’t be what I’d want with tweed trousers - where I’d probably choose loafers and socks that were somewhere in between.

I’ve recently taken possession of an instep length ice dream striped dress which I’m thinking might come into its own in autumn. I may start off with pale cappuccino coloured silk ribbed socks and T bar shoes, and then progress to heavier brogues / monk shoes with cable knit socks in a stronger colour.

You really don’t need advice on this - it’s play.

As for where to buy - I’m probably repeating myself but men’s outfitters. (Unless you have tiny feet.) The more luxurious, the better will be their sock offerings.

As for the fair isle socks question - my feeling is that socks convey your idea of the narrative of your outfit. Take, say, a long knitted dress and mules. With sparkly socks - you’ve come to party, even on the Tube. Same outfit, with fair isle socks, you’re waiting for your fisherman lover to come home after long nights at sea. Same outfit with bright green cable knit socks, you’re cos-playing Cathy, alone on the moors …

Finally - cheap socks are the devil …

(Unless from Community Clothing who just charge fair prices.)

And cashmere are pointless except in bed. Wool, silk, cotton are perfect. (Never tried bamboo, not really interested.)

I love these ideas, and will try but I don't really know where to start. I don't have a men's outfitters in my small town so I'll look online for one.
From your descriptions, you obviously have style/flair , I don't have this and have no idea of what looks good or not. With your long striped dress, I wouldn't know how to begin to match the socks and shoes

If you can't match, then clash! Spend some time looking at Pinterest or Instagram. Trinny Wood all got me into sparkly socks from Cos I think, which I wore last year under thinner trousers and skirts. Then I got some lovely thick Fairisle ones from Woolovers which I wore with chunky loafers and dungarees, cord skirts etc and now my Suffolk Sock company ones are mid weight and fit in all my shoes.

Calzedonia is good for socks in lots of colours, also Uniqlo.
I wear burgundy socks quite a lot, they seem to go with loads, but not burgundy trainers. Maybe socks that match the adidas stripes? Or just white or cream.
Thick wool socks, patterned or plain, look good with mules.
Socks with an interesting top like a lettuce top or a sheer bit are nice too.

Will check all these out, thank you!

Ankle socks, with just about anything, looks, with most things, so much better than bare ankles.

I wear short white socks with most trainers (Uniqlo socks), including white ones, and with Birkenstock clogs I have various coloured pairs of ribbed knit socks from Arket which are a bit longer and slouchy.

These Arket socks - I have them in cream, red, blue and black

This type of sock from Uniqlo - mine were all white in the pack but this kind of thing, a short ankle sock

Ah, I thought maybe I’d listed some sock sources on another thread you might have been on. But if not - men’s ranges are generally better. Apart from fair isle, and the odd stripe, I don’t really bother with patterned socks and don’t own any white socks. And obviously you find them online!

Community Clothing

Corgi

Drakes

Maria La Rosa

The Cambridge Sock Company Wonderful selection, dull site.

Like hats, belts and scarves a great pair of socks can make you feel well dressed even if the rest of your outfit is cheap as chips. (Last autumn I bought one beautifully coloured wool pair from Margaret Howell and (in a misguided bid for thriftiness) a six pack of cotton mix from M&S. The latter were nasty from the start, the expensive pair have shaped my clothes shopping choices for a year and are a tiny snippet of good in naughty world.)

Fabulous advice and recommendations from @TheGlamour 😍

For day to day socks, I really like Community Clothing. I have tons of their mid-crew / ankle socks (mainly in red, green and white). I’m less of a fan of their no-show socks as (like most no show socks) they do slide down into your trainers (grr).

For something a bit more fun, I like Japanese brand Tabio. I discovered them years ago when I stumbled on their shop in London. The only source of frustration for me is that because they’re Japanese, they tend to cater more to smaller sized feet so if you have size 7.5/8 feet like me there’s a very limited selection. If you’re size 6 or less, you’re golden.

https://tabiouk.com/collections/women-socks

I also (surprisingly) really rate Paul Smith socks. I’ve worn them for ever and they’re ideal for boots as they don’t slip down and somehow stay looking good for years and years. While the rest of Paul Smith seems to have really dropped in quality/ cut (and just generally gone ‘mass market’), the socks still seem to be pretty consistent.

Why do I always forget Tabio? They provide such an amazing range of options. As well as great styling inspiration.

Now I need some toe socks for running … (Even if they aren’t the fashionable mid-calf length - I don’t care.)

I hear you...

I bought Mary Jane Dms that are still in the box as I don't know what socks to wear with them. Other people look so coom with funky socks but I just can't pull it off. Would be likely wearing with black trousers to work

But surely the whole point of DMs is that they go with everything?

I admit I never understand what people mean about being able to ‘pull something off’. Either something fits and you like the way it looks in the mirror; or it doesn’t, or you don’t?

Are they these, @Sunshineandrainbow?

https://www.drmartens.com/uk/en_gb/polley-smooth-leather-mary-jane-shoes-black/p/14852001

It’s hard to think of any sock that wouldn’t look excellent with those. (Or any of the other MJ DMs.)

Unlike @Singlehouseholdjoy (excellent user name!) I don’t tend to think about matching to my shoes in isolation of the rest of my outfit. Ideally I want the socks to tie my outfit together - but not matchy matchy, because then that’s all anyone notices about you.

Can you describe an average work outfit @Sunshineandrainbow ? Barrister or chef? (I mean degree of formality and freedom to play around.) What sort of colours? What’s your hair like? (I have short hair and vaguely aim to add some ‘feminine’ touch if I’m wearing trousers.) At this time of year with those shoes my priority would be in finding shortish socks with the highest percentage of cotton.

Pretty much all my socks are from Community Clothing. I wear their coloured ankle socks with trainers, walking socks with Docs, stripey socks with brogues and trousers for work.

https://communityclothing.co.uk/collections/unisex-socks?usf_take=56

Yes those are them apart from I have the softer textured leather.
I work in supported housing, I either wear dresses mainly in summer or black trousers.
It's probably just me I admit I am strange, I felt colourful socks look strange on me through the shoe gaps. I got plain black but they were too thick and felt yuck. I will try again.

Edit to add hair is brown shoulder length.

Would you wear shorter socks with trousers?