What’s the deal with socks now?

[DC555]

I’m your standard mid 30s millennial. I wouldn’t consider myself ‘fashionable’ but I like clothes and enjoy looking well put together in any given situation.

As spring arrives, we’re about to hit the yearly moment when I move from boots worn with everything, to white trainers worn with everything - usually fairly plain, slim, low rise lace ups.

I’ve finally got my head around jeans (I still love my skinnies but am embracing wide leg, barrel and boyfriend) but I’ve heard trainer socks are now the height of uncool??

So what DOES look acceptable when your trousers/dress leave your ankle exposed?

I am tall with big feet so things that look cute on dainty feet make me look like a clown, so I fear the wrong socks will add to this issue.

Photos and links of acceptable socks greatly appreciated!

I've seen long socks pulled up, above the knee to the thigh with ribbon bow at the top. Is this a thing now? The woman I saw wearing it was in her 50s.

I remember thinking 'Oh God! No!'

I’m loving the rise of the proper sock. I cannot stand trainer socks. The worst outfit ever is the long floaty dress with trainers, trainer socks, and a denim jacket. It’s the live laugh love of fashion.

Everyone should wear what they feel comfortable in socks wise. I wear crew socks under full length jeans and trousers and trainer socks with dresses and cropped. I’ll carry on doing that, because that’s what I’ve got and I see no point in spending money unnecessarily.

I'm an oldie too. Just like the saying 'a broken clock is right twice a day!' , I'm very occasionally fashionable for about 5 minutes, usually when I'm so far behind the curve that the new curve catches up.

Ok, this has been helpful but not exactly conclusive. I think I’m going to experiment with ankle socks on show with dresses and skirts - although now I need to think about socks to accessorise with them which is annoying - but I think I’m going to have to stick with my trainer socks for cropped jeans. It’s just too weird.

Ouch!

I think you mean that fashion has changed and therefore you think it’s cool and original to disparage what many people wore regularly and thought they looked nice in.

My DIL who is in her mid twenties and an arty, trendy type wears white sports socks that come halfway up her calves with trainers and then a dress or long knee high socks with a short skirt. I think it looks absolutely shocking personally, but what do I know? 😂

Lanky millennial here!

I’m enjoying wearing the plain colourful ribbed socks from Uniqlo. Mainly rusty orange, green and sometimes beige. With slightly cropped barrel leg and full length jeans.

I’m with you in that I can’t quite make them work with more cropped jeans. But I now can’t bear the look of bare ankles and trainers, as the fashion industry marketing has clearly got me. So I’m enjoying the return of the ballet flat and/or waiting for sandal season.

I thought nude tights became unacceptable a few years ago, but I’m extremely rubbish at keeping up with these things so maybe they’re back again? I love my opaque tights and boots so I find the in-between spring weather - where you can’t commit to bare legs but black tights seem wrong - very tedious!

I like a well chosen visible sock with slightly cropped trousers but I still prefer bare ankles with cropped jeans so I’ve just got a pair of flat Mary Janes. I don’t wear trainers with skirts or dresses so not worried about that luckily as the half mast socks look hideous to me.

Loafers and coordinated or black socks are in. It's a bit early for no socks or trainer socks and they were out last year. Sporty socks are still about but it's not yet clear if they will have a summer moment this year. Really wide Gen Z style has peaked

And this is the difference between fashion and style.

If you want to rock a trainer sock, then go for it. Personally I think the visible sock over leggings is ugly AF. But I'm sure I will be considered an unfashionable old fart. And I don't care.

I found a look I like and I stick to it. And I like to think I look good. That, in my opinion, is style.

I’ve been wearing crew socks in summer pulled up high with trainers and shorts for years. Often with short enough cropped jeans too and over leggings but never with long enough trousers that don’t show any skin between the top of the sock and the bottom of the trouser leg. I always used to go for trainer socks in that situation. I think having no skin between trouser and sock looks too weird! Especially with light coloured trainers and light coloured socks

Wear what makes you happy.
That is the only "rule" you need.

I know so many women who dress like this and look lovely.

I personally cannot bear to wear visible socks with dresses, it's too 'little girl'for me.

I tend to wear dresses with sandals though

Nude thin tights are never ok, sorry...

I could have written this post word for word! Hear hear!

I also like those Oliver Bonas socks pp posted - I have quite a few colours and my favourites are a dark green pair with what looks like our cat’s face on them. I recently got some nice red socks from Anthropologie, and for white socks like the three packs from Weekday.

Last summer I had very short ankle socks from Uniqlo which I felt bridged the gap between trainer sock and longer proper sock very nicely for with skirts and dresses. I mainly wore those with black and white Samba trainers.

(The word sock looks weird read so many times over)

I can’t get onboard with socks showing so it’s still trainer liners here for me!! When I was younger socks showing between shoe and trousers were a huge nope also marked safe from when it was in to have your sports socks over your trousers scrunched down. The only times my socks are over my trousers is when wearing wellies or gardening to prevent ticks latching on

It certainly seems to be a common view and nude tights get a lot of bashing. Having Scottish/Celtic mix colouring, my bare legs would give Jack Frost a fright, so nude tights are my saviour come late spring. I hate the ‘fusty biscuit’ smell of fake tan, so usually wear the marks and spencer 5 denier tights to cover up the purple blotches give a wee bit colour. At least it’s not like I remember in the 70’s when it was the 20 denier micromesh jobs in American tan 😂

Whilst I do not concern myself with what others think of my sock length, I would wholeheartedly recommend good quality bamboo socks. They come in all lengths, designs and colours and feel wonderful.

Trainer socks have been uncool for a few years now as was pointed out to me by DD.

So I just wear normal socks 🧦 so as not to offend her

OMG these were a 70's sock.