Where to buy socks?

[Brian Sheridan]

The argyle article in the latest CS has me wondering where to buy the sweet socks like they wore in the 1930s.

I don't think I'd be comfortable bidding on used socks on Ebay.

Who is making vintage-type socks nowadays? I went to vknagrani.com - they were nice but a bit too fey. Patherella's look pretty good.

And how many pairs of "good" socks do you own?

 

[The Wingnut]

Argyle socks shouldn't be that difficult to find, I've had success with Penny's, Mervyn's and Macy's. They don't seem to ever go out of style, you just have to keep an eye out.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

eBay has auctions all the time for vintage deadstock (never used, still with tags) socks from the 1930s onward. They're usually woven lisle dress socks made of rayon, but you can occasionally find argyle versions in cotton or wool.


Be warned: vintage socks from the 1930s and '40s tend to be MUCH shorter than today's socks. Be prepared to almost show some bare ankle.

.

 

[carter]

Where to buy socks?

I recently purchased some horizontally striped socks from Brooks Bros. on-line. Check out sales by on-line merchants especially if you've seen something you like in their brick and mortar stores as well.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Right up Brian Sheridan's alley. Note that they're relatively short: http://cgi.ebay.com/vtg-LOT-13-1950...goryZ957QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


.

 

[AlanC]

I picked these up at Banana Republic a few weeks ago on clearance for $2.99/ea:

I really liked the solid/self-argyle ones.

Here are a couple of pairs of my fey Nagrani socks:

 

[scotrace]

Clocks seem hard to find. Anyone have a good source?

 

[Brian Sheridan]

Here are a couple of pairs of my fey Nagrani socks:

Ok..those look a lot better in your picture than they do on the company's website.

 

[panamag8or]

Clocks seem hard to find. Anyone have a good source?

lol lol

 

[carter]

Originally Posted by scotrace
Clocks seem hard to find. Anyone have a good source?

No but I did like that '40's horse-racing tie.

 

[scotrace]

"Clock" is a sock pattern. I can't find any pics out on the net, but they're like... a vertical line with arrows at each end....

Advertised in 30's Esquire quite a bit, and I imagine common through the 60's at least. Now, not so much.

 

[AlanC]

Clocks seem hard to find. Anyone have a good source?

They are. The most consistent make I know is Pantherella, but you'll pay for them.

Will at A Suitable Wardrobe has a nice post with a couple of old Apparel Arts pics with clocks.

 

[John in Covina]

Golf

IF you do a search for golf knickers the same people usually have argyle socks.

 

[carter]

SOCKS

From the Ask Andy(UK) webpage:

Take it from Dashiell Hammett.
Here's a clothing note from The Glass Key:

"He was looking at the blond man's outstretched ankles. He said, 'You oughtn't to wear silk stocks with tweeds.'

Madvig raised a leg straight out to look at the ankle. 'No? I like the feel of silk.'

Then lay off tweeds.' "

Sartorial advice from the author of The Maltese Falcoln.

 

[Atomic Glee]

Heck, I've found some swell argyle socks at Target under their Merona brand. They can be had!

 

[Mr. Rover]

I like J.Crew and Polo argyle socks- they're a little bit younger looking and kind of in your face- a la AA/Esky collegiate clothes. J.Press also has nice collegiate argle/striped socks.

 

[MudInYerEye]

Exterminate boston red sox. That is the conclusion I have come to.

 

[AlanC]

I like J.Crew and Polo argyle socks- they're a little bit younger looking and kind of in your face- a la AA/Esky collegiate clothes. J.Press also has nice collegiate argle/striped socks.

Press does have a nice looking selection.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

I suppose all of these sox are "One size fits all" where "all" means "Everybody but me." My calves are full-grown Brahmas, and I always end up with a big ol' groove in them where the top of the sock was.

 

[carter]

Socking it to daddy
By Simon Brooke

Published: June 15 2007 18:59 | Last updated: June 15 2007 18:59

They may be the fall-back Father’s Day gift of choice for clueless children everywhere but the truth is, what a man wears on his ankles speaks volumes. Before you buy, you must consider the personality of the sock-wearer-to-be. When suited and booted, does he wear funky socks or something safe and conservative?

The President of the United States falls firmly into the latter camp, according to red sock fan Sir Christopher Meyer: ‚ÄúI was at a meeting with him at the White House and, when I crossed my legs, he looked down and said slowly: ‚ÄòWe have a word in Texas for guys who wear socks that colour.‚Äô ‚Äù I‚Äôm guessing it wasn‚Äôt ‚Äústylish‚Äù.

Sir Christopher, reportedly described by John Prescott as a “red-socked fop”, started wearing his distinctive hosiery during his time as head of news at the Foreign Office. “While I was dragging a group of journalists around Moscow during the 1980s, I needed something that would distinguish me from everyone else, and a scarf didn’t seem right, so brightly coloured socks were the obvious option – although not many journalists were obsequious enough to get to that level and notice them.”

Other outr?© socks wearers include Lord Cranborne, former leader of the House of Lords, and Jon Snow of Channel Four News. ‚ÄúI‚Äôm saddled with a suit and this is the only way to show my sartorial independence,‚Äù says Snow. ‚ÄúLuckily, so many more people are doing interesting varieties these days ‚Äì it used to be just M&S black or fawn socks.‚Äù

Ties and cufflinks are the most obvious outlets for expressing individuality if you wear suits but socks have a role to play, believes Simon Maloney, head of product at Thomas Pink, which recently launched socks in a range of bright colours and pair with a skull-and-bones motif.

“Funky socks are more discreet than a tie and you do see conservatively dressed men on their way to work in the morning wearing them,” he says. “Bright colours work well with dark suits. Also, orange goes with tweed trousers and bright pink with khaki, for instance.”

Simon Allen, men’s accessories buyer at Austin Reed, has noticed an increase in colourful, highly patterned socks. “Customers are more likely to wear them with suits now rather than just black or grey, and there is an increasing number of sophisticated colours and patterns,” he says. This summer, the palate will include lilac and lavender, he reveals. But what about socks with sandals? “That’s a fashion faux pas – I can’t ever see that changing.”

“Socks are an important connection between clothes and shoes,” says a spokesman for tailors Gieves & Hawkes, which has a range in bright coloured micro-horizontal stripes. “They can be a powerful way of communicating hidden emotions – they only pop out discreetly. Red socks under a grey suit may well be suitable in the media but they can be seen as aggressive in other circumstances such as an interview.” He advises caution and making sure your socks – whatever their design – match your suit.

One strong design theme at the moment, which seems to reflect most men’s natural conservatism in socks, is the dark body with a splash of colour at the heel and toe – so discreet that most of the time no one would ever see it.

“Coloured socks are like most sartorial jokes: they wear very thin very quickly,” says Joe Flynn, an IT manager. “I’ve got a pair of olive green socks but I think they’re more stylish than groovy. And even then it’s amazing how many people notice them.”

By contrast, barrister James Clements is an unashamed funky sock fan. “I’ve got a smashing pair with pink and purple stripes and another with the Mona Lisa on them, rather weirdly. They’re great with suits – even dinner suits – but you need to feel confident wearing them.”

And one final word: “Humour should be subtle not heavy,” says Simon Maloney. “Whenever I see someone wearing Homer Simpson socks with a suit, for instance, I just think: ‘D’oh!’”


www.thomaspink.com
www.gievesandhawkes.com
www.austinreed.co.uk

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007

Another good sock article from the UK.