Years ago Alan Flusser wrote something to the effect that in his opinion socks should always be patterned, and I took his words to heart. I kept a few pair of cashmere solids around but otherwise went systematically about filling my drawers with patterned hose. These things being cyclical, some years later I began noticing that Cary Grant is not wearing patterned hose in any of the photographs I have that show his ankles, and the pendulum began to swing back to the point where I am wearing solids as much as patterns. With a twist of course.
Mr. Flusser's point was that one should not have a black hole between trouser bottom and shoe, and a dandy way to fill the space is with a pair of colored hose that complement but do not match the rest of the day's clothing. Lighter shades are especially effective. I like beige for the task, and light blue and silver gray. Darker colors work as well, including teal and wine, though the latter may be done a bit too often. And then there is plum, which does an excellent job of filling the space between charcoal trousers and dark shoes, to the point that it goes unnoticed unless one happens to be looking directly at it and then there is just the slightest shock of recognition.
In the photograph, plum Bresciani socks are paired with elastic sided slip-ons and the trousers from a mid-weight double striped suit.
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8 comments:
I see your point but, except for shooting stockings, I (as an old fogey), like plain, solid hose that matches my trews.
Synchronicity. I just bought a pair of your plum socks last night. Perhaps too obvious, but i thought they would go with dark navy as well.
Will, what shoe are you wearing?
It is very similar to a shoe by Brooks (Peal).
Thanks.
Mark, it is an EG Wigmore I believe and a 2001 replacement for a worn out pair that I got from Brooks about twenty years before that.
I loved the wine socks of a couple days ago, but these are even better!
I needed to go sock shopping anyway; now my list has expanded. Thank you, as always, for the inspiration.
I think you've pushed me to more adventurous sock choices too; my palette as it stands is just too bland. Wine/plum are going into the sock drawer.
But apart from the forest and dark greens I have alongside the brown/blue/black/brown/tan standards, what other solid colours can you advise that really work and give some pizazz? I tend to limit patterns.
The palette is not infinite Roger as you know. You covered the darks. Now think about light gray, beige, powder blue and lilac.
Roger and Will,
Don't forget pink! Both pink and yellow, either as solids or in patterns, are excellent casual color choices for for warm-weather socks.
IMO, of course.
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