Not much thought may fall to your socks when you’re putting together an outfit, but don’t overlook the garments on your feet. Socks have the power to either be an amazing asset or a major liability. It all comes down to how you match them with the rest of your ensemble.
Tread carefully, and acquaint yourself with the 5 cardinal rules of matching your socks to your outfit perfectly.
1. Say No To White Socks
White socks are fine for a workout at the gym or a jog around the neighborhood. Apart from these casual situations, they simply aren’t appropriate for much else. Wear white socks with shorts, but never with long trousers or slacks. Wearing white socks at formal events is a major breach of dress etiquette.
2. Match Your Socks To Your Pants
Match your socks to your shoes, and both will appear negated and awkwardly merged together. Match your socks to your pants, and you’ll be setting yourself up for a lot more success. Don’t stress about matching the exact hue, but try to wear socks and pants in similar colors. This will create a fluid transition between each article of clothing and will make you look taller to boot. It’s the way to go for any formal occasion.
3. Match Your Socks To Your Pocket Square Or Tie
To pull an outfit together from top to bottom, match your socks with your pocket square or tie. Go for complementary colors or patterns to create a neat symmetry in your appearance. Your outfit will look unified, which will show that you’ve put some thought and heart into it.
4. Embrace Two-Tone Socks
Solid socks aren’t always the best bet for solid pants. Sometimes, it’s good to mix it up a little, and you can do that in style with two-tone socks. Two-tone socks add a bit of zest and also have the effect of appearing almost like a gradient. They save you from stressing about finding socks and pants in the exact same hue by tastefully diversifying your palette. Try matching brown pants with charcoal and orange socks, or blue pants with navy and blue shadow-striped socks. It’s an ideal solution for smart-casual settings.
5. Avoid Clashing Patterns
Colorful socks can be perfectly charming when worn well. But when coupled with a suit that’s rather loud in itself, it all becomes all too much. If your suit is already brightly colored or patterned, tone it down with solid colored socks. On the other hand – or foot – feel free to go for statement socks if your suit is more muted. Pairing colorful socks with sharp, simple tailoring or a dark pair of jeans is a great way to liven up your look. The key principle here is balance, to save you from looking garish and over-the-top. There’s a fine line between confident and clownish, and it’s important to walk it with care.