Socks And The City
I'm a 31-year-old straight guy. I dress pretty boringly -- except for my socks. I go for crazy colors and patterns. My buddy says these make me look "weird" and "less manly." Come on. Do women really want you to be a carbon copy of every black-sock-wearing dude out there?
--Mr. Fun
In the sock department, as in other areas, it's the nuances that count. So, go ahead and make a statement -- but maybe one that stops short of "I'm really a Japanese schoolgirl!"
Novelty sock wearing for men has actually been a thing in North America for a few years. The really wacky ones may work as what anthropologists and animal behaviorists call a "costly signal." This is an extravagant or risky trait or behavior that comes with a substantial price -- handicapping a person's or critter's survival or chances of mating -- thus suggesting that it's a reliable sign of their quality. An example is a peacock with a particularly lush (and heavy) tail. His managing to escape predators while dragging around big feathered hindquarters like a train on a royal wedding dress tells peahens (girl peacocks) that he must be a real Chuck Norris among big feathery birds.
Still, there are costly signals -- "I'm man enough" -- and too-costly signals: "It's raining men! Hallelujah!" To figure out where the line lies for you, average all the variables: degree of manliness, girliness of sock choice, occupation (like if you're a British graphic designer or a guy who goes to work in oversize red shoes), and the eccentricity level of the women you like. But keep in mind that certain socks are risky for any man, such as -- and yes, these actually exist -- Superman insignia socks, complete with tiny red capes attached. Sure, let your socks tell a woman that you want to take her home with you -- but maybe not so you can tear off all your clothes and make her watch as you play with your action figures in your Superman Underoos.
A friend of mine has a subscription to a "sock of the month club" thing, whereby he is sent a pair of high-quality, unique-looking socks every month.
I agree with Amy that it depends on how you wear them. If you're wearing them with cargo shorts, white puffy sneakers and an ill-fitting tshirt, the socks won't save you. But loud socks can look very stylish if you are dressing in a sleek suit or doing hipster-sauve thing, which is how my friend wears them. You get just a peek of the socks under the pant leg when he sits down. The other day, he was wearing a nice pair with little unicycles printed on them.
sofar at June 24, 2015 7:38 AM
My coworker, who is a junior executive in his mid-30's, usually matches his socks to his ties. Typically, though, you don't see his socks. And he's not wearing juvenile prints, just colored stripes or plaids or whatever. A lot of the guys who work at the state Capitol do the same thing- so I guess it's a "thing" right now- that and bow ties. At this point it's not especially remarkable...and most of these guys are married or attached.
Now, if he's running around with happy-face socks when he's wearing sneakers and shorts, that's just stupid looking.
ahw at June 24, 2015 7:39 AM
Wow -- we are now 2/2 on the shorts + sneakers + weird socks being a no-no.
Also, as for colorful socks being a "thing," Uniqlo stores generally have an entire wall dedicated to men's socks, neatly folded and stacked floor to ceiling (by color and pattern) like books on a shelf.
sofar at June 24, 2015 7:45 AM
Women care about how you dress... 'how put together' you are.
You describe the rest as boring, what makes you think the socks will save you?
"I wear these to show that I'm just a wild-n-caarazzy guy!"
Don't be stupid, junior. [daaad, don't call me junior!]
Dress WELL when you need to, else, utilitarian, but quality.
And then let it go. Guys who dress flamboyantly, own it. Sometimes it works for them, and sometimes they look entirely like posers.
Do you have the confidence to own it? Look any way you like, but NOT like a poser. Confidence attracts.
Superficiality, not so much.
What is it ABOUT you, that you are trying to sell?
Look, when you're old and don't care... you can wear all the novelty socks you want... in fact you'll prolly get them as presents.
For now, figure out what makes you 'not like the other boys'
If socks is all you can come up with, you have a larger problem.
SwissArmyD at June 24, 2015 1:12 PM
Do women really want you to be a carbon copy of every black-sock-wearing dude out there?
Absolutely not. What they want is for you to look like every black sock-wearing dude out there. So, unless you're willing to go full Dolezal, you're outta luck.
JD at June 25, 2015 11:30 PM
"Guys who dress flamboyantly, own it."
Ditto. Dear LW, you better be a hunk to get away with this. Bon Jovi, McConaughey, and if he is to be trusted, Crid can wear Hello Kitty and shock women senseless.
Maybe not you. Ask a man.
Radwaste at June 28, 2015 11:51 AM
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