Socks. We’ve come a long way – eighth-century versions were made from matted animal hair. Makes the organised chaos of the average sock drawer sounds positively chic, doesn’t it? Before Alessandro Michele makes a pair of shearling socks for Gucci – hey, it could happen, just look at those fluffy backless mules – take the time to elevate your sock shopping. The pack of five picked up near the supermarket is no longer acceptable. In fashion, socks are beating It bags and even earrings as the detail that matters in 2017. With different styles selling out at matchesfashion.com and Asos, here are five socks to note now.
The designer sock
Miuccia Prada is arguably the master here. She has been known to wear socks with high heels for post-show interviews – an anointment that also gave that other unremarkable item, the charcoal-grey wool sweater, a proper fashion blue tick. For her resort show this weekend, Prada brought the socks on to the runway. Almost every model wore knee-high synthetic socks that looked remarkably like flight socks. Being DVT-aware has never been so fashionable.
The novelty sock
The average male politician’s socks? Probably those silky numbers businessmen wear, if you glimpse them at all. But not Justin Trudeau. In his latest bid to become fashion’s Global President of Style, a position left vacant by Barack Obama, the Canadian prime minister wore socks depicting R2D2 and C-3PO on 4 May, Star Wars day. This might once have been marked down as hopelessly geeky, but not in 2017. Instead, Trudeau’s sock game – he’s also worn stripes, skulls and, of course, the maple leaf – makes him a favourite. When he sorts out the pointy shoes, that is.
The fishnet sock
Apparently, fishnet socks are so popular with retailers that they regularly sell out. No surprise when you realise they’re a £4 gamechanger. The street style-approved way to wear the fishnet is with a pair of Vans Old Skools and step-hem denim – which neatly disrupts any Ann Summers-ish sexy fishnet associations. No wonder they go down so well with the pussy hat generation.
The sports sock
Set in 1980, with the cast mostly wearing vintage clothes from the era, jock chic was the style takeaway from Richard Linklater’s nostalgia fest Everybody Wants Some!! The easiest way to get some of that? Those tube socks that come with stripes. Versions have since appeared in the collections of Gucci (£285) and Vetements (£65), but cheapies pass, too – currently on eBay for the bargain price of £3.25. We do love a pocket-money fashion hack.
Disco socks
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Studio 54 opening and Fiorucci relaunching, so it’s no wonder that fashion is having a disco moment. For those who like to keep their tributes subtle, the glitter sock is the answer. Wear with open-toed sandals for a kind of 70s loucheness worthy of velvet banquettes, Andy Warhol and a bottle of champagne. You might be all Netflix-and-chill, and in bed by 10pm, but your socks bring the party for you.
