Typically black and overwashed, men’s socks are generally considered an afterthought to an outfit.
But that’s all changed, according to Country Life, who have said they are now officially an accessory due to the number of colourful designs being worn.
The magazine has published a guide advising men on what different coloured socks mean and how their choice of sock may have influence the way they are perceived.
Country Life has published a guide advising men on what different coloured socks mean and how their choice of sock may have influence the way they are perceived
They suggest mustard sock wearers are perceived as homely types known for their ‘witty one-liners’, while red socks give off the impression that the man is a ‘challenger to Casanova’.
In 2015, the magazine revealed its 39 steps to being a modern gentleman, which said that lilac socks should be avoided and are bad taste.
However, in its latest guide, the magazine says that lilac socks signal a man who is ‘adventurous and daring’.
The likes of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British actor Tom Hiddleston have been credited for the brightly coloured garments increase in popularity.
In September last year Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wore a pair of Chewbacca socks while attending the Bloomberg Global Business Forum
The Canadian leader is well known for his arsenal of patterned fun socks
Hiddleston, 36, pulled off wearing three patterns at once in 2016 when he matched polka dot socks by Nice Laundry with a tartan suit and stripped shirt at a New York Times panel talk.
Mr Trudeau has an arsenal of patterned fun socks. In September last year he wore a pair of Chewbacca socks while attending the Bloomberg Global Business Forum.
In May, the 46-year-old wore a pair of mismatched R2D2 and C3PO Star Wars socks to meet with the Prime Minister of Ireland. Later that same month he showed off a pair of Nato branded socks to German chancellor Angela Merkel.
And when Ukraine’s trade representative, Nataliya Mykolska, visited Mr Trudeau in November she tweeted a photo of her special delivery from Ukraine’s PM Volodymyr Groysman, intended for Mr Trudeau as part of a promotion of trade relations between the two countries.
Mustard sock wearers are perceived as homely types known for their ‘witty one-liners’ according to the advice given by Country Life
Ryan Palmer, from the London Sock Company, told the Sunday Telegraph: ‘There’s something about colourful, stylish socks that puts people at ease.
‘Customers may start with a traditional black or navy before getting a little more adventurous, perhaps choosing the routemaster red or midnight blue.
‘Then the positive comments start flowing in and the next thing you know they’re proudly showing off their East India saffron.’
A study by Harvard University last year revealed that people who wear eccentric socks tend to be more successful.
The theory is that people who choose to wear bold, unusual patterns and colours are nonconformists who live life their own way and are thought to be more ambitious, able and successful.
The Gentleman’s Journal magazine have also a ‘how to’ on colourful socks. They said ‘the sock game, however, can be daunting’, but added: ‘It’s also often your only chance in a working day to inject a bit of your personality and style into an outfit that could otherwise be bland.’