I never understood the importance of great socks until l started wearing pairs from the better makers, and I can you that it makes a world of difference. Going from cheap cotton no-name socks to luxury socks had the most positive impact of any clothing item in my life. They feel fantastic and look fantastic, and that alone can't be under estimated. It is really difficult to find good socks both in shops and online, and so many socks are short and in boring colours like black, navy and grey, and most are cheaply made and mass produced in factories in China. Most people don't understand how transformational socks are because they have never experienced the real deal. Shops don't stock the great socks because the market is not sophisticated enough to know what it is all about. But once it is experienced one can easily become a real hardcore sock enthusiast. Socks can be very expensive, but it can be worth it because socks can be so beautiful and comfortable. Everytime you cross your legs you see them, and it creates visual interest, and you can feel them, they feel so snug and nice.
Best to get the over-the-calf pairs. There is little worse than seeing part of a man's hairy leg under his trousers and seeing a short sock, it looks crass, inelegant and ungentlemanly. You want a sock going all the way up to the knee with no interruptions of the sock ending half way with a hairy leg exposed, it creates a nice clean look.
Socks that are too short, creating an unsightly look because it involves 4 aspects - the trouser, the leg, the sock and the shoe. A cleaner look would involve just 3 aspects - the trouser, the sock and the shoe.
George Bush senior showing his calf, 4 aspects showing, so not a clean look.
An Australian politician: 4 aspects again.
Messy - 4 aspects showing
Socks worn properly, the gentlemanly way with no calf exposed and unclean lines. 3 aspects, see how it looks nicer. (Images taken from Styleforum)
Entering the big time sock game,climbing to the highest levels in the sock world
I like the Bresciani over-the-calf for my basic needs over the year, and Corgi for my winter socks, but l also have my special Gallo tailoring line socks for my special occasions when the weather is just nice and l want to experience real luxury with a beautiful dash of colour not found elsewhere. Bresciani make wonderful highend luxury socks, but sometimes a connoisseur requires the highest levels of socks to be experienced, so he puts on the Gallo and experiences what the highest level of socks is all about, it is a different world; it is about the fit, the look and the feel; everything is perfect - they are like a stocking in thinness but made of the best materials that mold to the leg and feet like a second skin - real hosiery for men, not just socks . The ultra luxury socks are thin so one needs nice fitting dress shoes to pair with them. There also comes a time, a couple of dozens times a year, when a sock connoisseur will go all out and climb to levels in the sock world that very few people in the world have ever experienced and go straight to the top of the tree with the world's best socks bar none and wear William Abraham. Socks like these are so luxurious that the human mind would not have been able to imagine such luxury 10 years ago, but for the few who dare to pay the high prices, these luxurious works of art are the ultimate reward. When you wear them you can walk around knowing you have climbed to the absolute top of the sock world where there is nowhere else to go or aspire to, you have made it!
Beautiful socks from Gallo tailoring line and Bresciani.
A rare sighting of beautiful socks of Gallo and William Abraham in the wild.
