Why do white socks never go out of style? Today we look at this trend and show you how to wear white socks with your outfits.
White socks: a style guide on how to wear them
White socks are among the oldest garments in known history. Since around 2500 BC, when they were first worn, they have been worn by some of the most influential celebrities and personalities in history.
Icons like Michael Jackson in music and Michael Jordan in sport have championed this accessory, so often underrated by most people. Browse our Street collection and find yours.
White socks have always attracted hate, but in recent years they’ve become normal with all kinds of footwear. Now they’re worn with sliders and sandals, and even with certain classic shoes.
There are no written rules – wear them however you feel most comfortable – but with the following tips your chances of success will rise considerably. To wear them well, two items matter most to the final look: your trousers and your footwear.
Trousers: the key to a good outfit with white socks
We all have a more conservative side and a bolder side when it comes to dressing, so with a garment as sporty as the white sock, it’s important to know which clothes and shoes to wear for each style.
Many people look awkward in white socks, mainly because they focus on the socks or the shoes without realising how much the trousers influence the final result.
White socks with jeans
They go with practically any type of trousers, but the simplest way is with jeans. To choose the right jeans, pay attention to the cut.
The denim styles that pair best with this kind of sock are skinny jeans if you like a slim fit, straight jeans as a middle ground, and baggy or boyfriend jeans if you prefer them loose.
As for footwear, as we said, they go with all kinds of trainers, ankle boots, shoes and even loafers, especially in black, which creates a contrast with the pure white of the sock.
If you’re looking for minimal or understated designs for this kind of look, take a look at our selection of original socks.
White socks with shorts
The second casual option is shorts. As with trousers, it’s important to know the cut you’ll wear, and you also need to consider your body shape when choosing a sock.
The longer the sock and the longer the shorts, the shorter you’ll look. If you’re not very tall, go for shorter socks to lengthen your silhouette as much as possible.
As an extra tip, choose knee-length shorts and mid-calf, ankle or no-show socks. Try different types of socks and shorts to find the perfect combination.
White socks with comfortable trousers
Luckily, dress codes have moved towards more comfortable, casual clothing, especially trousers. Tracksuit bottoms are accepted with conditions, as are comfortable trousers with an elastic waist.
You have to wear this combination the right way or your outfit will look too sporty. Better avoid wearing socks over tracksuit bottoms.
White socks will look good with any kind of comfortable trousers you choose. The more casual the trousers, the more you should go for basic, plain, more elegant colours like black.
If you want white socks to be the star of your outfit, choose joggers or tapered cuts down to the heel. These cuts show off both your socks and your trainers.
Which shoes to wear with white socks?
Now you know the 3 types of trousers that best show off your white socks. Time to talk about the second ingredient in the recipe for success: footwear.
To keep it simple, here are 4 types of shoes that go perfectly with white socks, so you can pair them with the trousers we recommended above until you find the right match.
White socks with sneakers
This is probably the simplest of the 4 combinations, because white socks look good with practically all sneakers. We went into more detail in a recent article. Here you’ll find everything from basic styles to patterned socks that add contrast to your look.
The only rule to follow when pairing sneakers with white socks is not to mix logos from different brands, and not to wear ankle or no-show socks with high-top sneakers like the Nike Blazer or Air Jordan 1 Mid.
White socks with dress shoes
A few years ago this was unthinkable, but today many people pair white socks with dress shoes. It’s the boldest combination, but with the right trousers you can get above-average results.
We’ve seen them with many kinds of shoes, but white socks work best with Dr. Martens-style shoes and classic loafers, ideally in black or brown. Dare to try?
White socks with sandals
After years of trainers stealing the spotlight, other types of footwear have emerged as alternatives, such as sandals and sliders.
Until recently, this more casual footwear was worn without socks and was hardly fashionable. But the streets have spoken, and sandals and sliders are now on trend.
If you want to try it this summer and let your creativity run free, pair Birkenstock Boston-style clogs with denim shorts and a basic white or black T-shirt – you can’t go wrong.
Now you know the key points for wearing white socks every day, so there’s no excuse. Browse our full collection and find the print or design that suits you best.
Also on the journal: How to wear socks with sneakers and Socks with sandals