Sandals and socks! Heels and socks! Crocs and socks! How summer 2024 became the “season of the sock”.
No shoe is safe from this year’s favourite accessory. So, ditch the blisters and don a sock (or two) this summer.
If you’re a sucker for a bare ankle then this summer you’ll be sorely disappointed. All of them are covered up!
This isn’t yet more evidence of the prudishness of Gen Z, rather evidence that this year’s hottest accessory has successfully made its way into the warmer summer months. Yes, the SOCK is in, and it’s here to stay.
Years ago, the idea of wearing socks with a pair of sandals, let alone heels, would be considered sartorial suicide. The very idea of such a pairing conjures up visions of being five years old, or trying on a pair of shoes in a shop, or being a religious studies teacher. Not exactly the height of glamour.
But now, it’s the humble sock’s time to shine. Socks are the perfect wardrobe pick-me-up. They’re an inexpensive way to update your wardrobe when it’s feeling stale and samey. You can pair a red sock with that same shirt and skirt and loafer combo you’ve been wearing for the past few months and suddenly it feels really new and fresh.
It’s something that’s floated across the runways too: at Gucci’s cruise show earlier this week, models traversed the Tate Modern’s Tanks in striped sports socks and loafers, paired with everything from skirt suits, to oversized leather jackets, to sheer co-ords. Elsewhere, in the spring/summer 2024 collections, we had embellished black socks paired with Crocs at Simone Rocha, long socks with brogues and bodysuits at Victoria Beckham, and striped knee-socks with mini dresses at Marni.
And just as the catwalks foretold, these socks quickly made their way onto the streets of London. Practically, it makes a lot of sense: you get to swerve any pesky blisters, and it means shoes normally reserved for summer can be worn in all sorts of weird British weather situations.
The right sock adds a dash of youth to an outfit.
But with a world of sock styles and colours to choose from, and likely a whole selection ready-made in your own sock drawer, which is the type to pick? I’ve been seeing girls wearing red socks everywhere and I love those, especially because they feel really preppy.
White socks and block colour socks are the safest. However, I think having a really nice sock in a bright colour makes you look a lot more pulled together.
So, when in doubt this summer, don a sock. It might just make your outfit.
