[HoosierDaddy]

Cougar, on Jul 8 2009, 04:58 AM, said:

<snip>

Today I'm wearing a black pinstripe with a white shirt and black shoes. Violet socks with an argyle pattern and a violet tie.

<snip>

Perchance this passes in both the business worlds of the UK and the USA. If you wore purple socks as an attorney in the U.S. it's possible you might be held in Contempt of Court for disrespecting it. (I'll note, Legal Profession is ridiculously conservative for the most part, though.)

[Mezla PigDog]

Cougar, on Jul 8 2009, 09:58 AM, said:

I would agree to a certain extent that socks if anything should match trousers not shoes but I don't think you should try to match either. Today I'm wearing a black pinstripe with a white shirt and black shoes. Violet socks with an argyle pattern and a violet tie.

I think you should wear this to the BBQ! I want to see the smart Cougar.

[Ain't_It_Just_]

Mezla PigDog, on Jul 8 2009, 07:23 PM, said:

Cougar, on Jul 8 2009, 09:58 AM, said:

I would agree to a certain extent that socks if anything should match trousers not shoes but I don't think you should try to match either. Today I'm wearing a black pinstripe with a white shirt and black shoes. Violet socks with an argyle pattern and a violet tie.

I think you should wear this to the BBQ! I want to see the smart Cougar.

That sounds fascinatingly....um.

Aren't you worried the violet might clash with the black?

[Terez]

HoosierDaddy, on Jul 8 2009, 04:16 AM, said:

If you wore purple socks as an attorney in the U.S. it's possible you might be held in Contempt of Court for disrespecting it.

hehe, I was thinking pretty much the same thing. Purple socks?? Nobody wears purple socks!

[Adjutant Stormy~]

HoosierDaddy, on Jul 8 2009, 04:16 AM, said:

If you wore purple socks as an attorney in the U.S. it's possible you might be held in Contempt of Court for disrespecting it.

Lawyers are boring. But judges are boring, and completely power mad!

[Mezla PigDog]

Terez, on Jul 8 2009, 07:15 PM, said:

hehe, I was thinking pretty much the same thing. Purple socks?? Nobody wears purple socks!

*has 3 pairs of purple socks and black & white stripey socks and rainbow patterned socks and socks with animals on them*

[stone monkey]

Ain't_It_Just_, on Jul 8 2009, 10:30 AM, said:

Aren't you worried the violet might clash with the black?

Clash how? Nothing clashes with black...

[Terez]

White socks with black pants and shoes is just weird.

It's not that the color clashes with black - it's true that nothing does - but in the US we pretty much have the mentality that the socks are the last thing that you want to draw attention to, especially with dark dressy stuff for men. Your pants should be long enough that not much of your sock is showing even when you're sitting down, but in the event that your socks do show they should be unobtrusive, and therefore preferably a color that does not stand out so much. With light colors or jeans, white socks are unobtrusive, and with dark dressy stuff, black or dark navy socks are unobtrusive.

[Cougar]

Terez, on Jul 8 2009, 08:51 PM, said:

It's not that the color clashes with black - it's true that nothing does - but in the US we pretty much have the mentality that the socks are the last thing that you want to draw attention to, especially with dark dressy stuff for men. Your pants should be long enough that not much of your sock is showing even when you're sitting down, but in the event that your socks do show they should be unobtrusive, and therefore preferably a color that does not stand out so much. With light colors or jeans, white socks are unobtrusive, and with dark dressy stuff, black or dark navy socks are unobtrusive.

A gentleman wearing a suit would pull up the trouser at the knee as he sat down avoiding stretching the fabric when the leg is bent and holding the shape of the suit better. This would expose a good 8 inches of sock. Now the real crime would be wearing too short a sock, nobody wants to see flesh. The Italians are particularly bothered about this, I did a lot of negotiations last year with a load of them and they were telling me about this over dinner one time. I've since head it repeated in GQ several times.

@HD, it's surprising that there is an attitude about colourful socks, in this country it would be the reverse. Men who are educated at public schools, went to Cambridge, Oxford, work in the City, Barristers, Doctors or Politicians are far more likely to understand the rules of gentlemans tailoring. They are far more likely to be buying their suits on Saville Row etc and are more aware of this. It's more likely that the lower middle classes, middle managers, dare I say it...estate agents would habitually wear black socks with a suit.

Don't get me started on white socks, nobody with an ounce of fashion sense would turn out in white socks, jeans, trainers and white socks is a crime.

I'm willing to accept that I'm biased about British sock wearing, but if I was going to take advice on fashion, especially on suits from anyone it would be the Italians and the Parisians.

[stone monkey]

The whole idea that men's socks should be as neutral as possible strikes this man as a denial of one of the last bits of colourful self expression men have. Suits, no matter how well tailored, are a fairly utilitarian and drab article of clothing imo. A splash of colour in an accoutrement would seem, to me, to be a way of expressing one's individuality, having fun within the constraints of a fairly boring outfit. I do find it ironic that the "rules" for dress in the US, a country that prides itself on individuality, seem to be (in this at least) specifically designed to remove any trace of it.

This post has been edited by stone monkey: 08 July 2009 - 08:27 PM

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

stone monkey, on Jul 8 2009, 12:17 PM, said:

Ain't_It_Just_, on Jul 8 2009, 10:30 AM, said:

Aren't you worried the violet might clash with the black?

Nothing clashes with black...

Isn't this a Wesley Snipes quote?

[stone monkey]

That's "Always bet on black!" Passenger 57, terrible movie...

[Terez]

stone monkey, on Jul 8 2009, 03:26 PM, said:

The whole idea that men's socks should be as neutral as possible strikes this man as a denial of one of the last bits of colourful self expression men have. Suits, no matter how well tailored, are a fairly utilitarian and drab article of clothing imo. A splash of colour in an accoutrement would seem, to me, to be a way of expressing one's individuality, having fun within the constraints of a fairly boring outfit. I do find it ironic that the "rules" for dress in the US, a country that prides itself on individuality, seem to be (in this at least) specifically designed to remove any trace of it.

Oh, now you're being overdramatic. There's plenty of room for expression in men's dress that > the sock. Ties especially are a form of expression, and even in black tie situations, you can style up the vest/cummerbund/pocket hanky a bit and no one will think you too crass.

[Cougar]

Nothing says: "I'm a classless prick" like a coloured cummerbund or bowtie.

[HoosierDaddy]

Cougar, on Jul 8 2009, 05:08 PM, said:

Nothing says: "I'm a classless prick" like a coloured cummerbund or bowtie.

How 'bout a tie with the words "Classless Prick" embroidered on it over and over?

[stone monkey]

Exactly. It's black tie The clue's in the name...

[Terez]

Cougar, on Jul 8 2009, 04:08 PM, said:

Nothing says: "I'm a classless prick" like a coloured cummerbund or bowtie.

Colored socks would be more classless, I think. If you're going to style something up, it should be something nice, rather than a sock.

[Mezla PigDog]

I must say, I do feel sorry for gentlemen in the fashion department. Going shopping with the other half is soooo boring. I end up dragging my feet and saying "yes dear" to everything. Trousers and tops, that's it? Dress shoes or casuals, nothing else? Women have so much choice.

[Cougar]

Terez, on Jul 8 2009, 10:12 PM, said:

Cougar, on Jul 8 2009, 04:08 PM, said:

Nothing says: "I'm a classless prick" like a coloured cummerbund or bowtie.

Colored socks would be more classless, I think. If you're going to style something up, it should be something nice, rather than a sock.

You wouldn't wear coloured socks to a black tie event, you'd wear black socks.

The idea is not that you 'style up' with the socks you aren't adding something to an outfit like an optional accessory, you have to wear the socks so you have to get them right. You decide what you are going to wear by looking at the whole. The entire thing suit, shirt, tie, socks, shoes and belt (optional, some people don't hold with a belt on a suit) is what you are wearing. You don't put your whole suit on and then rifel through your drawers for socks as an afterthought. If I didn't have a pair of socks clean that matched say,a navy blue suit with a sky blue tie then I'd wear something else.

Styling up or adding detail might be the addition of a pair of cuff links a tie pin or a pocket square (all things you arguably don't need)

[teholbeddict]

I would agree to some extent mez, but there is a lot more out there in terms of menswear than there used to be. I find it's more of a question of getting them to wear different things and going for some new options. I do have some male friends who are up for at least trying on pretty much anything and it can be quite fun shopping with them. It is boring trailing after someone who is only going to try on t-shirts and jeans though. There's nothing wrong with that mind you, but it's not that interesting.