Used Socks
Posted on 02. Mar, 2010 by admin.
You have to admit that the concept of the used sock is pretty disgusting. Who would want to wear a recycled version of the article of clothing that is literally designed solely to help capture and control sweat on a person’s foot?
Used socks can be dangerous if you are unaware of their source. They can easily carry foot disease or mold within them. Because of their shape and the thickness of the fabric, they are more likely to trap mold and bacteria then other articles of clothing. Like shoes, it is dangerous to get a used pair of socks without washing them thoroughly yourself, to be sure you kill any possible germs.
Despite the fact that nobody would ever WANT to wear a used sock, used socks are actually one of the number one things most clothing drives ask for. Especially within inner cities, socks are extremely vital to keeping homeless people warm and helping them survive the winter months. Frostbite is extremely common and socks, used or brand new, help keep this at bay. Non-profit organizations will often specifically ask for donations of socks in order to try and help the homeless better survive the winter months. Socks are just as important as jackets when you are outside during winter.
For those not so altruistically minded (or those with a plethora of extra socks), there are many fun ways to dispose of your used socks. Making sock puppets if something that everyone has done as a child. One of the easiest, most memorable things you can do with a child is to draw faces and add hair to an old sock, effectively converting it into a lifelong friend (or an afternoon long friend).
Don’t just throw away your used socks! Make something of them!
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Rift Socks
Posted on 28. Feb, 2010 by admin.
Rift socks, created and manufactured by Nike, are a specially designed brand of sock specifically marketed to surfers and water sports enthusiasts.
These socks are open on the top of the foot, enclosing only the toes and the back of the heel, much like an abridged moccasin. They come in many different styles. In the normal style all toes are connected in the same part of the sock. In the “split toe” style the big toe is separated from the other toes, much as the name implies. The “split toe” style allows the wearer more movement in his feet. This added movement is especially useful for surfers.
These socks are made of an elastic, nylon and rubber mixture. This blend allows them to be incredibly stretchy and survive well in water for an extended period of time. They are designed specifically to fit within the Nike Rift Shoe. This shoe is similarly designed for water sportage use. The socks can be worn without the shoes, however, such as in the case of surfers. The socks help protect the wearer’s feet from sharp rocks and other dangerous things within the water. They also help reduce the amount of water that reaches the skin of the wearer. This is useful since it is better for the skin after an extended period of time. There is less water damage in the long term and less “pruning” in the short term.
Rift socks come in all colors and sizes, allowing the wearer to choose a color to match their wetsuit or sporting equipment. Once again, the wearer can elect to wear them with the matching Rift Shoe or to just wear the socks on their own. Whichever decision is made, the foot is better protected than it would be without either.
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No Socks
Posted on 24. Feb, 2010 by admin.
Not everyone wears sneakers. This is especially in the South where temperatures in the 90s are expected for all but four months of the year. Often sandals are more than a type of shoe kept for a certain outfit; they’re the daily necessity. In Florida and California especially, where surf and sun is a daily way of life, flip flops are the default shoe, regardless of fashion style or preference.
Shoes that are not closed toed do not require socks. Wearing socks and sandals is often viewed on not only as unnecessary, but as awkward looking and quirky. Rather than being an inevitable part of daily life, socks can often be a rare occurrence associated only with an intense workout or a job interview. The further south you go the less necessary dress shoes on formal occasions become. Rather than being necessary for work every day, they become required for the day corporate visits.
Being barefoot, a style pioneered by non-Western cultures and adopted by hippies and children everywhere, has also been regaining ground lately. The development of the “foot gloves” reflects the collective desire of people to be able to walk around without shoes. These “foot gloves” are what the name implies: a plastic material that fits your foot like a glove. Though these “foot gloves” are thought to make your feet look like those of a swamp monster, they have been gaining popularity. Developed for people who did extensive swimming or went to the beach often, they have been adopted by every hippie at heart who has been kicked out of a restaurant or institution of learning for not wearing shoes.
Requiring no socks these “foot gloves” reflect the popular desire to be able to function without having to worry about socks and shoes on a daily basis.
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Man Socks
Posted on 20. Feb, 2010 by admin.
Man socks are a mysterious and sullen species. They sit, innocently enough, in the sock drawer after they first purchased, looking for all the world as if they are there to serve.
But beneath this innocent exterior lies a dark and dangerous heart. Man socks routinely make mischief: They leap out of drawers at will, and escape from the house, never to be seen again. Despite careful searching, the only time these individual escapees every reappear is when their partner has been binned. Then, they triumphantly leap out of the shadows, to taunt their owners with their powers of cunning.
The man socks that do stay tend to collect in drifts in the corner, rather like snow. The puzzling part of this behavior is that no-one has ever worn them before this happens. Cries of ‘please pick up your dirty socks’ are the cue for a bewildered owner to look down at his bare feet and respond ‘but I can’t have worn them… I don’t have any matching pairs.’
Although all man socks are mischievous, there are two main breeds: The athletic sock and the dress sock. Most man socks do not like to mix with the other breed, preferring to claim one end of the drawer each. The only time they will intermingle is during escape plots, when each brings their most helpful characteristics to the table – the athletic sock has the power to muffle noise when individual socks sneak out en masse, and the dress sock has the power to slip stealthily under doors, presumably to enlist pens and can openers in the plans.
Some desperate owners of man socks have attempted captive breeding programs. Rather than keeping socks in drawers, the entire collection of socks are stored, unpaired, in a basket near the door. In this way, it is hoped that new man socks will be produced. Although these attempts have proved unsuccessful so far, an interesting kind of self-delusion has been noted in the owners of man socks. When a friend points out that the owner is wearing one black dress sock and one red athletic sock, the owner may respond ‘What do you mean they don’t match? They’re both socks aren’t they?’
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Bed Socks
Posted on 17. Feb, 2010 by admin.
Whether a simple fuzzy sock or a thermal sock designed specially to keep feet warm, bed socks make anyone more comfortable as they try and fall asleep at night. The easiest way to become more comfortable and therefore be able to fall asleep more quickly is to get warm. Everybody becomes naturally dozier in the heat.
Not everyone needs (or wants) socks to fall asleep at night. They can serve as an annoyance to some people. But regardless, bed socks help achieve that by warming the part of the body that is often the most cold: your feet. By heating your feet, your entire body temperature rises, effectively lulling you to sleep.
There are many types of bed socks. There are thermal socks which, originally designed for hikers and campers in the North, catch escaping heat and hold it close to your foot, keeping your feet warm by utilizing your own body heat. These are especially useful for elderly people or for people with a circulation problem (poor blood flow) who need help keeping warm.
For people without circulation problems who just want an easier time dozing off at night there are fuzzy socks. Fuzzy socks are one of the default holiday presents for that one coworker or aunt that you do not know very well. Fuzzy socks can be made out of anything from synthetic fibers to animal fur. They not only come in normal sock form, but can also come with a specially padded bottom, effectively creating a sock-slipper hybrid.
As well as being a default gift you give, they are also a stereotypical gift from Grandma. They are simple to crochet and are often given as a homemade gift. Bed socks are a necessity for anyone up north during winter and a comfort for anyone who lives in a too-cool house.
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Athletic Socks
Posted on 09. Feb, 2010 by admin.
Athletic socks fulfill exactly half of a man’s sock needs. There are exactly two circumstances when a man needs socks: when he is wearing dress shoes to work and when he is doing something athletic. Any other possible activity falls within one of these two categories.
Men wear athletic socks when they have to take their kids to little league and when they have to do the yard work. Whenever there is even the possibility of sweat the athletic sock is a must. Men are simple and straightforward when it comes to their socks: it either matches their dress shoe or helps their shoes from smelling.
Women, of course, are slightly more complicated when it comes to their socks. Though the athletic sock is still an integral part of the dresser, it is not one of only two necessary styles. From hosiery to booties to toe socks to socks “just for fun,” women will inevitably amass an entire drawer full of socks that appear to serve no special purpose beyond what a normal sock could easily satisfy.
But the athletic sock is still necessary. Just like men, women wear these socks in places like the gym, around the house and the dry cleaner while running errands. What was once designed as a simple white socks used only for extreme activity and sweat has become an important part of day to day life. It has become the equivalent of the “casual shirt” when it comes to socks. Rather than having a sock to match every occasion, athletic socks are worn as the comfortable alternative when nice socks are not required.
The athletic sock has become especially versatile with adaptations such as the ankle sock and different colors. In this way socks have become easier to integrate into an outfit.
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Argyle Socks
Posted on 03. Feb, 2010 by admin.
Argyle socks had a bad rap with pop culture for quite a few years. They were associated with the preppy, jerky guys who plague every high school set movie. When combined with boat shoes, a polo and a seventy dollar haircut, argyle socks used to spell out the character of the hilariously stereotypical douche.
The rap was unearned, however. Argyle socks originated when Scottish clansmen had to cut up their tartans (which were plaid patterned) to cover their feet. Because of this argyle socks are characterized by the diamond pattern on the side. Though these were traditionally knitted, the patterns were adopted by commercial producers of socks.
It’s ironic that socks that were pioneered by Scottish warriors should be stereotypically associated with pretty boy high school students. The style first became popular in the US in 1949 when it was introduced by none other than The Brooks Brothers. This company remains today as a main supplier of high end men’s clothing. This introduction may explain why argyle socks carried such a stereotype. The stereotype has shifted, however, as argyle has been accepted as retro and is now sported by most “in-style” teenagers.
This style has been expanded from just socks to all other items of clothing. You can find anything from shirts to vests, sweaters to scarves to rain boots with the argyle print. Extremely popular are thigh high leggings with the argyle print on them. You can even find the argyle print on non-clothing items such as school supplies and bags.
From its invention by Scottish clansmen to the stereotypical sign of a wealthy jerk to the retro teenagers, argyle has gone through several transitions in fashion. It has always remained the same however, simply a sock with a diamond pattern on its side.
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White Ankle Socks
Posted on 30. Jan, 2010 by admin.
White ankle socks are possibly the most logical step in the evolution of sock technology. Everyone has had a point in his life where he wanted to wear sneakers with his shorts but couldn’t because his socks went a quarter of the way up his calf.
Ankle socks offer the same material and strength as a regular issue cotton sock. They come in all colors and often have patterns printed on them. The only difference is that they end directly under the ankle bone, allowing for the wearer to sport low top sneakers and shorts at the same time.
These socks once and for all eliminate the unattractive two inches of sock that have a nasty habit of peaking up above the sneaker, no matter how many times you tuck them down during your workout. And, for those readers who refused to even attempt the “tucked down” style, ankle socks allow the wearer to stop worrying about whether or not their socks are pulled all the way up.
Ankle socks are also surprisingly popular with private schools. Students discovered years ago that one way to try and make their painfully awkward looking enforced uniforms slightly more trendy was to eliminate the previously mentioned inch of sock. The use of ankle socks allows for the students to wear their closed-toed white shoes and knee length khaki shorts together less awkwardly.
These socks, originally worn by athletes, have been adopted by soccer moms, jogging college students and comfort-seeking pajama bums everywhere. They provide comfort for the foot within the shoe without interfering with the actual appearance of a person’s outfit. They are perfect for workouts, carting the kids around in the afternoon heat or just lounging around a house that is a little too cool.
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Yellow Socks
Posted on 24. Jan, 2010 by admin.
It has happened to everyone. You get ready in the dark, pulling on the first pair of socks your still-asleep hands feel in the darkness. You put on the first pair of pants you find on the ground, regardless of whether or not they are clean or long enough. You add sneakers and a baggy t-shirt and you are ready.
It is not until halfway through your hectic day of errands and meetings with friends that you realize that the socks you had put on are bright yellow socks. Not a normal, off-white yellow of course, but a glaringly neon yellow that almost blinds all those who can see you. Pale yellow socks are often an acceptable complement to an outfit that is otherwise understated. But half-asleep hands are incapable of finding these normal socks in the morning.
This universal experience begs the question: Why are there yellow socks to begin with? Has anyone ever woken up and purposely said to himself, “I’m going to wear obnoxious socks today”?
Outside of eighties sitcom reruns, dressing five year olds for Easter and the disturbingly fast growing fashion style of “never wear the same outfit twice—EVER,” it is hard to imagine a circumstance in which yellow socks are necessary.
It is safe to assume that yellow socks are a natural byproduct of creating a culture in which every product has to be available in every color and style, despite the practicality of said product in said culture. In much the same way that ketchup was purple for a brief period of time, bright yellow socks were once cute. Thankfully wiser heads have prevailed and now the more somber pale yellow socks are in fashion. But there is still the constant question of why the bright socks ever existed.
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Travel Socks
Posted on 19. Jan, 2010 by admin.
Anyone who travels often, whether for work of for pleasure, knows the importance of having separate travel socks. Whether you have feet that swell at high altitude or need a pair that will remain comfortable for your 16 hour connecting flight, travel socks are your best bet for surviving your day of travel.
Planes are fun when you’re five and watch with your nose pressed to the glass as you fly, no matter what your anatomy says. By the time you’re in your thirties and heading to a weekend conference you couldn’t get out of, flying isn’t so much fun anymore. Instead, it’s full of crying babies and smelly men who want to take a nap and drool on your shoulder.
It’s important to take whatever measure you can to be comfortable during your flight. From sweatpants to his favorite CD, every traveler has his own secret for how to remain sane during the hours of wasted time. Every little bit helps, and having travel socks are lightweight, quick-drying and soft, keeping your feet more comfortable. If your feet swell at high altitudes you can get a compression style, stopping the swelling no matter how long your flight is.
Also, frequent travelers know how important it is to keep the weight of your luggage down. In order to do this you need to be sure the socks you pack are lightweight, especially with how strictly airlines have been enforcing their weight limit laws. Having to bring an extra piece of luggage is expensive nowadays, so being able to fit everything into what you’re allowed to bring is essential. Having compression socks may help only a little, but it does help.
Travel socks are not fashionable, they are simply functional, helping travelers remain comfortable.
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