Long Pants and Sneakers: White Socks or Dark Socks?
Whether ‘Tis Nobler
I’ve had this dilemma for years now: when wearing sneakers (“trainers” if you’re English) with long pants, should your socks be light or dark? A subset of this problem: whether the sneakers are light or dark.
Another Troubling Question
Which brings me to another question. At what age does the average man begin to feel that it’s okay to wear dark socks with shorts. (This look can sometimes be pulled off by Brazilian soccer stars, but not by you, pops.)
The Conversation…
So, what say you – dark socks or white socks when wearing long pants and sneakers. We’ll tackle the age/shorts thing another time.
The Podcast…
Podcast: Download
SOCKS?? Why are you wearing socks, Bruce? This is summer! How about no socks, at least in the summertime. Just remember to put a little powder in the sneaks beforehand so your feet slide into them and, even better, so you won’t have “smelly feet” should you suddenly want to kick those shoes off!
Oh, and any color sneaks are fine – very in fashion now. However,never, ever dark socks with shorts. I should know as my “life partner”
often wears them on the weekends. He can almost look dorky but somehow manages to get away with it…must be his charming smile. I gave up trying years ago. 
Good call BCO – I love to LOSE the socks all together in the summer months. (And a variety of sneaker shades is important as well.) And as for dark socks and shorts, I say if a guy can make it work, rock it out.
Regarding long pants and sneakers, however, I still find myself in a quandary.
While I forego all forms of restrictive footwear in the summer, the hubster goes with white sneakers (trainers) and white socks with long pants. He goes sockless with “boat shoes” but not sneakers. He has been known, for golfing, to go with the white “peds”(as we gals call them) when he wears shorts with his “saddle shoe” style golf shoes. That is the sum total of my knowledge on this issue!
Just sport the flip flops, man! They go w/anything! If you MUST wear sneakers, go with white socks. And as for the darks, there are a lot of ‘sport socks’ that are dark these days, so it’s in style. But NEVER wear dark DRESS socks with sneakers. EVER!
Joan – Your husband, obviously, is a dude.
Bobby – Your math is SO correct, sir: Socks + Summer = Unnecessary.
I am also beginning to sense that one should wear white socks when sporting sneakers (trainers) with long pants…
It is all in the pants:
Dark pants= dark socks.
Light pants= light socks.
Use Gold Bond powder if going sockless, or if you are a Walmart person like I am, Equate medicated body powder.
An in-teresting concept, Laura. Kudos!
socks??? no socks = no problem…
Bruce,
This is a very funny post. What I really like to do is sock watch. It says a lot about someone…light socks, dark socks, high socks, short socks.
Light socks: Not much of a fashion sense. Thinks it is a safe bet until he shows up with black sneakers and white socks indicating that he is a D.P. looking for his immigration card
Dark Socks: With white sneakers, I clearly just grabbed the only pair of matching socks in my drawer. My wife does the laundry and my kids take every pair I have. I have no control in my house.
High Socks to the Knee: My social security check comes monthly.
Medium Socks: Not old enough for AARP and I really don’t care what kind of socks I am wearing.
Short Socks: I am confident enough to display a Nike Label and probaby suffer from ADHD because I absolutely hate textures and when my socks fall off into my sneaker when I am walking.
Ultra Short Socks: I don’t have big feet. I am a fashionista and want people to think I don’t sweat and I don’t need to flush when I dump because everything smells like roses.