Long before the show So Random came up with a rap song about wearing socks and sandals – the trend of wearing socks with sandals was worthy of arrest by the fashion police. Truth is, old men everywhere – have been wearing summertime sandals with starched white socks for as long as there have been old men in the world. But now, the trend has hit the “Gangsta’ scene and has quickly become one of the most laughable fashion trends of this century.
Even the urban dictionary – which is the go-to place to find out about anything you might be too old to understand in this day and age – has a definition for ‘socks and sandals.’ Here is the revised text.
Socks & Sandals: The gangster way for wearing sandals. The only time you will catch a gangster wearing sandals is if its summer time and they are wearing some crispy (white) socks with some Adidas or Jordan or Nike sandals. This is considered GANGSTA.
Of course, for most people socks and sandals is a complete mockery. After all, if it’s warm enough to wear sandals, or flip-flops – then likely it is too hot to wear socks. And if you need socks to keep your feet warm, chances are it’s too cold to be wearing sandals. Still, take a look at Snooki, or Lady Gaga – and it becomes obvious that fashion doesn’t have to make sense.
The question is….Is it EVER okay to wear socks and sandals? Or does doing so, make you a candidate for ending up on one of the People of Wal-Mart YouTube videos?
Expert fashion sites of course say NO, that absolutely socks and sandals is a fashion blunder. However, the trend is something that has taken off with younger, high school aged kids, who like to wear their flip-flops year round with socks. And with the re-introduction of the 1980’s ‘toe socks’ that come in all sorts of fluorescent colors and loud prints – teens are sporting their socks and sandals look everywhere they go. This doesn’t make it okay, but rather acceptable.
As for the old men who wear socks and sandals. Let’s just assume that most of them are diabetic and that they are trying to take care of their feet by wearing comfortable sandals with diabetic socks. Or, they are trying to avoid applying sunscreen to their feet but don’t want to give up the casual feel of their sandals. The thing is, if the socks and sandals debate is being held over an old man – the truth is that his age alone allows him to get away with things that most people would not.
All of that being said, wearing socks and sandals in the workplace is never a good idea. In fact, wearing sandals, flip-flops or any shoes that ‘reveal the entire toe’ in a professional environment has long been an activity that has been looked down upon in the professional business world. (Incidentally, many older business professionals are in complete awe about the fact that so many from this up and coming younger generation will wear flip-flops to job interviews. Years okay, that would be reason enough to NOT hire someone)
Other times when it may be okay to wear socks and sandals are as follows:
- You are going bowling, which means you are going to change shoes anyway. This can make changing shoes easier.
- You have a foot that is swollen or injured and won’t fit properly into any of your other shoes. And it’s cold outside.
- You are going to a bounce house.
- You are competing in a trampoline competition.
- You are dressing up for Halloween.
- According to the Urban Dictionary, when you ‘wanna be Gangsta!’
- You are an 80-year-old man with diabetic feet.
- It’s pajama day at school or work, and you don’t have any slippers.
- You are walking to your mailbox, and didn’t want to ruin your socks by walking in the grass or dirt – so you quickly slip on sandals that are sitting by the door.
- You didn’t have time to cut your toenails. Ever.
- You have some disgusting foot infection that no one in the entire world should ever see.
(Editors Note – Tried to come up with more times when it would be an appropriate thing to wear together – but sadly, couldn’t come up with any more. Sorry)
All in all, fashion today is changing. We live in a world wear showing bra straps, wearing ‘pants on the ground,’ going shirtless, wearing fuzzy boots in the summertime, not wearing pantyhose with work attire, wearing a ring on every finger, intentionally filling your front teeth with gold fillings, and wearing cut-off blue jeans that show your butt cheeks are common occurrences. Perhaps one of the most benign is definitely the wearing of socks and sandals. All we can hope for as a society, that this is one trend that won’t last!
8 Responses
I think it’s either out of habit or because some think they have very ugly feet and especially men seem to be socialized this way in some circles and subculters, it depends, like they think men have much uglier feet than women so they should stay hidden or that it’s not manly if they show. It often self fulfills because they actually didn’t take care of them one bit which is what very made them ugly in first place ^_^. Or for similar reasons, us men including myself to an extent are much used to wear socks all time and cling to them as a protective layer out of habit, complaing that losing them irritate their feet due to the friction, which is probably why many resort to just not wear shorts even in summer or even wearing shorts with shoes and socks! A minor part resorts to sandals and socks and their reasons might cross with the other aforementioned ones, thinking it’s too hot to wear shoes, but just can’t forego socks.
About the comfort, well it’s just normal that it feels uncomfortable at first, you are just used to wear socks all year round except for going beach :).
When I went out in shorts for the first time, my leather sandals used to feet quite uncomfortable against my bare feet and toes, because I always wore socks and pants. I was about to give up and go for pairing shoes and socks or simply go back to light pants, but I figured I just had to break them out and in addition just getting used to that, until it felt great and comfortable. So I can really understand where you come from.
Remember to take care of heels, scrub, file your toenails and optionally take off excess hair, before wearing shorts, it’s just taking care of yourself respecting yourself in first place and nothing is unmanly about that ^_^.
If you wear colorful socks like Bombas what is the point of covering them up. Show your colorful socks. Socks and sandals are acceptable. The world needs less judging of people by their physical appearances.
Dead right!
I love my brightly coloured socks which makes two statements –
1. I am a positive person and my socks reflect that.
2. I couldn’t give a toss what silly negative peiple think.
It’s still me and I agree with you, as intentional fashion statement it’s perfect! Or if one is really more comfortable with that it imho should take priority.
I have nerve damage in my foot. Wearing socks protects my foot from sandals or shoes rubbing wrongly on my foot. I know your article was meant to be cute, but there are some legit reasons for wearing socks and sandals. But, for now, I am stuck wearing clunky athletic shoes when a pair of lightweight socks and comfy sandals would be so comfortable.
I personally think that if it’s monochrome ( so white socks paired with white sandals, etc) it actually looks kinda bomb! But honestly just wear whatever you wanna wear. Life is way too short to worry about other people’s opinions!
Absolutely, I slightly changed my mind from my first comment which was tongue in cheek anyway, I already thought white or white or, imho better, black on black socks and sandals can look great and intentional, you make it look like summer lightweight ankle boots!
The author of this article if full of horse hockey. Wearing socks and sandals appropriate varies by culture and country. For example, it is considered unprofessional to wear sandals without socks in India.