# Long or short socks? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 22, 2006, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738 "2006-05-22T13:02:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738/21 "2006-05-23T18:36:08Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Black or . . . Right, I was referring to **twotwofive** saying black is “NOT acceptable”, unless you are a butler, which, I am not! ---
**Author:** ![Twotwofive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Twotwofive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twotwofive)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2006, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738/22 "2006-05-24T12:38:07Z")
> [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](#): > > So my black slacks and black dress shoes at the office should be worn with what kind/color of socks? Preferably navy, or otherwise grey (“gray”). Patterns are acceptable if they’re obviously “designer” rather than “novelty”. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738/23 "2006-05-25T01:54:25Z")
> [@Dragwyr](#): > > So what do the Teeming Millions think? What combinations of socks with pants and shorts do you think are acceptable to wear? 3 simple rules for 11811: 1. Long dress socks with suits and dressy pants. 2. Smartwool socks (preferably blue) from November through April 3. Champion ankle socks (preferably black) May through October. Note that sock-months are approximate as weather patterns vary. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MizGrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@MizGrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizGrand)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738/24 "2006-05-25T12:30:52Z")
As I’m sorting the clean laundry for folding, I toss the socks into piles of whose who’s. It goes like this: Pick up sock, toss into pile and say “daddy” “bryan” “mommy” or “adam”. When I come upon daddy’s little short socks I say “faggy socks”. I love gay people so please don’t make this an insult, it’s just something that pops into my head. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738/25 "2006-05-25T12:40:43Z")
> [@RSSchen](#): > > As I’m sorting the clean laundry for folding, I toss the socks into piles of whose who’s. It goes like this: > Pick up sock, toss into pile and say “daddy” “bryan” “mommy” or “adam”. When I come upon daddy’s little short socks I say “faggy socks”. I love gay people so please don’t make this an insult, it’s just something that pops into my head. HATIN’ the short socks. Just HATIN’ 'em. Except on women. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738/26 "2006-05-25T12:54:33Z")
Oh. . . **s** ocks. Never mind. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MizGrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@MizGrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizGrand)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738/27 "2006-05-25T13:36:02Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > HATIN’ the short socks. Just HATIN’ 'em. Except on women. I think I love you. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738/28 "2006-05-25T14:37:02Z")
> [@Twotwofive](#): > > Preferably navy, or otherwise grey (“gray”). Patterns are acceptable if they’re obviously “designer” rather than “novelty”. Well, I’m not a fashion expert, but with my black dress pants and shoes, I still think black dress socks would be better than navy… ? ---
**Author:** ![Twotwofive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Twotwofive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twotwofive)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738/29 "2006-05-25T15:22:40Z")
> [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](#): > > Well, I’m not a fashion expert, but with my black dress pants and shoes, I still think black dress socks would be better than navy… ? By “better”, do you just mean “the same colour”? If so, you are simply perpetuating the sterotype that men are rubbish at coordinating colours. That aside, rules were meant to be broken (and we’re only talking about socks here, after all). To tell the truth, I wear black socks with a suit all the time, but at least I know that I’m breaking the rules when I do so, meaning that I’m making a statement, rather than a mistake 😉 . I’ve also probably worn lace-ups with a tux at some point, and it didn’t kill me. Actually, I don’t think I have, but I probably would. Anyway, the fact is that black socks are, traditionally, your butler’s uniform. Hence, the “gentleman” wears grey or navy. Whether this, or any other tailoring tradition, has any place in the modern world is a matter of opinion. However, if you want to know the rules, these are they. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738/30 "2006-05-25T15:40:11Z")
> [@RSSchen](#): > > I think I love you. 😉 Is it just me or do they give the ankle a decidedly feminine turn? The look makes me want to perform pedicures on men. Complete with polish. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738/31 "2006-05-25T16:13:08Z")
> [@Twotwofive](#): > > Anyway, the fact is that black socks are, traditionally, your butler’s uniform. Hence, the “gentleman” wears grey or navy. Whether this, or any other tailoring tradition, has any place in the modern world is a matter of opinion. However, if you want to know the rules, these are they. I learn something new every day… and all those years growing up when my mother would dress me in black socks with nice clothes when we went to church, she was wrong all this time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-or-short-socks/357738.md?page=1)