Novelty Socks
Fashion Influence — how style shapes, and is shaped by, the people who wear it
Novelty socks are the wardrobe's small canvas for humor and personality: bright colors, creative designs, funny text and licensed characters on a garment that also keeps feet warm and dry. This guide covers what inspires the designs and a short history of the sock itself, expanded below with wearing and buying notes.
Novelty Socks
Are you looking to add a little fun to your outfit? Novelty socks may be the way to go.
The term novelty essentially means the quality of being new, original, or unusual. In our opinion the term should also include the word "fun". Tossing a little fun into your wardrobe is one of the primary attributes of novelty socks. Sure, they also keep your feet warm and dry.
A sock is an item of clothing worn on the feet and often covering the ankle and some part of the calf. Some type of shoe such as a sneaker or boot is typically worn over socks.
Novelty socks are typically designed with bright colors, creative design work, funny text, or licensed characters. Novelty socks are creative garments that can be inspired by movie charachters, cartoons, comic books, bands, or any other type of interesting illustration. The colors may match your outfit, but the novelty design can possibly be the highlight of your outfit. Let your creativity show with novel sock designs.
Fun, quirky, or down righ strange.
Sock History:
The modern English word sock is derived from the Old English word socc, meaning "light slipper". This comes from the Latin soccus, a term to describe a "light, low-heeled shoe" worn by Roman comic actors, and deriving from the Ancient Greek word sykchos.
In ancient times, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair. In the late 16th century, machine-knit socks were first produced. Until 1800 both hand knitting and machine knitting were used to produce socks, but after 1800, machine knitting became the more common method.
Shop for crazy socks socks for men, women and kids and many of the retails that you buy more traditional socks. This is a great way to let your personality shine through on what could have been a normal (potentially boring) day.
You may also have interest in novelty t-shirts.
If you work in the fashion industry, you may wish to also take a few minutes to learn a bit more about how socks are manufactured.
You may want to also learn about boot socks.
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Wearing Novelty Socks Well
The novelty sock's advantage is scale: it is the one place a conservative outfit can carry a loud design without the design running the outfit. A flash of bright pattern between a plain trouser hem and a plain shoe reads as a deliberate detail, while the same print at shirt size would be the whole statement. That is also why the colors do not have to match the outfit exactly — the design can be the highlight — though picking up one color from the rest of the look keeps the effect intentional rather than accidental.
Occasion is the working limit. Novelty socks are sold for men, women and kids at most retailers that sell traditional socks, and they suit casual, creative and social settings best; formal dress codes and somber occasions ask for plain socks, and most wearers keep a drawer division between the two. Construction is unchanged by the print: the sock still covers the foot and ankle or part of the calf, is worn under a shoe such as a sneaker or boot, and is judged in the end by the same fit, cushioning and fiber tests as any other sock, with boot socks the heavier branch of the family for cold and work.
Gifts, Collections and Care
Novelty socks are a standard gift precisely because size risk is low and the design does the talking, and licensed designs — a favorite film, band or cartoon — let the giver aim at a known interest. Collectors treat limited designs the way t-shirt collectors treat prints, which is why retailers refresh designs often. Care is simple: wash printed socks inside out in cool water to protect the design, and dry on low heat to preserve the elastic that keeps a short sock in place.
Common Questions
What makes a sock a novelty sock?
Design intent: novelty socks are typically designed with bright colors, creative design work, funny text or licensed characters, and can be inspired by movie characters, cartoons, comic books, bands or any other interesting illustration.
Where does the word sock come from?
From the Old English socc, meaning light slipper, from the Latin soccus, a light low-heeled shoe worn by Roman comic actors, itself deriving from the Ancient Greek word sykchos.
When were machine-knit socks first produced?
In the late 16th century. Before that, socks were made from leather or matted animal hair; hand knitting and machine knitting were both used until 1800, after which machine knitting became the more common method.