Yes, we really paid £60 for statement socks. Here’s why.
Question: who would pay £60 for a pair of socks? Sixty. Whole. Quid. For socks? Well, the answer is 500 people in one week, according to Net-A-Porter who sold that number of pairs by Parisian brand Vetements recently.
It might seem a crazy sum to spend on a functional accessory, but the statement sock is having a moment – and for lots of us, it can be an affordable entry point to designer brands, giving us a little hit of Vetements/Gucci/Miu Miu, even if the rest of the outfit is H&M or Zara.
When it comes to making a fashion statement, I generally like mine to be about quiet luxury, rather than shouty logos, attention-grabbing heels, or quirky bags. However, I recently dipped a toe into a statement sock with a pair of coloured fishnets and... I liked it. Somehow, I felt a bit edgier (yes, I’m cringing as I write this, but it’s true).
Encouraged by that small step, I decide to go the whole hog with a sporty white cotton pair by Gucci (it’s worth noting here that I find lots of other good options from Topshop, Urban Outfitters and Asos). What initially strikes me is that I need to flip the way I think about socks: instead of putting them on as an afterthought, they suddenly become my starting point for the whole outfit. Even fashion editors get it wrong sometimes, and I’ll admit this was a process of trial and error: I had originally planned to wear them with a pair of cropped trousers, but had to do a swift re-think upon discovering that this combination gives a seriously leg-shortening effect. You live and learn. Eventually, I settle on the above outfit – the shirt feels smart and keeps the look from venturing too far into athleisure, the denim skirt shows off the socks, the heels elongate my legs and a luxe bag in a bright colour ties it all together.
I discover statement socks are truly transformative, because without the socks, this outfit is fairly conventional. Likewise, you could also team them with a suit, which would instantly take your two-piece out of the office and into cooler territory. So, go on, try them and, like me, you might find that your sock drawer becomes a whole lot more fun.
(Product above: suede sandals, £440, Gianvito Rossi at Net-A-Porter, silk-mix trousers, £390, Tibi at Harrods, cotton-mix socks, £3.50, Topshop, cotton clutch, £485, Mansur Gavriel at Matches Fashion, silk-mix blouse, £365, Tibi at Net-A-Porter)
White socks with 'mother fucker' print, £19, Mother Denim
White cotton socks with panther and stripes print, £80, Gucci
Grey ankle socks with white stripes, £3.50, Topshop
Long white socks with star print, £175, Givenchy at Ssense
Cream socks with bee glitter embroidery, £3.50, Topshop
Brown and cream patterned cashmere socks, £155, Gucci
White socks with black motifs, £45, Off-White at Matches Fashion
Black and white cotton socks with tiger and stripes print, £3.50, Asos
Neon green ankle socks, £3, Asos
Neon pink mesh socks with matching plain pair, £7.99, Zara
Grey cotton socks with 'whatever' motif, £3.50, Topshop
Navy socks with metallic dots, £7, & Other Stories
