29) Socks - The Evolution of a Fashion Trend

Socks have made a comeback. Once hidden in shoes as footie or ankle socks, they are now emerging above shoelines, skimming knees and even hitting thigh-level. Even more interesting is the (2009) emergence and (2010) embracing of the socks with sandals, and socks paired with heels trends.

In college, socks with sandals was a major fashion no-no attributed to engineers and those unconcerned with social acceptance. Now a Google search of the phrase also yields this, this, and this. While the blogger jury was still be deliberating over its appeal in 2009, socks with sandals/heels began cropping up on runways and in lookbooks everywhere.


(Marni, Burberry, Christian Dior)

This year, as the trend has trickled down from high fashion to mainstream, socks have enjoyed a strong presence in catalogs...


(Urban Outfitters, Zara, J Crew)

...and have become a spring staple for fashion bloggers.



The socks themselves speak to a sense of hidden sexuality. They elicit allusions of little girls, Lolita, the Catholic school girl. Simultaneously innocent (frilly lace ankle socks) and illicit (thigh highs and garter belts), the look plays to the two sides of every female. Its popularity is a testament to the relevance of this symbolic return to youthful purity and concurrent venture into deviance to the modern woman.