Is wearing fancy coloured socks normal in the UK?

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shadowed_siren@reddit

I think back in the days where you were always expected to wear full business attire to work it was one of those things that didn’t make you feel like a soulless robot.

Thank god those days are basically over.

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oovavoooo@reddit

The loss of suits and business attire is a sad state of affairs. Just another nail in the coffin for our societal decline, in my mind.

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shadowed_siren@reddit

I disagree. I’m able to do my job just as well (probably better, actually) in a hoodie and joggers from my home than I am in a pencil skirt and heels in the office.

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I’m currently listening to the audiobook of Grayson Perry’s The Descent of Man, and he points out that Peter Jones from Dragon’s Den was considered an ‘eccentric’ because he wore colourful socks with his ‘default man’ uniform of two piece suit and tie.

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Loose_Acanthaceae201@reddit

PJ usually wears a three-piece, doesn't he?

Point still stands - perhaps even stronger in a more formal suit.

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Eoin_McLove@reddit

bruh I’m commenting on Reddit while watching X-Files on Disney Plus - I don’t know the difference.

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Loose_Acanthaceae201@reddit

The truth is out there, Eoin.

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Valdorado@reddit

Haha amazing, I always wear Happy Socks with some design and noticed since watching it the socks. Obviously different now quite a few at my workplace note my socks still... If you like it wear it lol

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quosp@reddit

I quite often rewatch The Office, which was made just over 20 years ago, and everyone in it wears really formal business clothing. I remember this era well because I started working in an office at the same time and that's how things were depending on the workplace. Some were a bit more casual, for example you'd get away with wearing smart trousers and a shirt without a tie or maybe with a plain jumper, but others were full on suit required. To do any sort of job that involved a desk or a computer involved commuting into an office because the technology and internet speeds required to work from home weren't there yet. These days I work fully remote and wear what I like within reason (since I do have some video calls). It's really quite insane how much has gradually changed since the year 2000 in this respect.

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shadowed_siren@reddit

It is crazy. I went into the workforce in banking around 15 years ago. Casual Friday where we had to pay a pound to “dress down” was actually an exciting day.

Now I’m lucky if I’m in the office one day a week. And I’m usually in a hoodie and joggers unless I have an important video call. Madness.

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Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit

I have been teached since I was little that the only acceptable long socks colours are black, dark blue or dark grey - and they have to reach the knees

Anyone who has strong opinions about the acceptable colours of socks must be so boring to know. I literally couldn't care about any opinions this person has.

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Gabriele25@reddit (OP)

I don’t have “strong opinions” ahah, I am just surprise by the difference. I had thought black long socks were a “firm rule” of suits until moving to London. Imagine people wearing something completely unusual like for example papillon to business meetings - wouldn’t it look weird to you? Just trying to understand the different formal clothing rules here

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Fluffy_Juggernaut_@reddit

Anyone that has any rules about socks isn't worth listening to.

I don't know what a Papillon even is? The only thing I can imagine is a bow tie which isn't "completely unusual". Every business meeting I've ever been to, people are wearing jeans. 🤷

I don't have the energy to care about what other people wear. If you think that's more important than what they say then you are bad at whatever job this is you are doing.

I hardly think colourful socks can be considered "completely unusual" either. Are you Patrick Bateman?

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txakori@reddit

“Nœud papillon” is French for “bow tie”, so given the context I’m going to assume that’s what OP is referring to; even though Italian, to my knowledge, uses “cravatta a farfalla”. Fun fact: both papillon and farfalla literally mean “butterfly”, which is a way cooler way of referring to bow ties.

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SingleMaltLife@reddit

Aren’t we all collectively missing the fact that his socks go up to his knees?? Isn’t that exceptionally high?

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Gabriele25@reddit (OP)

As I mentioned in another comment, it’s very common in Italian suit “rules” - I would say no one wears any socks other than those that go over the calf up to touching the knee. But yeah that’s another difference I’ve noticed here where socks tend to be half calf for suits. I think it’s also related to the fact that Italian style trousers are usually cut quite short (almost without touching the shoe) whereas British style suit trousers are usually longer covering the upper part of the shoes.

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Loose_Acanthaceae201@reddit

Are Italian men shorter than British men on average? Maybe it's the same socks but they just look longer.

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imtheorangeycenter@reddit

I think they play for Lazio or Inter based on the allowed colour choices.

(No, I don't really know Italian club football colours)

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coconutbunch@reddit

Related question- where do you get your “weird” socks from?

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Gabriele25@reddit (OP)

I usually get them from this company - this is the type that would not fall down during the day https://www.calzedonia.com/it/product/calze_lunghe_in_filo_di_scozia-UL0050.html?dwvar_UL0050_Z_COL_CALZ_EC1=019

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imtheorangeycenter@reddit

The KNEES? Are you a football player? Some kind of schoolgirl roleplay service?

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Gabriele25@reddit (OP)

As I mentioned in another comment, it’s very common in Italian suit “rules” - I would say no one wears any socks other than those that go over the calf up to touching the knee. But yeah that’s another difference I’ve noticed here where socks tend to be half calf for suits. I think it’s also related to the fact that Italian style trousers are usually cut quite short (almost without touching the shoe) whereas British style suit trousers are usually longer covering the upper part of the shoes.

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P2P-BSH@reddit

As you've found, it's fairly normal. People won't think you're weird for wearing black socks. Some people like colourful socks, some people don't.

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LittleSadRufus@reddit

I think people would think wearing socks up to the knees is weird (outside of football matches), but if OP is wearing a suit it likely won't be detected.

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Gabriele25@reddit (OP)

It’s very common in Italian suit “rules” - I would say no one wears any socks which do not go over the calf up to touching the knee. But yeah that’s another difference I’ve noticed here where socks tend to be half calf for suits. I think it’s also related to the fact that Italian style trousers are usually cut quite short (almost without touching the shoe) whereas British style suit trousers usually more than cover the upper part of the shoe

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Low_Sodiium@reddit

When I have to wear my ‘fancy suit’ for meetings, it’s usually paired with space invader socks…

…one peer has a tailored suit with punk skulls on the inner lining of the jacket, he’s probably also wearing his wife’s underwear too with that outfit…

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Agitated-Tourist9845@reddit

I have two sons. The only way I know what socks are mine is if they’re so awful they won’t nick them

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That_Organization901@reddit

There are almost no ways in which men can express themselves in their clothing. There are hardly any fits, styles, or colours when compared to women’s clothes. Most men have relegated their expression to just their socks.

That’s the travesty here.

I would like to see more men wear more vibrant colours, be offered more options in sleeve lengths or even some asymmetric designs, and for it to be acceptable to have variety in length and style of bottoms too.

When I see men from Africa and SE Asia wearing amazing cuts of suits In stunning colours with patterns on them I’m excited! Normalise that over drab grey suits and black socks!

Do yourself a favour and google ‘Thai suit’, and weep at our mediocrity.

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JoinMyPestoCult@reddit

You should follow the menswear guy on social media.

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Cpt_Dan_Argh@reddit

As you suspected, pair them with your pocket square and you'll be good.

Plenty others have correctly said, it's a way of injecting a little individuality into a suit when surrounded by plenty of others wearing very similar suits. Nothing wrong with sticking to your black socks, also nothing wrong with going nuts with the colour, just make sure it compliments your skin tone and it works with the rest of your attire.

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Qyro@reddit

No-one really sees your socks as they’re hidden under shoes and trousers most the time. If I’ve got to wear a soulless suit day-in-day-out you’re damn sure I’m going to let my eccentricities out in my choice of sock colour.

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BandicootObjective32@reddit

Bright socks definitely seem mandatory for guys in a senior management position from what I've seen. Black or white socks is for the underlings.

Worked with the Bursar at one of the exclusive London schools who always wore red socks

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Competitive_Alps_514@reddit

It's an old public school thing. Not new, and not original.

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imtheorangeycenter@reddit

White socks? Surely the preserve of the manger of a SportsDirect who forgit to put some one before getting to work.

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BandicootObjective32@reddit

White socks for the work experience kid then!

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imtheorangeycenter@reddit

Even at school in the 90s we had a dark uniform, but if you wore white socks you were sent away to change from the lost and found box. Only a white suit - bold choice! - can get away with white socks.

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SpaTowner@reddit

Red socks are to be expected of people taking dried frog pills.

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North_Still_2234@reddit

Unless you're a funeral director, coloured socks are fine in most jobs

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greedygannet@reddit

I think we're quite an informal nation (despite the suits and bowler hats stereotype). While business wear is still required in some jobs, a suit is mostly for weddings and funerals.

In most settings where you would wear a suit (some jobs, and weddings) "fun" socks or ties are a nice way of personalising your clothes while following the "rules" of men's formal wear. No one will be bothered at all.

Funerals might be a place for a dark suit and black socks, but even then, a lot of funerals are celebrating life rather than mourning death and so bright colours might be fine in context.

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Consistent_Dust_2332@reddit

It can become self fulfilling too. If you do a work secret danta & are known to wear silly socks... you'll probably get more!

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mrbadger2000@reddit

Never trust a man with comedy socks

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imtheorangeycenter@reddit

At least we are past comedy tie.

RIP (ish) TieRack and other "well of course I buy my ties in a train station" outlets.

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Moorglademover@reddit

Personal choice.

On a separate note, anyone know where I can get yellow-tartan socks from ?

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Fine-Night-243@reddit

In the days when men used to wear ties to the office you could wear a wacky tie as an individual streak. I guess socks are the new wacky ties.

On another note the demise of the tie is really sad..I used to love wearing ties to work. Feel a bit of a twat doing it now.as no one else wears one.

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Willeth@reddit

Will I be looked as “weird” for always wearing my socks black when wearing a suit?

No.

Everything else you're overthinking.

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Cupid_Stunt17@reddit

Ergh i hate this. Unfortunately its normal. Not just bright colours either, ive seen people wearing suits with donut socks on or other cartoons. Hate hate hate it. Always black or white for me, except my fluffy ones for chilling at home!

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dth300@reddit

As others have said, socks provide an outlet for creativity amongst a restrictive business attire. Also, knee socks are unusual, calf length is much more common.

BTW the past tense is taught, because English is weird

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flexo_24@reddit

Look at Greg Davies - he always wears a black suit, black shirt, black waistcoat but always a different pair of coloured socks.

This is a nice subtle way to add a splash of colour to a suit.

In answer to your question, I use them like a handkerchief, eg a navy suit and orange or yellow socks is a fun combo

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shannikkins@reddit

If they fit your feet, wear them!

What an awful world to live in that demands you wear acceptable hosiery.

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Any_Crew_5478@reddit

It’s normal, but not expected and nobody would judge you for wearing black socks. I think people just see it as a way to express themselves when they’re wearing a suit.

If you want to wear brightly coloured socks there is no rule, wear whatever colour or pattern your heart desires! If anything, the tackier and the more it clashes the better

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Honey-Badger@reddit

Brightly coloured socks, especially ones with fun patterns has been a way for city workers to show a little personality for some time now. There are even high profile businessmen who are known for their flamboyant socks (Peter Jones from Dragons den for example)

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solve_et_coagula13@reddit

It’s probably because people have to wear a formal suit all day everyday and wearing colourful or crazy socks is a small act of rebellion. If I had to wear a suit to work I’d do a different job. Being dressed in a suit doesn’t make you more professional, better at your job or even better presented in some cases. You’re just wearing a suit.

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