The Socks Drawer Blog

Another Japanese sock trend I happened upon in my search for all things socks, was the loose sock.

In the early 1990’s the school uniform for girls in Japan was changed to a shorter skirt style. At that time some girls started to order and wear imported mountain climbing socks. These added warmth and also hid more exposed legs. Somewhere along the way, these high school girls started stretching them out, giving them a looser, sloutchy appearance. This turned into a huge fashion trend. Although these socks can be found in black and navy, white is by far the most popular. The biggest surge of this trend was in the mid to late 1990’s, however loose socks are still worn and trendy by highschool girls, especially in the more urban areas of Japan.

The loose socks are now available in Japan, and not imported. They are an extra long white sock that girls stretch out. They often use a special sock glue or other adhesive to keep their socks up. These socks are usually worn with mary janes or loafers. Loose socks became such a fashion rage at one time that schools would not permit them for a time!

So from function and utility to fashion trend, the loose sock is definitely a unique sock!

Here is a good shot of the Japanese Loose Sock

Here is how these Japanese Loose socks were worn with the school uniforms.

Clothing made from bamboo is gaining worldwide popularity, and one of the biggest sellers currently is bamboo socks.

Bamboo is one of the most cost-efficient and eco-friendly crops due to its fast growth rate (grows to 75 ft. in 45 days) and its natural ability to regenerate new growth without replanting. It also takes in 5 times more greenhouse gases and produces more oxygen than most trees. For many of us, buying choices are increasingly influenced by the impact on the earth’s ability to sustain the resources we need. Bamboo is a good choice for this reason and others.

Bamboo is also a natural product with a comfortable, airy feel. Unlike cotton, the fabric absorbs moisture and wicks it away from your body, making it an ideal fabric for socks, where wicking moisture is essential for comfort and foot health. Bamboo also contains an anti-bacterial/anti-fungal fiber perfect for wearing on feet.Test studies have shown bamboo can even cure athletes foot. If you’re in the market for new comfort socks, hiking socks, athletic socks, diabetic socks, try bamboo and do some good for  your feet and the environment.

Some brands to try:

Bamboosa Socks

Bridgedale Bamboo Socks

Many other famous name brands are now producing bamboo socks. Check them out at Amazon.com

Handmade socks are some what of a rare commodity these days. What was at one time, the only option, is now a treasure and an art form.

Handmade socks have all the functionality of mass produced socks.  They are often quite comfortable,  sometimes even more comfortable than other socks.  Handmade socks come in a wide variety of yarns types (fabrics), styles, colors and functions.

I have seen handmade toe socks, pedicure socks, slipper socks, baby socks, work socks, hiking socks, everyday socks and comfy cozy around the house socks!  Handmade socks can be made to meet your specific feet and your specific needs or requirements.  They can be made uniquely for you!

I love the idea of handmade socks.  I think of someone making a pair of socks for someone and what an act of love that would be!  I think about buying a pair of handmade socks and what a great way that would be to support a small business or artist. I love handmade socks, for their practicality as well as the way they allow me another opportunity to add art and fashion into my wardrobe!

If you are interested in purchasing handmade socks, I would check with your local fabric or yarn store.  I would also ask around at the farmers market.  You could check craiglist and I know that etsy.com has several people who sell handmade socks locally!  What a great way to not only find unique socks, but to also support arts and crafts and the people who are gifted in those things!

Functional, comfortable socks!

Did you know that there are specific socks for flip flops? What a brilliant idea! How many socks have I bent out of shape trying to accomodate flip flops in cooler weather! And regular socks aren’t that comfortable with flip flops. So now they have created a unique sock just for your flip flop comforts and styles! As I said previously, brilliant!

So what is a flip flop sock? It is a sock that has one separate area for your big toe, so that there is a neat place to slip the sandal strap between your toes without scrunching up your socks into a lump under your sandal! Here is an example from flip flop style. Click here to buy a great sock for your flip flops.

Toe socks are also another great way to accommodate flip flops. The difference between toe socks and flip flop socks are that toe sock separate all of your toes, where the flip flop socks separate only your big toe from the rest. Both are very functional and serve the purpose equally well.

Flip flop socks come in all different colors and fabrics, from fleece to cotton and plain to striped(my favorite!) So you can choose your comfort and style preferences AND wear your favorite flip flops when it’s cool! Now that is a great sock idea!

Toe socks are even more diverse than we thought! We thought they were for the fun and funky who like to dress up their feet and their wardrobe or for those yoga and Eastern exercise types. But now we learn that they have become all the rage among even the most All-American–baseball players. Yes, professional pitchers,  Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima of the Boston Red Sox are are changing what ball players puts their feet into before their cleats. Left fielder,  Hideki Matsui of the Yankees has also been wearing toe socks and converting fellow ball players. They are convinced that five-toed toe socks help them improve their pitching performance by allowing all their toes to grip and improve their agility. And so, how many other sports and activities might they be useful for? Hiking, football, walking, tennis, running, just to name a few.

Injinji makes some athletic toe socks with CoolMax fabric for optimal wicking and drying properties, and this fabric is made from recycled plastics making them a eco-friendly purchase as well. Injinji also makes outdoor toe socks made with Nuwool, a blend of natural-wicking merino wool, nylon, and spandex.

Feelmax is another brand that makes several toe socks for sports and outdoor activities.

ToeSox makes athletic toe socks from 90% organic materials. Socks are made with a fitted heel and arch support.

If you’re like me, and you live in a non-tropical climate zone, one of the first decisions you make in a day is which socks to wear. Will I wear my athletic socks to go exercise in, or will I wear my patterned socks to coordinate with my outfit, or will I wear my comfortable everyday wool socks? For any number of daily activities we take part in, we frequently make decisions about socks, sometimes multiple times a day. Have you ever taken the time to look through your socks and categorize them? Here are mine:

comfortable everyday Smartwool socks

cotton/spandex exercise socks

colored/patterned cotton socks for coordinating

fleece socks for cold nights

knee high socks for boots

wool crew socks for hiking

cotton/nylon socks for dress pants

nylon stockings for the rare dressy occasion

Many people have twice as many categories.  Now, there’s a category we all have in our socks drawer that we must admit to. We all have the socks rejects at the bottom: the ones we’ve never worn because they’re the wrong color or don’t fit, the ones that have worn out or stretched out, and the better-save-them-just-in-case socks. Makes one wonder, how much money have you wasted on those socks of poor quality or poor fit?

So, I’m on a quest to find the best socks on the market, socks that will fit comfortably, perform well, last a long time and suit a variety of wardrobe styles. I believe that when you have comfortable feet, you’re ready to move, you’re less irritated, and generally happier. So, I believe that it’s a worthy quest, and look forward to sharing my discoveries with you. Stay tuned!