Ultimate Guide About Socks: Everything You Need to Know
What Are Socks?
Socks, also known as stockings, are costumes designed to be worn on the feet. They usually come in pairs for covering the feet, while some of them can be extended to cover the ankle up to the legs’ calf.
Even though socks form an important part of our dressings, they are sometimes not displayed because they can be covered by shoes and even long outfits.
Just as neck gaiters primarily protect the neck, the primary purpose of sock is to protect the feet and keep them warm. Socks are worn to reduce friction caused by shoes, and even shield your feet against rough surfaces. It also improves foot hygiene by helping you control odours and infections that can be caused by sweat. You can also use the custom toe socks to properly care for the spaces between your toes.
These days, you are likely to see people flaunt their socks to elevate their dresses and make fashion statements. This is because contemporary socks come in different attractive patterns and prints that can brighten up your looks.
Moreover, you can now bring your designs to life with custom sock. You can also use this alongside complementary fashion accessories like bucket hats and bandanas. For people who don’t like to look regular, this is an option to explore!
What Are Socks Made Of?
Socks come in a variety of textures and appearances, indicating that they are constructed of a variety of fabrics. For instance, a popular combination is polyester and cotton fibers which are used to create adaptable socks for several uses. This blend also produces elasticity and durability. Let’s take a look at some popular materials and their attributes:
- Cotton: Cotton is a popular material with categories like organic cotton, mercerized cotton, recycled cotton, etc. It is admired for its light and soft, yet durable nature. The softness makes it super comfy and ideal for sensitive skin.
- Synthetics: Synthetic socks are firstly known for their special elasticity feature which improves the socks’ fitness making them suitable to be combined with other materials to form different innovative textures.
- Wool: Another popular material is wool and it is commonly worn by people in extremely cold regions. This is because they have insulating properties and are waterproof. Wool also varies in quality as it is of different types such as merino wool, rabbit wool, and many more.
Other materials and fibres used in making socks also include bamboo, silk, rayon, Angola, cashmere, olefin and many more.
The Evolution of Socks
The sock we now see in different bright and attractive colours started as foot bindings made from animal skins. Ever since they have evolved to fashion purposes in this present time.
In the Middle Ages which was between 479 AD to 1453 AD, socks transitioned from animal skins to woven fabrics. They were knitted and designed to take the form of a pantyhose which is also similar to pop-socks. This was made by joining socks to normal trousers to form one piece of cloth.
They soon realised that the one-piece style got dirty easily. They then decided to make stockings a separate pair of clothing.
The Renaissance era, known for the rediscovery of most European culture also brought reformation to sock. People got creative with socks by making them more stylish and sophisticated. As a symbol of affluence that they were, socks were designed with embroidery and graded laces and only people of higher caliber could afford them.
Then came the Industrial Revolution which enhanced the mass production of socks. This made it affordable for people of lower and average economic status. Even though they were mainly for practical purposes, they were accessible to all.
Who And When Were Socks Invented?
There have been controversial facts and figures to answer the questions of when and who invented sock. Let’s take a look at some of them and come to a conclusion.
History has it that ancient Greeks covered their feet with animal fur in the 8th century BC. These coverings are not seen as socks, but as something to keep their feet warm.
However, Wikipedia recorded that the oldest pair of socks was discovered on the banks of the River Nile in Egypt. It has unique features such as split toes. Based on observation, it was sewn using the needle-binding technique. This justified the claim that the sock was handmade and must have been made by the ancient Egyptians. This discovery is traced back to the medieval ages.
Another discovery was made in the 12th century, still in Egypt. This time, it was observed to be cotton-knitted socks. Moreso, there is also a record that knitted items were first found in Jutland in the year 1500 BC. This implies that people started knitting after the 8th century BC of animal skin coverings.
From the discoveries made, it is safe to claim that socks can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians around the year 1500 BC.
Different Types of Socks
The charm of sock styling lies in the type you are wearing and for what. Socks differ in terms of length, size and design, and wearing the appropriate ones requires you to make an informed decision.
We have put together below, some common types which will help you make the right choice of sock and purpose.
The Lengths and Sizes of Socks
The length and sizes of your sock are the first things you want to consider in picking a pair. It influences your overall appearance and could also determine your comfort as well. Below are some of the types of socks based on their length.
Ankle Socks
The length of ankle socks stops a bit under or above your ankle bone or just on it. If you are looking for socks that would barely show under trainers or sneakers, the ankle socks are perfect!
They make a good complement to casual wear like sundresses, nice jeans plain tees, polo shirts and skirts. With ankle socks, you’re likely to forget that you have socks on.
Quarter Socks
The quarter-length socks are the next long ones to the ankle ones. With a grade length of six inches, they’re far from the ankle and below the calf.
They’re best paired with shoes that are a bit above the ankle like high-top sneakers.
Quarter sock can add some catchy and uncommon patterns to your outfits. They’re also quite adaptable as they can be worn on long formal trousers and casual short outfits.
Mid-Calf Socks
If you think of the quarter socks as 40% long, think of the mid-calf socks as 60% long. They are about 8.5 inches, above the ankle, ending at the middle of the calf of the leg.
Mid-calf socks are often worn on short dresses and shorts for easy flaunting of designs. This makes them suitable for customized sock.
Calf Socks
They are called calf socks because they cover the entire calf, right from the toes up to the calf. Calf sock always makes great fancy wear for females.
When customized like the custom beach towels, they can be the ideal pieces to make your lounging and costume day look super colourful. They also have enough space for custom socks with pictures.
Athletes and exercise lovers also wear them for the protection of the lower parts of their legs.
No-show or Invisible Socks
The no-show socks will serve you best if you don’t feel like wearing socks but need to protect your feet against shoe friction.
This type of sock is designed to cover the toes, through the sole, to the heels of your feet and the remaining part of your feet will remain invisible in your shoes.
Design Ideas for Custom Socks
Combining sock with your outfit to match is already an act of art. However, there are many designs offered at FastPrintStar to make your socks great pieces of creativity and self-expression.
You can make custom face socks with the image of your face printed on the sock. You can get all-over printing or specific areas at FastPrintStar, according to your preference.
Customized sock can also be used for parties and festivals like birthdays, and Christmas or even make custom wedding socks with the theme of your wedding. Custom socks for groomsmen, for instance, is also a creative way to incorporate this. This will grace your events with class and a luxurious atmosphere.
Sock can carry the logo of your business or company as a marketing tool as well. You can gift them to your customers to create a lasting impression and as a way to help them remember you. Custom wristbands can also be used for this course.
There are also custom pet socks for people who are down-to-earth with their pets such as the custom dog face. They can have the image of their pets’ faces printed on. With just one upload, FastPrintStar will make it a reality.
You can also wear a frisky vibe on your feet with Custom Emoji Socks. From the office to that outing, you will practically spread the energy to everyone around you.
Some kinds of socks are peculiar to certain areas of life. They are produced to have specialised attributes that enable them to meet special needs. They are discussed below, explore!
Socks and Health
When it comes to health benefits, socks like compression and diabetic socks are designed to help improve your well-being. Let’s take a look at each of them.
What are diabetic socks?
Diabetic socks are meant to protect diabetic patients from sustaining external foot injuries. People managing diabetes take their foot care seriously because their health condition weakens their immune system and blood flow, making it hard for wounds to heal fast.
When on the feet, wounds most times get infected and may end up not healing which could be life-threatening. Diabetic socks are made to offer light compression, which can reduce foot swelling without obstructing blood flow, to prevent any kind of complications.
What are compression socks?
Compression socks treat and prevent blood-circulation-related problems like vein disorders and blood clotting. They also help reduce or prevent pain and swellings in the leg which could be caused by edema, pregnancy or long-sitting routines.
They are designed to be elastic, to subtly compress the legs while improving blood flow.
Socks and Lifestyle
Some socks have been shown to make people’s routine activities much easier through the support they provide. Examples of this kind of sock are the grip and liner socks.
What are grip socks?
Grip socks are also called non-slip socks. This is a result of their thicker soles which provides firmness to athletes like footballers and runners.
Since athletes are prone to sweating, they are always at risk of slipping while in motion. The function of the grip sock is to keep them firm on the ground and prevent falling.
As an athlete, you can represent your favourite brand or team with the custom socks with logo.
What are liner socks?
Liner socks are worn under a thicker pair of socks. They help to keep you dry by wicking away sweat from your feet with the thicker ones.
Liner socks are for people who enjoy outdoor adventurous activities. They don’t feel bulky because they are made of light materials like polyester or silk.
Socks and Fashion
With socks, fashion enthusiasts are not left out! Tube and crew socks will always be at their service. They are adaptable, enough to bring their imagination to life.
What are tube socks?
Tube socks are highly fashionable and versatile as they can be worn by anybody and for any occasion. They are stretchy and easy to put on, sweat absorbent and protect the feet from shoe bites.
Tube socks don’t go unnoticed because you can customize them with any design or artwork you choose. FastPrintStar is a place you should consider for quality custom tube socks. You can order as low as a pair to have a test of their professionalism. I bet you won’t regret it!
What are crew socks?
Crew socks are often made from a blend of cotton and polyester, making them durable and stretchy.
They are versatile as they can be worn with all kinds of shoes including heels and boots. You can even turn your crew socks into custom emoji socks to make a huge personal expression.
General Rules for Wearing Socks
The first, and most important rule of wearing socks is to never wear mismatched socks. Of course, you will agree that wearing a blue sock and a red sock is outrageous, right, but I’m talking about wearing a brown sock with a black sock or a stripe and patterned socks. They might look close enough to wear together but it’s a no-no.
Also, never wear a sock that matches your shoes. You should try matching your socks with your trousers, or better still, with anything on or above your waist such as your belt, suspender, shirt, tie etc.
Other rules you must also bear in mind are to:
- Never wear socks that have a hole or stain on them.
- Avoid pattern on pattern. Avoid wearing patterned socks on patterned shoes.
- Never wear bright colourful socks to a serious meeting.
- Avoid exposing your bare legs when wearing socks.
Most people look at your outfit in this order – First, your feet (with your shoes as well), your trousers, your top and your tie(if you have one on). So why not draw their attention to a nicely picked pair of socks?
Should I Sleep in Socks?
According to each person’s unique circadian rhythm, the human body goes through phases of heating and cooling throughout the day. The average human body temperature during waking hours is approximately 37 degrees Celsius, with daily variations of up to half a degree.
Foot warming methods such as utilizing socks can lower your core body temperature and help you sleep faster. This is because a lower body temperature often precedes sleep.
Nevertheless, research shows that dirty socks abores bacteria that you don’t want to bring to your bed.
It is thus advisable that you use clean socks whenever you’re going to bed and don’t use the ones you use all day.
Maintaining and Caring for Your Socks
Like every other clothes, maintaining your socks is essential for their lifespan. Socks lovers always have that favourite one among others that they can’t afford to lose.
Here are a few ways to appropriately wash and store them.
How to Wash Socks?
You can either hand-wash your stockings or wash them with a machine. It is better to alternate both methods because consistent washing of socks with machines could damage their durability.
Though socks are just tiny pieces, they require to be washed more often than other clothes
For the machine wash, you should:
- separate your socks and group them by colour.
- avoid washing stockings of different colours together to avoid damaging plain-coloured socks like white.
- turn your socks inside out before throwing them into the machine to prevent floss from building up on the outside of your socks.
- Ensure to set your machine to wash gentlyand use a mild detergent.
To hand wash your socks, you should still turn inside out and soak with a mild detergent in cold water for 4-5 minutes. The essence of soaking is to avoid thorough washing. Instead of crumbling, just swirl and rinse thoroughly.
How to Store Socks?
Using the proper storage can considerably impact the longevity of your socks. They can get stretched and deformed if you ball them up or fold them firmly. Instead, you can keep your socks neatly arranged in a drawer or on a sock organiser.
When you are using a regular drawer, you can use a divider as this will help you demarcate the drawer to easily stack together similar socks. This can be based on the sock colour, its use or design.
How to Fold Socks to Save Space
When folding your socks into your drawer or any preferred storage system, there are a lot of methods you can employ to save space. Some of the following folding methods can be of great help:
1. The simplest method is to fold them to have a flat one-piece.
To do this, lay your pair of socks flat and place them on each other. Ensure that the edges align, then fold from the cuff to the toe. You can fold another one or two pairs on it in the same format and place them flat in a drawer.
2. The second way you can fold them is by turning them into small squares.
To achieve this, form a crisscross as you lay them on a flat surface. First, fold the toe of the bottom socks over the upper one and tuck it in under. Afterwards, neatly fold the cuff of the bottom socks over the folded toe too. Fold the upper socks the same way and tuck in the edges appropriately. You have folded square socks.
3. Lastly is the rolling method. This method would be best for folding your long socks.
Lay your pair of socks flat on each other and roll neatly and firmly from the toes to the cuff. Then, open one of the cuffs to wrap the entire rolled part. This will make your socks compact and easy to arrange.
Where to Order Socks?
You can order durable and high-quality socks at FastPrintStar. They produce multi-purpose pairs with materials like polyester and cotton blends.
FastPrintStar also specializes in customizing items like custom keychains and everything brandable!
Make custom socks on FastPrintStar’s easy-to-use web interface. With over twenty color options, all you have to do is upload your design in one click.
If you’re also looking for a custom sock shop that can help you build your brand’s logo, FastPrintStar is your go-to place. They offer professional logo designs for free and are ready to review the designs until you’re satisfied.
You can order as low as one pair of custom-printed socks and expect nothing less of a graded delivery. Their customer service is topnotch and shipping is global. Order from anywhere around the world and enjoy free delivery for their standard turnaround time.
Their custom socks can serve pet lovers, athletes, business owners, event organizers and smug.
With over 15 years of experience, you cannot go wrong with FastPrintStar. Give FastPrintStar the chance to prove their expertise to you by placing an order!
Conclusion
Socks are much more than just a pair of clothing you wear before your shoes. They protect your feet from friction and odour and add some statement to your outfits.
They’re available in different lengths and designs to serve different purposes. Some of them have special qualities for special needs like health conditions, lifestyle and more.
You can also customize them by printing logos for companies and businesses as a promotional tool.
We have also discussed the best maintenance tips to care for and stock your socks to elongate their durability.
FastPrintStar can help you customize just any design you can think of, reach out to get creative!
