Shop Holiday Gift Guide Now! Free USPS Shipping On Orders Over $25 Shop Now →
4 Reasons Good Quality Socks Are Worth the Investment
There are a lot of things we take for granted, things that we never realize are so important until they are gone or not working anymore. Some of these are critical things we just think will always be there, such as good health or relationships.
But let’s not overlook all the little things too, those that contribute toward making life better--like a great cup of coffee in the morning or a few minutes of silence at the end of a long day.
Then, there is the MOST important thing that we take for granted all the time. And that’s socks.
Think about this a moment; how many billion people are there in the world? And no matter which country they’re in and what they happen to be doing, you can bet your big toe on the fact that at least a third of these folk are wearing socks. Socks unite the world.
We fight over race, religion and politics--but our feet are all in agreement. Yet we bundle our precious socks into little pairs and throw them in corners on the bedroom floor. We lose them. We let them get holed or snagged, and we reckon our socks are so insignificant that we mistreat them.
But socks are not insignificant at all! In all seriousness, good quality socks are worth the investment and you will certainly not take them for granted when they’re among your favorite garments. Here are four reasons to invest in great socks.
Good Quality Socks Last Longer
By spending a little more, you will get quality socks which last longer, from an online boutique store. This is good for several reasons, not least of all is math. Sure, you can get a cheap pair of socks for $2.00 or maybe even less. The problem is, you will have to replace those socks two or three times a year, or just get used to your toes poking out of holes.
That adds up to masses of discomfort, plus the hassle and annoyance of wearing thin, worn socks and having to keep repairing or replacing them. And if you order your cheap socks online, there’s also the postage to factor in--and having to go to collect them from wherever the parcel was left. That’d be fine if they were great socks to look forward to. But they’re not.
By paying a little more – and you can get fantastic quality socks for $8 - $12 per pair – you will be getting socks that are made from better materials and with a higher level of craftsmanship. You will, in turn, get more life out of them and gain financially in the long run. Good quality socks can last for many years and never show a hole or start to fray.
In addition to the fact that quality socks are good for your wallet in the long run--or even the long walk--they will also be much better for Mother Earth. If you are tossing out socks multiple times a year, they are just ending up in landfills and doing damage to an already struggling planet.
You will not have to ditch your awesome, aristocratic Argyle socks--or your fabulously un-frayable fuchsia favorites anywhere near as quickly, and with high quality socks such as these, even when they do break down a bit or one gets lost, you will be able to recycle and reuse them in a variety of different ways.
An investment in long lasting and high quality socks is an investment in the environment as well as your feet.
The other thing about higher quality socks is that they are a style statement all of their own, and if you do eventually have to ditch one or you lose one, you can mix and match funky pairs as a fashion statement and nobody will think twice about it! In fact, it will probably just get you labeled as super trendy.
As for that investment in your feet, that’s a good thing too. Cheap socks are not just made from cheap materials, they are made using cheap production methods as well.
A pair of cheap socks will not have gone through the same level of inspection or quality assurance that a pair of quality socks has. That means you never know exactly what you are going to get. Instead of getting socks that will only last a few weeks or months, you may even find socks that are unwearable right off the bat. That’s what we call an unsocksessful purchase!
The idea that people understand the added value and want to invest in higher quality socks is not anecdotal. The numbers back up the fact that people are increasingly seeing the value in socks that are better made and higher priced. This is evidenced by the fact that experts predict the global sock market (not to be confused with the stock market--or stockings, come to that) will see a 6.2% CAGR by 2025.
This means $10+ billion in growth by the middle of the decade, this upswing being driven by a number of factors including a growing awareness that different types of socks are needed for different activities and occasions, such as weddings, birthdays and even funerals or life celebrations. There is also a huge boom in younger people considering socks a major fashion accessory. And they certainly can be; any outfit can be cheered by a bright color such as yellow or orange.
Great Socks Make Your Outfit Stand Out
Many people reason that nobody sees their socks, so why would they invest in a nice pair? While this may be true in some cases, there are plenty of times people will see and notice your socks. Anytime you sit down or take off your footwear, people will notice your socks. And, no matter what you are doing, when you are around people with a keen eye for fashion, they will absolutely notice what you have on inside your shoes. If you want to look great from head to toe and really make your outfit stand out, socks are key.
The right pair of socks is a perfect, subtle accessory that can take a good outfit and make it great. Color coordinating your socks with your outfit is a fantastic way to elevate your look and show you care. Make your outfit pop by wearing green socks with earth tones or purple socks with blacks or grays.
If you really want to kick your look up a notch, you can get even funkier with some striped socks or even a great pair of classic Argyles.
Unfortunately, if you have a killer outfit and pair it with an old, faded, torn, or raggedy pair of socks, it can ruin the whole outfit. This is why a pair of quality socks makes a great groomsman gift for a guy to give to his wedding party for the big day. You never want to look down your line of groomsmen, see them all looking like a million bucks in their suits or tuxes and then catch a glance of your buddy from college in some ratty white tube socks. And your new mother-in-law would be very displeased indeed.
Quality socks are a great gift though, beyond just making sure everyone looks good at your ceremony and in your pictures. Your groomsmen will thank you now that they have quality socks for any type of special, formal occasion.
Socks also make a great gift for the well-dressed ones (or ones you are trying to help be more well dressed) in your life. There are even Valentine’s socks!
The Comfort Difference is Noticeable
While people will notice when you have on a great pair of socks to complement your outfit, you will notice something too. You will notice that a pair of quality socks feels much, much better than cheap socks.
Earlier, we talked about the quality of material and high level of craftsmanship that goes into great socks. This not only affects how long they last, but how they feel on your feet as well.
A nice pair of socks should feel smooth and soft against your skin. You should feel a little cushion and bounce, but not too much. Overall, what you will feel when you start to move around is almost nothing--no rubbing, friction or bunching.
A good pair of socks will provide comfort and you will eventually forget you are even wearing them. And they will also stay snugly wrapped around your feet due to their super stretchiness, thanks to materials like Spandex in the fiber mix--just as in this pair. Any socks with 5% Spandex won’t end up falling down or getting baggy and saggy.
A low-quality pair of socks will provide the opposite. You will always be very aware that you have them on because they will slip down, scratch, or chafe on your skin.
Along with the discomfort, cheap socks can actually cause real problems with your feet. Socks made of cheap materials are more likely to cause blisters, calluses and rashes on your feet.
No Need to Replace Your Whole Sock Drawer
We get it, money doesn’t grow on trees. You don’t need to run to your sock drawer right this second, throw your cheaper socks out, and start over. That wouldn’t make financial or practical sense in most cases to junk your entire drawer. The good news is, you don’t have to make big moves in order to upgrade your sock game today.
Start with a few key pairs.
Everyone should have at least one darker pair, a lighter pair, and a striped pair at the ready. With these three pairs, you will be ready to add that subtle stylish touch to any outfit, especially when you have a work event or a formal personal event to go to.
If you like, you can jazz things up with some casual, fun pairs such as pretty, cheeky polkas.
Once you start wearing your few special pairs to important events, you will start to see the differences we have been talking about. People will compliment your outfits and your socks specifically. You will also feel the difference in comfort that your special event socks provide. (Warning: when you have to go back to your everyday socks, it will not be fun!).
After you have seen the difference that quality socks make in your life, you will realize a few important things. You will realize that, while you are spending a little more, it is not much more in the big picture but the benefits are surely worth it.
Conclusion
All these reasons should inspire you to start building up your ‘shoe-perb’ sock collection.
Add work socks to your special occasion socks, then grab yourself some new everyday socks, and--one day--you will pull open your sock drawer and realize that without even spending a fortune, you revamped your sock collection in a major way and your life is better for it. You feel wiser and smarter--in both senses of the word.
1 comment
This is simply beautiful.