Confessions of Russian men: getting socks on February 23 is not so bad

The derogatory phrase “Does he buy his own socks from you?!” Old regime mothers and mothers-in-law use it if they want to convince a woman that the woman is, to put it mildly, so-so, since she is not accustomed to taking care of her, and does not understand the ancient division of household responsibilities into male and female. Sales assistants at some chain stores seem to be adopting the same strategy. A common picture: after a lady chooses stockings and tights for all occasions and goes to the checkout with an armful, the saleswoman shouts after her:

– Will you take men’s socks?

The customer politely refuses, but at the checkout the attack is continued by the next store employee:

– Did you forget the men’s socks? On sale, three pairs for 599 rubles.

– No thanks.

– It’s a good offer, and you can choose any color. There is also a box.

However, you can understand the saleswomen: their task is to increase the check by hook or by crook, so you shouldn’t make them the recipients of an angry tirade a la “in general, a normal man is able to buy his own socks.” Moreover, some boys are of completely different ages! – we are really glad to receive socks as a gift. They themselves admitted this to MK correspondents.

“When my mother gives me socks, it is a symbol of love and care, it is a gesture that reminds me that she wants to keep my feet warm and cozy. These socks become not just a piece of clothing, but a gesture of my mother’s care, which I accept with deep gratitude and warmth in my heart,” said 33-year-old Oleg, 33

“For some reason, some people think that this is a frivolous gift. However, I really love receiving socks as gifts. And also shampoos and shaving foam. After all, this is the same necessary and pleasant gift as cosmetics or a new perfume for girls,” says Alexander, who is 21 years old.

Donuts and pansies

Meanwhile, very close by – literally in the next store in a large shopping center – there is a completely different world. A saleswoman named Natasha, who sells bright and unusual socks in a mini-shop, sincerely laughed at the stereotypes. When asked by MK whether women really buy socks for men, she replied that most often men come in classic suits, wanting to diversify their collection of socks.

– Many people are confused at first, not knowing where to start, and choose geometry: this is the most neutral option. Well, then they can’t resist and switch to different prints. It happens that they then bring their friends or colleagues and brag: “And I have socks with Che Guevara!”, “And I have socks with foxes!” says Natasha. – Men come both young and already adults, there are no patterns here. They often take it for future use: for themselves and for friends as gifts.

Trendy socks with prints are a symbol of self-expression, and it’s great that these days, without exaggeration, anything can be painted on them. Strong and independent men don’t mind showing off socks with embroidered donuts – and they don’t hide it. According to Natasha, the “Pansies” print is especially popular. Flowers have nothing to do with it – this is a beautifully named pattern of female breasts of different shapes and sizes. Girls and men themselves take these socks as gifts for their boyfriends. There is also always a demand for prints of wine glasses and bottles, and also, as the saleswoman sheepishly admitted, for socks “with poop.”

“In everyday life, I wear simple black or white socks, but I love receiving colorful printed socks as gifts. Recently, for example, I was given New Year’s socks. And my favorite were socks with ducklings,” said Sergei, who is 21 years old.

A beautiful package of three pairs here costs a little more than a thousand rubles, and a set of 21 pairs of socks for 7,900 rubles is succinctly called “the best gift.” Such socks fit well into the average sock budget of Moscow men – the boys interviewed by MK said that they usually buy socks for 500-600 rubles per pair, and consider those that cost less than 300 rubles to be cheap. The main selection criterion is quality: no one wants to buy something that will fall apart in a couple of days. Meanwhile, socks from a well-known fashion house or brand, made from high-quality materials, with a unique design, handmade or additional features, can cost up to 10-20 thousand rubles.

What does etiquette dictate?

Multi-colored socks are, of course, funny, but not everyone thinks about how to choose such an item of clothing correctly for an image. Meanwhile, sock etiquette exists, which means there are both rules and taboos. In a conversation with a MK correspondent, stylist Sasha Vronsky explained what it is better to give up and how short men can visually add a couple of centimeters to their height.

— The most common mistake is wearing sports socks with casual clothes. Sports socks are textured white socks that have vertical stripes. Another popular mistake is to wear medium-height socks. Not high ones, which reach the middle of the shin, and not tracks that are not visible, but precisely up to the ankle. When you sit down, your trouser leg rides up and part of your leg is exposed. The socks are a little visible. These socks can only be worn with sports shoes to the gym. In general, it’s better not to buy them, but to take only tall ones, and for the summer they should be taken. Choose the right socks either to match the color of your shoes or the color of your trousers, the stylist instructs. – If a man is short (up to 175 cm), it is better to choose socks that match the color of his trousers, this will visually lengthen his legs. If you choose the color of the shoes, then these can be plain socks, or a discreet check or stripe (usually vertical), or some kind of small ornament, like a small check or houndstooth. There are contrasting socks, bright ones, which completely stand out from the color palette of the clothing as a whole, or can overlap with a hat, cap, bag or scarf. This is also a stylish option.

Another expert on male beauty, stylist Georgy Steele, agrees with his colleague. In a conversation with a MK correspondent, he warned men against mistakes, explaining that due to incorrectly selected socks, the whole image can look completely incorrect.

– If we are talking about a business wardrobe based on classic suits, then in this case we select socks to match the color of the shoes or the color of the suit. In a business wardrobe, they should not stand out too much; they should only harmoniously complement the image. The main rule is that when you sit down, under no circumstances should your bare hairy leg be visible. In order not to make a mistake with the height, it is better to buy knee socks.

The stylist also advised to pay attention to the quality of the socks: the best option is 90-95% cotton with a small admixture of synthetic fabrics, so that the wear resistance of the socks is better. You also need to pay attention to the quality of the elastic – if it is weak, then the sock will slip and bunch up on the ankle like an accordion, and this is unsightly. White socks, according to the expert, can only be worn when playing sports.

“If a man dresses in smart casual style, then he can stand out,” continues the stylist. – For example, looks based on a jacket, softer or business, can be varied depending on the context of your dress code. This is a great opportunity to stand out and be creative without looking too flamboyant for a man, for example, wearing interesting accent socks. Vladimir Pozner loves to do this; he can often be seen in photographs wearing scarlet, burgundy, and red socks. He matches socks precisely to details, for example, to pocket squares. The main thing is that I don’t recommend choosing infantile socks, with some Mickey Mouse, cakes or ice cream – we’ll leave all that to children and teenagers. I don’t recommend gentlemen to wear this unless you have a very flamboyant style, work in a creative field and want people to smile at your look. Gentlemen are better off focusing on the color and texture of their socks: herringbone, houndstooth, checkered patterns are classic patterns in the men’s wardrobe.