Best foot forward: the humble sock is finally stepping into the spotlight

Normally, trying to get a pedicure this time of year is harder than securing a table at a new restaurant that just got a five-star review. But as April rolls into May and the weather shows no signs of warming up, splashing out on a foot makeover may feel a little futile. Why spend hard-earned cash on toes that are too frozen to be flashed? As a result, many of us are switching toe tactics. Welcome to the season of the statement sock.

They were once bunged in the back of a drawer. Lost in the wash. And even when they were worn, they were not meant to be seen. But socks have stepped into the spotlight, pivoting from an outfit no-show to the main character.

Take a look at the feet of your co-workers, fellow commuters and coffee shop customers and you’re guaranteed to spot a statement sock. These aren’t secret Santa novelty socks bought in a last-minute present panic. These are socks that are intentional and thought out – the fabric and the colour mused over. Even the length is considered, having become a gen Z vs millennial battlefield.

We have come a long way from socks and sandals being something you’d spot your school geography teacher wearing as they did the supermarket shop at the weekend. In 2024, socks and sandals are standard for many.

The Romans did it first, but nowadays fans span David Beckham to Bella Hadid. Naturally, this type of mass mainstream-ification means fashion folk are upping the ante. Just like the viral wrong shoe theory, in which the stylist Allison Bornstein advocates using an unexpected shoe to “signal that there is some intention and choice and therefore it gives your look personality”, the wrong sock theory can also apply.

For his debut menswear collection at Gucci, its newly appointed creative director Sabato de Sarno paired smart black horsebit loafers with white socks that hit mid calf. Fans who managed to nab a pair of Crocs from Simone Rocha’s sell-out collaboration are teaming them with sheer socks, while wearers of Collina Strada x Ugg are opting for tie dyed socks with their spiked Mary Janes. Even the lookbook for Keen, an American brand that makes performance sneakers, suggests styling its cut-out corded sneakers with contrasting silky coloured socks (think cream with burgundy).

Unsurprisingly, online a particular type of sock snobbery has emerged among the style set. Nowadays, there are wine, chocolate and even water sommeliers. So it was only a matter of time before the sock stewards spoke out.

On Reddit forums, users advocate for Arket’s ribbed versions (£15) and sheer metallic pairs from Cos (£10). Colorful Standard sells socks in every colour of the rainbow, while Le Bon Shop’s sock category features 18 different types including an edit of thinner socks for fancy shoes.

The Italian brand Comme Si sells Egyptian cotton (£26) and silk ribbed socks (£51) in colours such as lime meringue, pebble and basil. It describes its customer as someone who “appreciates getting dressed as a daily ritual where every choice is intentional; a conscious series of tiny self-expressions woven together to tell her story.”

In Rome, there are daily queues outside Ditta Annibale Gammarelli, a Roman house that supplies liturgical vestments to priests, bishops and the pope. However, it’s not just ecclesiastics that are lining up. Its silk, merino wool and cotton socks (from 13 euros) have gained a wider fashion following ever since Balenciaga sent them down its 2021 couture catwalk. While there are strict colour rules for the clergymen – black for priests, purple for bishops and red for cardinals – due to demand from the wider public Gammarelli has expanded its offering into yellow and turquoise too. There’s one catch, though: the socks only come in male sizes.

What’s hot – and what’s most definitely not – this week

Going up

Is it cake? | Emerging designer Tal Maslavi puts a fashion spin on the cult TV series, Is It Cake?, by taking a huge chunk out of traditional derby shoes.Choose between strawberry, vanilla and chocolate.

Grey Gardens 2.0 | The new way to wear a baseball cap? Secure with a statement scarf. Rihanna first did it in 2017, but now the styling hack has returned after Hailey Bieber was spotted at Coachella in a Fila cap and leopard-print scarf. Talk about a hat-trick.

Wankles | Summer festival season is gearing up to be dominated by the wellington-ankle boot hybrid. More mud-proof than Crocs and less slippy than Sambas, Aigle and Hunter Boots have released cropped styles in bright shades.

Going down

Traffic-light red | Marshmallow pink is moving up the colour charts. See Céline Dion in a giant pastel-pink Alaïa coat on the cover of Vogue France and Victoria Beckham’s Mango debut featuring blush-pink slip dresses.

Sweating | Too hot for a padded jacket? Too cold for a trench? The ideal cover-up for spring’s erratic weather is a fleece. Go fancy with Celine’s leopard-print iteration, or keep it real like Keanu Reeves in Berghaus.

Live-streaming | IRL serial marathon watchers are on the up. Hopping from one mile to the next, they come armed with motivational banners and chants.

Chloe Mac Donnell, deputy fashion and lifestyle editor, solves your wardrobe dilemmas

Q: I’m struggling to find summer clothes that aren’t made of polyester and from a fast-fashion chain. I don’t want anything frumpy. Any ideas? – Sally, Edinburgh

A: I was recently introduced to Gather & See. Its founders, Alicia Taylor (based in the UK) and Stephanie Hogg (based in Nairobi), aim to curate the best options from independent brands who have to meet at least two out of seven values spanning production methods to fabric sourcing. Through the site I’ve discovered Hamaji Studio, which makes gorgeous dresses and two-pieces in Kenya using upcycled materials and employing local seamstresses who have a wealth of embroidery skills. East Clothing also works with artisans in India. Its dresses, hand-printed in Jaipur, are timeless.

Got your own style question? Send it to fashionstatement@theguardian.com.