Although men’s socks can be sorted into the two main categories of ‘dress’ and ‘leisure,’ there is a third, neglected category: The novelty sock.
Men’s socks are often a source of humor. They are laughed at when white socks are paired up with a suit. They are derided when a man has neglected to remove his socks before his trousers and is caught standing there, looking ridiculous, in his shirt, boxers and socks. Finally, they are smirked at when the unfortunate man is totally unable to find a single pair in the hundreds of socks that crowd his wardrobe.
And now there is the seasonal and novelty sock. Men’s socks are typically fodder for pictures of reindeer, half-drunk Santas, and jokes about golf. And frankly, we really love it. While the average man will own twenty two pairs of socks, around a third of these will be seasonal or novelty socks bought for him by his loved ones. In other words, people who wanted him to be the butt of jokes among his peers and colleauges. The sales of novelty socks spike sharply at Christmas and around Father’s Day: Those who want to laugh at dad for the first time, and those who want to pull the same stunt on their grown sons that were pulled on them.
Men’s socks have entered a new level of sophisticated scorn with the singing sock. This particular piece of technology is designed to play such masculine tunes as Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’ as soon as the unsuspecting victim pulls them on his feet. Mens’ socks have never been so devious. Interestingly, these are also the socks that – unlike their more discreet counterparts – refuse to die in the washing machine, or run away into the night leaving their partner alone and forgotten at the drawer.
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