Sock it to me, also.

March 28, 2014 1:16 PM

Second sock question in under an hour! This one is about ladies' socks though.

I realized pretty recently that I don't know how to choose socks. All I know is that I need something between my foot and my shoe, and it seems ridiculous to spend money on socks.

So here are my problems:

1. I wear a size 9.5US/41UK. All the socks that I have bought lately that say they fit up to a size 11 foot have seemed too small (they press my toes uncomfortably). Aside from buying mens' socks, is there a reliable way to buy socks that actually fit and are comfortable?

2. I've mostly been buying low-cut no-show thin socks, but a) they're not very warm, and next winter I'd like my feet to be warmer; and b) they're probably very unfashionable to wear with pants and clogs. And I'm pretty much always wearing pants and clogs.

Help me become sock-savvy please! What do I need, in terms of both size and style?

posted by rabbitrabbit to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (6 answers total)

I pretty much wear all wool socks now, because they wick and are super cozy and durable. Good and good-looking brands are Darn Tough and Smartwool. I also have several REI brand socks that have worn well, but are not fashionable. However! I like a tight sock, and in my experience these brands do hug the foot, so they might not be for you if you want a looser fit. I have tried to buy men's socks, but the toe area is always too huge for me.
posted by Malla at 2:46 PM on March 28, 2014

I wear size 9.5/10 shoes and have pretty wide feet, and seriously, for whatever crazy reasons the trouser socks I buy at Eddie Bauer are the most comfortable and durable socks that I own. They have standard thinnish cotton ones and I have a few of their cabled ones for colder weather. You can also step up to wool: I've gotten really warm and comfy (and really fun!) socks with excellent customer service at Sock Dreams.
posted by TwoStride at 3:20 PM on March 28, 2014 [1 favorite]

I have the opposite problem - really small feet - but I can relate to having socks that fit poorly. Sizing is important. One-size-fits-all socks don't. They just don't. So look for socks that come in sizes (usually small, medium, large).

With pants and clogs, you'll want socks that are crew-length, most likely. These won't show any skin except, perhaps, when you're sitting down with your legs crossed and maybe not even then.

Thanks to numerous posts on AskMe, I've become quite a fan of smartwool socks. They're pretty expensive (but certainly google around for prices before you buy; discounts can be found) but they keep your feet warm in winter and wick away sweat so they feel comfortable even when your feet are warm (and mine usually are), and they last a long time. I've worn nothing but Smartwool socks at the gym for several years and I'm switching all my fashion socks over to Smartwool as well.
posted by DrGail at 4:44 PM on March 28, 2014

My feet are a tad larger than yours. I've given up on one-size-fits-all socks. I've had good luck with Smartwool and Stance socks, which come in sizes, and also through Sock Dreams (where I discovered Stance).
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:44 AM on March 29, 2014 [1 favorite]

These will fit you and are great. They're the first ones I wear when they surface in the clean laundry hamper.
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:46 AM on March 29, 2014

I can endorse these ones, as well. They're a bit thinner than the ones I linked up there, but still fine for most of the year.
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:52 AM on March 29, 2014