Help me pick out my forever socks!

March 6, 2013 1:47 PM

I had a brilliant idea the other day: instead of buying all sorts of different socks and cursing the gods when I lose one of a matching pair, I should buy bunches of matching socks in the same color so that any two go with each other. Help me enact this plan by finding socks that meet my criteria. Snowflake details inside.

Ideally, I'd like to find calf-length socks that meet the following criteria:

(1) come in black or brown (I'm making two collections). I prefer plain or plain-ish to patterns, and unribbed to ribbed, but those are loosely held opinions.
(2) preferably are made of bamboo or are something pretty soft
(3) are fairly inexpensive (I can't blow $15 on a single pair of socks)
(4) are available online
(5) are a medium weight. I don't want athletic socks or super lightweight.
(5) are likely to still be available a few years down the line when I need to replenish my supply.

Thanks!

posted by griseus to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (19 answers total)

Smartwool

I tried bamboo and find that they wear at the toes a little fast. Smartwool is a little bit expensive but they wear REALLY well, are super comfortable, keep my feet dry (which no other sock has), warm if it's cold, cool if it's warm. They're perfect.

I usually buy some basic hiking socks from here.
posted by VTX at 2:04 PM on March 6, 2013 [1 favorite]

Yeah, smartwool is going to be everything you need except inexpensive. I just got a box of 3 pair at EMS on sale for $10/pair. But they are totally worth it.
posted by gauche at 2:07 PM on March 6, 2013

My everyday socks are these. They look equally unremarkable with boots, sneakers, and lace-up moccasins, which is 90% of the footwear I wear at any given time. They're a bit too thick/casual to wear with leather-soled dress shoes, but they'd pass in a pinch. I buy a new bag every two years or so and pitch the ones that have developed holes.
posted by ndg at 2:07 PM on March 6, 2013

I'd be careful getting a whole bunch of Smartwool socks. I've had them wear well, and also terribly in the heels/soles. Like after wearing maybe 5 times, the wool wore off and I'm left with just see-through synthetic areas.

I've had better luck with Wigwam and Fox River for wool socks. Campmor is a good place to stock up cheap.
posted by mon-ma-tron at 2:09 PM on March 6, 2013 [3 favorites]

Also, Solmates socks are purposely mismatched.
posted by mon-ma-tron at 2:13 PM on March 6, 2013 [1 favorite]

My fake-Smartwool socks, more economically, wear-with-anything socks are Goodhew brand, purchased from Sierra Trading Post. You can usually grab 2-packs for around that $15 you mentioned; more with coupons or specials.

Shipping ain't free, but I find it works out if I'm buying All The Socks.
posted by deludingmyself at 2:46 PM on March 6, 2013

My husband and I also practice this philosophy, but it does only last 6-9 months. I've just started rounding them up at that point, shoving them in a pillow case, and starting over. Eventually there will be enough socks for a dog pillow.
posted by Lyn Never at 2:47 PM on March 6, 2013 [1 favorite]

I, too, declared sock bankruptcy about a year ago. I used GoldToe as well. I knew going in that going cheap would probably mean having to repeat the exercise again in about a year, and it's about that time again. That said, having only 1 kind of sock per color has been an unexpectedly huge upgrade to my quality of life. I say, go cheap and go often.
posted by bluejayway at 2:56 PM on March 6, 2013 [1 favorite]

I've been really disappointed with Smartwool socks, too. One pair has gone at the heels after less than a year, and there's no way my heels are that crusty or my shoes are that crappy.
posted by vickyverky at 2:59 PM on March 6, 2013 [1 favorite]

I'm about a year into the Giant Pile of Cheap Cotton Socks from Target, and attrition from heel wear and the Laundry Goblin has hit the point where I want to reup. Sadly, that style is gone. So beware the style can go away really quickly even if you just get a super basic sock.

But it was a good year and I'm totally going to do this all over again with whatever new style they have. It's a good idea, just maybe not as long term as you're envisioning.
posted by Stacey at 3:02 PM on March 6, 2013

Just a small note on cost. Darning is straight-forward and simple and it will give whichever socks you choose a second life when they do inevitably start wearing out.
posted by aniola at 4:07 PM on March 6, 2013

I got around a dozen pairs of business socks made from Coolmax over 5 years ago. These are socks that I wear all day, most days of the year. After all this time, only one has developed a tiny hole in the toe area. I haven't noticed any thin areas either. I got them in a sale and they are all one of 3 basic business patterns, so I can wash them all together and not worry too much about which pair goes with which. They are all mostly black and I don't seem to have an issue with the colour fading differently--don't know if that's down to my laundry habits or the fabric.

This is the brand and style I got (although mine were a 3-pack and at least half that price, which is why I ended up with so many), pretty sure the durability is more due to the Coolmax than the brand name, however apt, as I have some Coolmax sports socks in various brands that have also lasted 5+ years.
posted by hgws at 5:27 PM on March 6, 2013

Anecdata: I've been doing this for the last couple years. I buy two-three packs of black, and a pack of brown. I wear them everyday, wash em about once every week or so, and then throw them out whenever they crumble depending on my cash reserves. I do it with GoldToe, although they're ribbed. Haven't noticed any uneven fading. In summary, agree with bluejayway. Go cheap and often.

BTW. It's weird everyone has been having bad runs with Smartwool, I'm currently wearing one of two pair of smart wools I bought over EIGHT YEARS ago. I only wear them when I'm camping or its super cold out - so I'm sure that's part of why they've lasted, and they're definitely thinner than they used to be. But on the whole, super satisfied.
posted by midmarch snowman at 8:23 PM on March 6, 2013

I had the same thought! I'm a girl, but I ended up with GoldToe (and my dad also wears GoldToe). They are super comfortable and seem sturdy although I've only been wearing them a few months.
posted by radioamy at 10:22 PM on March 6, 2013

I tried this too! With Smartwool, but they were not as great as I expected. Some did get holes, they shrank and pilled in the dryer, and they were not very versatile: too hot for summer. I had similar experiences with a bunch of rarer and expensive brands. I then tried Target and Marks and Spencer, but i) they do not carry the same socks for years, and ii) they got holes in about ten minutes.

So I gave up on the dream. Today I buy argyle socks from Express, and mismatch them. When one gets holes, I throw it out. I expect to have to buy another half-dozen pairs from a new provider in 4-6 months. I've decided to be okay with it :-)
posted by Susan PG at 11:49 PM on March 6, 2013

Frequent sock bankruptcy has an unexpected benefit: new socks feel way better than old socks! If cost isn't an issue, go for it, and go bankrupt as needed. It feels good.
posted by jewzilla at 1:45 AM on March 7, 2013

I've had bad luck with Smartwool heels and toes wearing out, so switched to Darn Tough. Don't know yet how we'll they last past 10 months, but they're in great shape now, and have a lifetime warranty!
posted by lorimt at 8:18 AM on March 7, 2013

I wanted to find an awesome brand of socks that I could buy year after year. I tried Smart Wool, FoxRiver, Wigwam, and others. The socks either didn't meet my requirements or didn't last an acceptable length of time for the cost.

Here's what I do now;

1. Buy 10-12 pairs of socks. They must be heavily natural fiber with some stretchy fiber as well, have a seamless toe, be dress shoe thin, be machine washable (I'm fine hanging to dry) and be not expensive.
2. 9-12 months later: buy another 10-12 pairs of socks. They must meet the same requirements as above, but now also must be distinguishable from the above socks.
3. 9-12 months later; repeat the above step, this time throwing out the socks purchased 18-24 months ago.

posted by fief at 10:51 AM on March 7, 2013

I also buy about 12 pairs of socks every couple of years - all black ankle socks. They inevitably have tiny differences but if I truly didn't care I could wear them together without anyone noticing. Any that get slightly thin or have holes get binned straight away.

It's removed several sets of frustrations.
posted by kadia_a at 11:19 AM on March 7, 2013