When did socks become a cool gift?
Socks used to be the type of present an aunt or uncle gives your to fulfill their gift-giving duties. It doesn't communicate care or an ounce of thought. At best, it is met with forced "thank you-s" from polite pamangkins, and at worst it is greeted with tears and tantrums. It even earns you a nickname along the lines boring, half-assed, no-fun, or killjoy.
But to every gift-giving Tito's and Tita's defense, socks are a practical gift meant to save your feet from callouses and chaffing. My mom used to say "it's the thought that counts" and what she really means is that gift-giving is optional and we are not entitled to a gift at all. We should be glad to have even received a gift, no matter how much we dislike it because they could have easily not have given us one.
So while I still dreaded receiving socks as a kid and wished it were a Barbie Doll set, I would still smile, thank whoever thought a couple of pairs of white socks is an appropriate gift for a 7-year-old.
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But sometime in my very real, early adult life, socks became cool.
More and more people have donned socks to make a fashion-forward statement. What used to be an area ruled by shoes, socks now serve as the fashion piece that turns heads towards the feet.
Even our favorite science YouTuber turned TikTok star, Hank Green made his own company dedicated to cool socks.
What used to be an afterthought is now at times the entire point of the outfit.
But when exactly did this happen?
We don't know for sure but personally, I started noticing it around 2017. I was fresh out of college and worked at a PR agency. I noticed many of my male colleagues will be dressed in simple attires, usually, black shirts and jeans. Some who were a little more playful would wear printed tops and pants cropped just above the ankle. But whatever their style may be, they would all be wearing funky socks.
The colors were anything but white. Their feet were wrapped in loud prints such as coconut trees and flamingos or pineapples and ice cream. As if to signal "yes, I have character despite what my Steve Job-Esque outfit suggests."
I didn't notice this much with my female colleagues whose prints and patterns are usually showcased on their dresses, skirts, and tops. As if to signal "yes, I am not afraid to show my personality, unlike that Steve Jobs wannabe over there."
Back then I thought this was because I worked in a creative industry where breaking conventional office attire is encouraged (except when meeting clients, who many times, break those same clothing conventions themselves.) Until Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's socks have gone viral, which have made me realize socks are no longer simply a practical piece of clothing. It was now a way people embrace youthfulness and creativity.
Socks mainly being foot apparel, allow the wearer to make a loud statement but only to those who care enough to listen. Since not many people look at the feet, socks often become a fun surprise to anyone who sees them.
They are easy conversation starters too! If you want people to talk to you but are a bit shy to make the first move, wear cool socks and wait for people to ask you about it or talk to them about theirs.
While socks are all that, I wouldn't rely on them too much. Our feet already carry you throughout the day, why would we burden them with having to speak for us as well? Yes, they are good conversation starters but they can't hold a conversation. We can follow their lead, however, and step out of our comfort zones (at least metaphorically, because physically, if your socks aren't comfortable, why even have them in the first place?)
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As October has come to a close and we are only a little more than a month before Christmas, remember that giving/receiving socks as a Christmas present is actually not as bad as we used to think.
Hopefully, if we are able to find a pair or two that reflects our personality but even if we don't, let's all just be grateful to at least have a pair since we probably have one or two socks in our drawers missing theirs.
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