Men Need to Get a Leg Up When Socks Start Falling Down on the Job
Tug of War: You’re a man at a party wearing a good pair of slacks and expensive Italian loafers. You take a seat on the couch, cross your legs, and suddenly the woman in front of you is staring at your hairy shin while your sock is crumpled around your ankle.
Socks that droop aren’t necessarily cheap. Even the best men’s hosiery can slip and fall if it’s not the correct size.
“This often happens when you buy a ‘one size fits all’ pair of socks,” says Brett Petersen of Brooks Brothers in Newport Beach. “The material just isn’t there to fit every foot size. You can try getting socks designed to fit your size, or use garters to pull the sock up.”
Another option is to look for over-the-calf socks, which end just below the knee and have a well-deserved reputation for staying in place. Also, make sure you’re washing socks correctly. Hot water wears down the nylon fibers that keep socks in their place.
Heeling Controversy: It’s a question as old as the days when Grandmother was able to wear shorter skirts that showed off her shoes: How high should that heel be?
The traditional rule of thumb has always been the shorter the skirt, the higher the heel, but like many rules in today’s fashion scene, it’s OK to bend.
“I think anything goes right now as far as heels go,” says clothing consultant Marie Madronna of Laguna Beach. “You can get away with real high heels and a long skirt, or pumps and a mini-skirt. Just do what feels comfortable.”
Despite the fact that high heels are usually uncomfortable after a trying day at work, they’re a staple of an office wardrobe. Try a shorter heel if you’re on your feet most of the day, and stay away from the three- to four-inch stiletto heels if your work environment is traditional; these are strictly for play.
Three Easy Pieces: Not long ago, every man who wanted to look like a successful (fill in the blank: lawyer/stockbroker/developer) had them hanging in his closet. Today, they’re hanging in thrift shops.
The three-piece suit is a classic that fell out of favor in the late ‘70s as the more subtle two-piece took its place. However, in the same way that disco music has refused to die, three-pieces are still seen occasionally at restaurants and offices.
“They were really a style statement,” says clothing designer Rod Clear of Irvine. “The double-breasted jacket has replaced it for creating the debonair look. To wear a 15-year-old three-piece relic today, you must be comfortable looking dated.”
If you don’t want to get rid of the suit, you can try getting rid of the vest and having a tailor alter the lapels to give it a more modern design. If it feels too naked without the vest, you might wear a coordinating sweater vest under the jacket, making it a “nice, casual” suit rather than something you’d wear to a formal business meeting.
