# Bright Socks



## tinytim (Jun 13, 2008)

For all those who embrace the GTH look, where can I find some really bright socks? It seems like all the mens socks are either black, blue, tan or some shade of olive. Argyle are even hard to find in bright colors. There are literally thousands of womens socks in neon or really bright colors. But I'm not a fan of anklets or tube socks.


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## turban1 (May 29, 2008)

Jermyn Street, London. Harvie & Hudson sell brightly-coloured long socks online. so too may New & Lingwood.


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## law_reb (Jul 20, 2006)

I can often find brightly colored Pantherella and Punto socks at TJ Maxx and Marshall's. Just got two pairs of Pantherella last week, one mostly purple and one in an obnoxious green color.


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## yanre_urriek (Jul 2, 2009)

This post isn't very helpful, but it reminds me of my organ teacher/choirmaster. He has a very English style of dressing, and always manages to find the brightest pink argyll socks to go with his pink stripe shirt and pink pocket square, not to mention the over-the-top cuff links. Funny guy. You can actually find cheap argyll socks at Target occasionally. They won't last for more than six months if you wear them normally, but hey, I'm in college.


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## Wisco (Dec 3, 2009)

One source I have found on-line is Happy Socks: https://www.happysocks.com/ Lots of solids and patterns with bright colors.

Ciao,

Wisco


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## Epaminondas (Oct 19, 2009)

tinytim said:


> For all those who embrace the GTH look, where can I find some really bright socks?


As Tom Wolfe pointed out back in the '70s, the GTH look only applies to trousers. In fact, fact when describing the look, he noted that the men who sported GTH trousers usually wore no socks or white socks.


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## chris! (Dec 8, 2009)

A month and a half ago at Target they had yellow, teal, blue, red, and purple socks. $2.50 per pair. I bought a pair in every color. They won't last forever, but I'm happy with them.


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## Trip English (Dec 22, 2008)

Ralph always has a great selection, often with patterns. Thomas Pink always has a rainbow of colors, sometimes with contrasting heels. Any high-end department store will usually have a colorful array under their house brand. I'd bet even low-end department stores like Macy's would have something these days.


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## Bradford (Dec 10, 2004)

If you have an outlet mall nearby, Off 5th tends to have a good selection of fun socks.

SteinMart also carries a lot of argyles from Tommy Hilfiger.


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## dorji (Feb 18, 2010)

Surprised no one has said Customshirt1 yet. Try a few you will be happy you did....the best out there!


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## Murrah (Mar 28, 2005)

viccel.com


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## tinytim (Jun 13, 2008)

dorji said:


> Surprised no one has said Customshirt1 yet. Try a few you will be happy you did....the best out there!


Not cheap but beautiful. Thanks for the link.


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## tinytim (Jun 13, 2008)

Murrah said:


> viccel.com


Nice socks and most solids were under $8/pair with free shipping.


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## MidWestTrad (Aug 14, 2010)

I picked up some gray and orange (bright orange!) argyles at Old Navy the other week. Reasonable quality and can't beat the price.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

There really is no such thing as a GTH sock, nor is there a GTH shoe.

Argyle socks are just socks.

IMO, socks should meld with the rest of your clothing. If your socks jump out and scream "look at me," you've gone wrong.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Before Patrick jumps in, joyofsocks.com. I have a few pair of Marcoliani GTH socks from O'Connell's and love them. Very durable, very colorful. And, yes, IMHO there are GTH socks, and I'm an addict. I have hot pink, neon lime green, blue and white checkerboard, skull-and-crossbones, to name a few.

And for anyone faint of heart, don't go to the O'Connell's website right now. They're running a sale on summer wear that is breathtaking, especially if you love bleeding madras.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

32rollandrock said:


> And for anyone faint of heart, don't go to the O'Connell's website right now. They're running a sale on summer wear that is breathtaking, especially if you love bleeding madras.


Yeah, I've already made that mistake. I'm a sucker for NOS stuff.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Howard Yount, Brooks, J. Press and O'Connell's come to mind. 

Being poor and cheap, I just found some rather nice Merona branded argyles at Target for $3 and change. Perhaps not bright enough for you, but nice enough socks. And while I'm not a bargain hunter by nature, I must confess to a thrill in finding half-decent and tasteful socks at that price. Obviously not the equal of the Ben Silver or Paul Stuart versions, but at less than 1/10th the price, a darn nice pair of socks.


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## dandypauper (Jun 10, 2007)

+1 on happysocks. H&M used to have the greatest, brightest and most ridiculous (I mean this in a good and longing way) socks, and cheap. I had never seen the like and they started going the black & white and stupid routes... then I saw happysocks and I was pretty sure I found H&M's source. A few of the patterns are the same as ones I have in my drawer that have been darned or orphaned and I've kept, praying to find their lost soulmates, because I can't bear to give them up.

+1 also on Target. I haven't seen them in a while, but for a time they had emblematics of lobsters, creative/bright stripes...

Check out J. Crew also. The occasional odd stripe or shark emblematic, etc, esp. at the outlet. Mostly subdued colors, though.

Call 'em GTH or not (or just GTH yourself?) but there's something special about these socks, whatever you want to call them. At a funeral I did on Thursday the mourning family afterward asked about my bright green solids. I wouldn't generally wear anything like this to a funeral (and skull & crossbones all the more so, natch,) but was dressed otherwise and came home and changed for the funeral and just plain forgot. When I noticed, I had hoped no one else would, but I had to step up somewhere and I think everyone saw. I told them that when I started studying to be a rabbi, I was worried there would be pressure to dress in a boring suit (black? horror of horrors!) So I started the practice of wearing socks like these so I could feel some individuality and people wouldn't necessarily notice. I apologized that they did and they responded that the recently deceased (at 103 1/2 !) would have loved them... her favorite color was bright green. I quoted wisdom I had learned on this forum, certainly more a part of my wardrobe than my silly signature quote and one I quote more truthfully and more often: "a businessman matches his socks to his trousers but a gentleman matches his socks to his mood."*

Good night, gentlemen.

*I try not to teach wisdom without attribution... as far as I can tell, this originated with AldenPyle. A wiser man than myself.


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## tinytim (Jun 13, 2008)

dandypauper said:


> Call 'em GTH or not (or just GTH yourself?) but there's something special about these socks, whatever you want to call them.


While I might have used the wrong terminology to satisfy some here, my point is where can someone get some really bright socks. I would like to thank everyone who jumped in with some really great suggestions.


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## Douglas Brisbane Gray (Jun 7, 2010)

tinytim said:


> For all those who embrace the GTH look, where can I find some really bright socks? It seems like all the mens socks are either black, blue, tan or some shade of olive. Argyle are even hard to find in bright colors. There are literally thousands of womens socks in neon or really bright colors. But I'm not a fan of anklets or tube socks.


I got my brother 3 pairs of Argyles in neon from ABS cash and carry in Glasgow, I got them as a joke but he loved them.
Black socks with Green, Orage and Pink neon patern respectively.


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## sowilson (Jul 27, 2009)

Nordstrom's, Nordstrom's Rack, Sak's Off Fifth, Macy's, Brooks Brothers. Sak's Off Fifth is where I usually go for loud socks. Yesterday I was sporting a nice lime green sock with multi-colored dots (5/8" diam dot). Today I have a nice dark grey pair of socks with pink, purple, green, and blue dots.


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## pjwalsh25 (Aug 23, 2010)

*Viccel Socks*

Just got my 2nd order of socks from Viccel Socks.

The choice of colours is stunning, and if you are looking for bright shades this is the sock for you.

It is such a pleasure to deal with Kemal. The Quality and Service he provides is first rate all the way around.

This will not be my last order, and look forward to having a long relationship with Kemal and Viccel Socks.

PJW
:biggrin:


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## cumberlandpeal (May 12, 2006)

On occasion I sport bright red socks with my usual conservative ensemble of Peal & Co. punched black captoe oxfords, white OCBD w/ appropriate tie and blue chalk stripe suit. First saw this in White's in London in the 70s and have adopted it when I am in the mood. Pisses off a lot of people but I suppose that is part of the point.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Yes, it makes some see red. I like to wear the brightest red (current favorite Marciolani merinos from Kabbaz) with the darkest suit.


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## Bernie Zack (Feb 10, 2010)

I just saw a post on the trad thrift store forum selling a pair of turquoise IZOD socks. Check it out.


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## maximar (Jan 11, 2010)

slightly off topic, but somehow related to bright socks. I was just watching a documentary about the british royal family on pbs and one of the shots was inside the parliament. many old men, probably older than dirt, were wearing blinding orange, red, blue, etc. 

and my point is? well, i have none. just want to mention bright socks. thanks for allowing me to waste your time. :icon_smile_big:

or maybe i do! 

we/i feel somehow new and fresh with something that is really old.


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

dorji said:


> Surprised no one has said Customshirt1 yet. Try a few you will be happy you did....the best out there!


Thank you very much!



The Rambler said:


> Yes, it makes some see red. I like to wear the brightest red (current favorite Marciolani merinos from Kabbaz) with the darkest suit.


My favorite color! Marcoliani's regular reds are either too orange (Tomato) or wine-ish (Merlot, Burgundy, Cherry-coming soon). Maybe it's a Mom, apple pie, and U.S. flag thing. So about two years ago we created a special color, Marinella Red, which is only ours.



I, too, wear it with the darkest suits ... but also sometimes with Summer whites and a red linen shirt.​


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## JakeLA (Oct 30, 2006)

H&M has a four-pack of dress socks in red, apple green, purple and blue for, I don't know, Ten bucks? Five bucks? Don't remember, but it's H&M, it's cheap.

And American Apparel of all places has knee socks in about twenty colors, although they mostly seem to be on backorder. but hey, made in America socks!


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## Peachey Carnehan (Apr 18, 2009)

I'm waiting by my mailbox for the Falke sea cotton red socks I ordered. Red socks....loud, but classic.


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## Dragoon (Apr 1, 2010)

Are the Marcoliani merino socks thicker than the cotton ones? In general terms; about the same, a little thicker, a lot thicker.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

I'd say thinner, if anything, though still cushy feeling, somehow. If you're considering them, note that they can go in the washer but not the dryer.


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

Dragoon said:


> Are the Marcoliani merino socks thicker than the cotton ones? In general terms; about the same, a little thicker, a lot thicker.


 We have them in 80% Merino/20% Nylon as well as 100% Merino. The 100% are about 1/64" thicker. The 80/20 are technically the slightest bit thicker than cotton, but when the "cushion" is depressed they become a bit thinner. This, in contrast to cotton, which has much less cushion than merino unless woven as terrycloth or microcushion.


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## Dragoon (Apr 1, 2010)

It looks like the merino argyles are only in 80-20?
I "line" dry all my socks anyway since most regular ones are barely big enough to start with.

I really like my Marcoliani cotton argyle socks I purchased from Mr. Kabbaz. First rate service!


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## rbstc123 (Jun 13, 2007)

I love my pair of bright red PRL socks! I also enjoy wearing them with a dark suit. It adds a nice pop. I also just picked up a pair of solid bright orange Cole Hann socks for $5 at Nordstrom Rack. They had a fairly decent selection of bright socks including the Happy Feet brand. All were $5 each. Not bad. I'm just getting into the bright sock phase. We'll see what's next to come...


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

Dragoon said:


> It looks like the merino argyles are only in 80-20?
> I "line" dry all my socks anyway since most regular ones are barely big enough to start with.


Correct - they are 80/20. However, due to Marcoliani's special method of knitting of argyles, the 2725 Merinos are somewhat thicker and softer than the 80/20 solid colors. I wear mine constantly.



Dragoon said:


> I really like my Marcoliani cotton argyle socks I purchased from Mr. Kabbaz. First rate service!


Thank you kindly, sir!


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Dragoon said:


> It looks like the merino argyles are only in 80-20?
> I "line" dry all my socks anyway since most regular ones are barely big enough to start with.
> 
> I really like my Marcoliani cotton argyle socks I purchased from Mr. Kabbaz. First rate service!


Dragoon: I've got a half dozen pair of the 80/20s (and am saving up for more:biggrin2, and I like the way the blend holds its shape.


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## tinytim (Jun 13, 2008)

maximar said:


> and my point is? well, i have none. just want to mention bright socks. thanks for allowing me to waste your time.


You're welcome. Aren't bright socks fun? That's why I love them. I'm 52 and in the 80's I could go to any men's store in town and pick up bright yellow or oranges socks. Now everything is tan or navy. It's depressing.


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

tinytim said:


> You're welcome. Aren't bright socks fun? That's why I love them. I'm 52 and in the 80's I could go to any men's store in town and pick up bright yellow or oranges socks. Now everything is tan or navy. It's depressing.


 Tinytim: Don't be depressed!


​


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## tinytim (Jun 13, 2008)

Alexander Kabbaz said:


> Tinytim: Don't be depressed!
> 
> 
> ​


Those are outrageous, and I say that in a good way. I'm taking it that you have them in stock.


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

tinytim said:


> Those are outrageous, and I say that in a good way. I'm taking it that you have them in stock.


Thank you! Yes, they are in stock. Everything on CustomShirt1.com, except for bespoke items such as braces, monograms, and scarves, ships the same day if ordered by 2pm.


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## kemalony (May 22, 2009)

tinytim said:


> Nice socks and most solids were under $8/pair with free shipping.





pjwalsh25 said:


> Just got my 2nd order of socks from Viccel Socks.
> 
> The choice of colours is stunning, and if you are looking for bright shades this is the sock for you.
> 
> ...


Yes for now they are all solid colors but soon patterned socks will ready


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## PeterW (May 14, 2004)

Stay focused, gents: 1) solid darks, 2) argyles, and 3) cream Wigwams cover all bases.


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## gordgekko (Nov 12, 2004)

God, Alex...all those socks made me almost have a heart attack. Must have.

At any rate, kind of sad that men's socks have become boring. First half of the last century it was quite common for men to wear brightly coloured socks. Just seemed to stop sometime in the 1950s. Rather a pity.


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## coloredsoxrock (Jan 30, 2006)

Here's my online sources, sorry if I've repeated some already mentioned -

www.barneys.com
www.happysocks.com (free shipping on $40+)
www.sockshop.co.uk (deducts VAT)
www.blueshire.com (free shipping)
www.bodenusa.com
www.paulsmith.co.uk
www.dents.co.uk (deducts VAT)
www.jcrew.com

All these sites are in the US or ship to the US.

Happy shopping!!!


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