# Gray Wool Dress Pants.... what color shoes and socks?



## drew1 (Jan 17, 2011)

Purchased a BR wool dress pant that should arrive in 1 week or so. It is grayish. I heard you can wear any color shoe with it correct? I have black and brown for shoes. But if i wear black shoes, socks would have to be black right? What if i wear brown shoes? Would the socks have to be brown or gray?


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

While I am sure many will disagree with me on the point I am about to make, too many years in a uniform (in my past life) has left me with a firm believe that black socks (and in many cases, navy socks) can be, and are, worn with everything. It also solves that age old challenge we all face, of matching our sock pairs after laundering! 

PS: Just for grins, make your next pair of shoes a burgundy option!


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## Bookman (May 19, 2010)

socks should match the pants, not the shoes.....


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## nosajwols (Jan 27, 2010)

Match the socks to the pants and black, brown, or burgundy will work for shoes.

For myself, unless the pants are really dark I would likely go with brown or burgundy for the shoes (I only tend to pair black shoes with darker colour pants, just a personal preference).


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## dwebber18 (Jun 5, 2008)

Agreed, match the socks to the pants. If I wear my gray pants with a blue shirt I'll go for my gray and blue argyles, if I don't have argyles to match I'll wear gray. You can wear black or brown, but I really prefer burgundy but if you wear brown or black just match the socks to your pants.


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## PJC in NoVa (Jan 23, 2005)

When I wear gray trousers with brown or burgundy shoes, I normally wear gray socks at least as dark as the trousers, tho' on occasion I will wear navy socks (for instance if I am wearing a navy tie that day).

When I wear gray trousers with black shoes, I normally wear black socks (NB: most of my gray trousers are rather dark).


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

The world of socks is broad and wonderful. Black socks are idiot proof. And dull.

Why be dull?

https://asuitablewardrobe.dynend.com/search?q=socks+


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

drew1 said:


> Purchased a BR wool dress pant that should arrive in 1 week or so. It is grayish. I heard you can wear any color shoe with it correct? I have black and brown for shoes. But if i wear black shoes, socks would have to be black right? What if i wear brown shoes? Would the socks have to be brown or gray?


Brown shoes will look great, Cordovan color (AKA: oxblood, burgundy) will be fine also. Black shoes only if you're in a very dressy situation.

Socks match trousers! Unless you want to look like you just got out of the military! But, *eagle2250*, I salute you!!:icon_smile_big:


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

For now, just match the socks to the trousers - same color, or darker version of the same color. Later on, you can get more adventurous by having the socks match or echo other things, like the color of a tie or jacket or shirt. But start simply... grey socks with grey pants. 

As for shoes, the good news is that grey pants go with almost every color of shoes. To keep it traditional, pick a color that is no lighter than the trousers (i.e., no tan shoes with dark grey pants). Non-black colors are often thought, by traditional/classic clothing enthusiasts, to have more style with odd trousers (i.e., not with a suit) than black shoes. But this assumes proper "dress" shoes, not things that are basically tennis shoes with brown leather.


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## Cocophone (Apr 13, 2005)

another vote for matching socks to the pants (trousers)

If the sock matches, then the length of the leg goes down to the shoe. Otherwise the leg ends at the sock. Esp. noticeable when sitting down where you legs show.


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## zbix (Dec 12, 2010)

Match the pants or get creative. That's my approach. Casual greys or bright stripes, argyles, etc


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## TheGreatTwizz (Oct 27, 2010)

I vote for bright red socks, dark brown shoes.


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## temple_gym (Oct 10, 2010)

It would be brown shoes for me though black is ok too. And I will match a pair of gray socks with gray pants. IMO, it creates a aesthetically pleasing visual continuation of colors from gray pants to gray socks to shoes. But rules r rules. You can still be a little adventurous with the design of your socks. For instance, if you hv a pair of gray pants and plain toe Oxford, match it with a pair of patterned socks. 

But at times, you may come across style books that say its ok to match your socks either with pant/shoes . You decide.

And if u want more ideas/inspirations on how to mix and match, check out these magazines if u can get them. 
1) Mens Ex or Leon (from Japan)
2) LUEL (Korea)


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

eagle2250 said:


> While I am sure many will disagree with me on the point I am about to make, too many years in a uniform (in my past life) has left me with a firm believe that black socks (and in many cases, navy socks) can be, and are, worn with everything. It also solves that age old challenge we all face, of matching our sock pairs after laundering!


I agree entirely, I've worn almost only black socks for the last 30+ years (when I say 30+ I mean nearly 40!) In uniform I only ever wore black and concluded that black, or dark grey when I'm really casual, is all I feel comfortable with. I have a dread of trousers being too short and always feel that bright colours, or patterns, will draw attention to the wrong area if there *is* an issue with trouser length.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Andy said:


> Brown shoes will look great, Cordovan color (AKA: oxblood, burgundy) will be fine also. Black shoes only if you're in a very dressy situation.
> 
> Socks match trousers! Unless you want to look like you just got out of the military! But, *eagle2250*, I salute you!!:icon_smile_big:


LOL. But Andy, the black socks go so well with my uniform issue, black calf, low quarter Bluchers...left over from the good old says!


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## London380sl (Apr 17, 2009)

Here how I proceed in the morning when selecting my sock colour:

1) Match the pants
2) Complement the pants
3) Match the shoes
4) Contrast with the pants 

2 & 3 have about the same weighting for me and I rarely do #4.


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## PJC in NoVa (Jan 23, 2005)

eagle2250 said:


> It also solves that age old challenge we all face, of matching our sock pairs after laundering!


J. Press, Pakeman, Ben Silver, and Nordie's all sell wool-blend OTC dress socks with clever colored bands or sections at the top (and in BS's case, the toe also) to obviate just this problem (e.g., Press socks have a strip of red across the top of the black socks, and of mid-blue across the top of the navy socks).


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
That seems to me, to be a great idea. Thanks for sharing it! LOL, now I just have to convince the wife to sew those colored bands on my discount priced, Gold-Toes!


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