The Length of Socks

How long should a sock be?

As a rule of thumb - a sock should cover as much of the leg as possible to avoid any skin to be shown between the trousers and shoes. However, different situations might require different rules. These are some of the socks styles to choose from:

• Invisible Socks cover only the base of the foot and therefore disappear completely in the shoe. They are ideal for the sporty outfit and go perfect with sneakers.
• Ankle Socks are slightly higher than invisible socks. They just reach above the shoe and should be used in the same way as invisible socks - for the sports outfit.
• Calf Socks reach toward the lower part of the calf. These socks are the bread and butter socks that we all know. While very comfortable, they might not be long enough to cover the leg, if the trousers move up a bit when sitting down.
• Mid-calf Socks are 2 inches longer than calf socks and will give additional cover of the leg in tricky situations. They are more common in the US than in Europe.
• Knee high Socks reach just below the knee and ensure that in all situation the leg is covered and no skin visible (assuming no shorts are worn!). These long socks are also a very good choice in the winter, because the keep the foot and calf much warmer that a calf sock.

It depends on the general outfit, what lengths of socks is preferable for that particular style of cloths.
Here a few more rules:

• Trainers and sneakers go well with invisible or ankle socks
• Knee high socks with shorts can be seen in traditional German or Austrian folklore outfits. Otherwise the combination should be avoided.
• In any smart outfit avoid socks that are too short and leave part of the leg visible
• When wearing Sandals no socks should be worn

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