THE SOCK
hello everyone today let’s talk about this accessory used by everyone, but maybe not everyone knows that……et’s start
An accessory that was created for a certain reason: to keep the feet warm in the colder seasons, and with the passage of time has become a true cult of clothing, with specific characteristics and new trends dictated by fashion.
But let’s start with the beginnings of this magnificent garment.
The oldest socks belong to the Egyptians, dating back to the period between 250 and 420 BC. A and were apparently worn with sandals.
They were found in the necropolis of ancient Oxyrhynchus, a Greek colony on the Nile, in the late 19th century and exhibited at the Museum of London
We can attribute, however, the true prototype of the sock, to the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, in 700 B.C.: to cover their feet, men used long canvas leggings with a leather sole.
We find the same in the Greeks and Romans: they, too, had the custom of wrapping woven bands of cotton or wool around their legs, closed by leather laces.
However, these left the foot uncovered.A too uncomfortable solution, which was soon replaced by the barbarian bracae, a kind of long pants that also covered the foot.
In the Middle Ages around the year 1000, long stockings became widespread.
Making stockings at that time was complex and required excessive expenditure of money, and it is for these very reasons that they became a distinctive symbol of high social status.
The late fifteenth century also saw the invention of the tights, a one-piece item to be worn underneath the imposing dresses.
From this time on, the introduction of the stocking also marked a clear division between men’s and women’s clothing.
Men began to proudly display brightly colored socks that differed from leg to leg.
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, bright hues gave way to elegant white, the only accepted shade of color, but it was In the nineteenth century that everything changed: men’s fashion mandated legs covered by long breeches, with the spread thus, of men’s long pants, but with consequent downsizing of men’s socks: they thus began to shrink below the knee and it was from here that the difference between socks and stockings became clear.
Today, socks and stockings are an irreplaceable element of every outfit, an item of clothing that fills drawers and closets in its various versions. Long, short, plain or in a variety of patterns, matching or contrasting with the rest of the look, to stand out, personalize, embellish one’s daily clothing choices.
Fabrics:
Here is a small guide with what you need to know about choosing the perfect socks.
Fabrics, patterns, solids, whatever your outfit, and how to navigate their use and care to make them last longer.
What is meant when we hear the word “titles”?
The count is the length of yarn obtained from one gram of raw material; example: a 1/90 count means that one gram of cotton yielded 90 meters of yarn.
The higher the title, the thinner the stocking will be.
The yarn can be plain or twisted, or twisted and side by side with another yarn; the latter will be stronger than one made from a single yarn.
What does “linking” mean, or in most of the times it is used to say “linking sock”? This terminology, simply identifies the seam at the tip.
What is the difference then between “remilled” and “hand remilled” ?, even if there is nothing hand, we will explain later, touching it should not feel anything.
If you feel a small thickness, it is a machine seam: this is because when the sock leaves production, the toe is absent, which is assembled by machine later.
Per molti questo spessore può rivelarsi fastidioso.
Therefore, hand-stitched socks (which is done manually with a linking machine), which are more expensive but offer more comfort, are to be preferred.
Cotton.
More common and valuable is Scotch Wire.
There are many reasons for this; to summarize them all, we can say that they are lightweight, durable, and disperse heat and natural perspiration, but most importantly, they are unshrinkable.
Another cotton used is Mako: cotton of Egyptian origin, while Winter Cotton yarn is used for winter, which is thicker therefore suitable for the cold season.
Wool
A fabric used obviously for winter, but which we also find in wool-cotton variants and alternatively wool and silk: this sock is also found lately in patterns of the most varied and bizarre.
CASHMERE
They are the warmest socks, Suitable not for metropolitan use, in fact they are in low demand.
Unlike what you might imagine, they wear out and wear down much sooner than other… How to avoid this? The alternative is to buy them in cashmere and silk, so they will have a longer life and you will amortize the investment, in addition to giving a perfect, breathable shoe.
LINO
This fabric is used for summer socks, although it is most often mixed with cotton.
MODELS
- The short sock, which reaches above the malleolus: it is widely used by Germans, Belgians and Americans; in Italy it is frowned upon.
- The long sock: it reaches below the knee is the one that is definitely used the most and makes the most flawless.
WASHING:
Always obey the label for washing instructions to avoid ending up with the big jim…… and habitual sock that a cotton sock may shrink on the first wash, then remain unchanged on subsequent washes.
For pure wool socks there is danger of felting and pilling (the appearance of fiber balls): my advice is to always wash them by hand whether wool or cashmere and using neutral soap and above all DO NOT IRON.
How to match colors and patterns?
The person who is “indifferent to the sock accessory” will only use them to “cover their feet” without having any interest in any matching, fabric or color, but the one who is attentive and thoughtful in her look will go for different colors and hues for this accessory as well.
Tip: Get yourself a dozen dark gray or black socks and play it safe, without much upheaval or doubt, for those looking for simplicity and elegance at the same time.
Why then not opt for the tie plus sock color combination? A careful, refined and original look for those who demand the best.
The perfectionist, on the other hand, chooses the most suitable color in consideration of the color of shoes and pants.
For the ceremony and with the tuxedo with the tight, etc. the best choice is the black silk stocking.
For casual weekend or leisure you can indulge in colors and patterns.
ps:
Recommend: White socks: only to be used exclusively while doing sports……
I hope you found the new article useful and enjoyed it, if only to satiate your own curiosity.
well I salute you and see you next time
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