Campus Trends

With winter a-knocking, socks can be more helpful than you think!

Sock Talk

Naziba Basher
Photos: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

I love socks. I do not know why and what exactly fascinates me about them. But, I love them, none the less. People collect coins, postage stamps, souvenirs, rings, etc. I, on the other hand, collect socks!

Most people have the tendency to think that socks are one of the most unimportant accessories a person can own. On the contrary, with winter at our doorsteps, creeping into our homes, rooms, under our blankets and bringing 'pleasant-but-not-so-pleasant' chills from head to toe (emphasis on the toe for obvious reasons), socks are as important as anything else this season. Whether home or outside, the best way to keep warm is by keeping your ears and toes covered at all times. And quiet honestly, there isn't much you can turn to when it comes to keeping your toes warm. Unless, you plan on wearing shoes, (like sneakers, converse, vans, etc) which also, and this is very important fashion advice, requires socks. Wearing shoes without socks is not only visually unpleasant, but it also affects, in a negative manner, other senses, like the nose. And to your dismay, not only your own, but also the noses of others, if you know what I mean.

Owning around sixty pairs of socks myself, I can confidently say that there is absolutely no need to keep true to the boring old black and white trend when it comes to socks. Even with something that you wear on your feet and are usually hiding beneath your shoes, you never, I repeat, never have to compromise on fashion. You can find a variety of socks coming in different colours, sizes, with different patterns and so much more. You can buy a pair of bright yellow socks and a pair of bright blue socks and mix and match! It is completely normal (in case you think it's a little too 'out there') and trust me, it's a feast for the eyes of anyone who knows where to look (and no, I don't mean animals that can easily view your feet). You can easily grab attention and feel stylish. You can find a variety of socks in almost any clothing store. Big Boss, in Dhanmondi Road 2, has a good array of cute socks and, for the boys, very 'cool' socks too!

For those who like experimenting with fashion on clothes, you can always execute some of your ideas on socks. If you cannot find colourful socks or with a pattern of your liking, here's a tip: buy a plain white pair of socks and buy a small amount of extra material from a store. It can be funky or just simple yet striking. Cut out borders and just stitch them on to the parts of the socks that are around your ankles! Otherwise, you can always opt to tie-die your socks to add a very retro look to your ensemble.

Ankle-length socks– the current choice of youngsters.

Most youngsters nowadays choose to wear the ankle-length socks, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. As a matter of fact, I prefer the ankle-length ones too. But when it's a chilly morning and you know that travelling in a bus or CNG is bound to get the cold seeping in through your jeans, it is always a good idea to wear knee-length socks. It is always a better option when you want to make sure that your legs don't go numb and wobbly by the time you're in university and need to rush to class.

Having said all of this, I am, in no way, suggesting that you start collecting socks. Trust me, it is a pointless obsession and it annoys my parents to the core. But there is no reason to undermine it when it comes to your daily get-up. Socks, like very other accessories, play a very important role in winter fashion (maybe even more important than most). So, go ahead and buy more than just a pair and make sure it catches more notice than just of creatures that come up to your ankles!