I’ve spent a fortune on socks in the past, hoping that the more I paid for a pair, the more they’d satisfy my simple sock needs. I’ve also gone to the other extreme of paying 99 cents at a local drugstore in hope that they might be the ones. All I want is a pair of cotton rich spandex socks that aren’t baggy at the heel and stay up the whole day. Unlike most people, I prefer to wear thin socks that are wool-free (unless I’m working out and wearing sports socks). If my feet are cold, I pop on 2 pairs. Socks with a wool content make my feet itchy and I find thick socks bulky and uncomfortable.

After a long search and much experimentation, I found my perfect socks at the Gap. I now buy all my socks there because they are the wool-free pairs that stay snug on my feet. They have also lasted the longest. I’m still wearing perfectly great Gap socks that I’ve had for 5 years – no holes and extra-robust elastic makes for a fab pair of socks. But horses for courses, so if you like the same types of socks that I do, I can recommend the Gap. I can’t find the specific socks that I have in mind online, but they are the patterned pairs (e.g. stripes and argyles) that are available in an assortment of colours. You’ll find them near the checkout counter for $4.