Complicated sock capsule

unfrumped

I have what I think is an overly complicated sock capsule-- including all iterations such as " golf socks" and other footies, and sheer knee- highs, and maybe include tights and pantyhose. I am not sure whether or how I can simplify it.

I say complicated because in its present state, it takes lots of storage( it's seasonal), I have some trouble with putting away, and yet may still have laundry bottlenecks.
I blame my fussy feet combined with a more complicated ( variety of styles) footwear capsule post- YLF.
It's because my feet prefer the MOST sock cushion I can comfortably wear with a given shoe, but the least also, to avoid crowding, so I end up having certain socks and footies and such that go best with certain shoes.
The new shoe styles and variety have a high happiness factor and are one way I update ongoing wardrobe staples so I don't reget that. But it creates Issues.

I used to wear almost exclusively some kind of comfortable slip- on, like Clarks, with trousers, and some pencil skirts with sheer hose. I stayed fairly simple by getting a dozen pair of black socks-not just a nylon trouser sock, but often multiple pairs of the same black Gold Toe knee high in cotton or thin wool to have less laundry matchup.

I have occasionally lucked into some sockwear that is " the one to rule them all"- not really, but some versatile ones- and then frequently I can't find the same ones again to duplicate. This even happened with my black sock strategy- the maker would update the style each year.

Enter booties and oxfords and loafers in various styles and brands and poof, I would find that certain socks feel best with certain shoes. Then for casual laceup sneaks and walking boots and shoes in winter my feet like thicker wooly socks.
For tights I extended into a couple of colors besides black-/ burgundy and navy and gray-- because I loved the tonal quality I could get with not- black footwear, and hey, the good thing there was they fit the same.
But, enter fleece tights- SO fun to extend skirt wear for me which, with any opaque tights, " allows"
me to wear sturdier or more toe- roomy, more comfotable footwear with my pencil skirts, which also expands wear. But thd fif in the shie is differnt enough that I have some footwear that won't accommodate fleece ( did I mention I have fussy feet...). And of course, I found those in a few basic colors, too.
I also have some patterned tights but am about ready to let those go as being too difficult to use.

Even casual footies fall prey- thickness, or how much they show, and whether it's for gear sneaks or " fashion" sneaker outfits.
My favorite sheer knee- highs are currently from Talbots, but they never would re- stock their in- store display, so I finally ordered a dozen pair online and that helped immensely to have all- same, no paring up.

So, that's my rant- matching up " sock wear" to footwear, while having enough dupes, takes up a lot of space and put- away energy.

I could:
-go to only black tights
- try some brands of trouser socks that seem to stick around( Spanx, maybe) so if I find s more " universal" style u can duplicate them and toss random brands
- have fewer casual types and launder
more often
- make it a habit to use my sock- pairing rubber gizmos to keep pairs together in the laundry, and mesh laundry bags, to reduce sockwear entropy.
It's how to balance perfect foot happiness with what's more efficient and practical.

Does anybody else have the same problem or some good suggestions?

9 years ago

Dressing

13 replies

Latest reply was from unfrumped

Liz A.

Veteran

Haha, unfrumped, you are a complicated person.

I never wear socks in the summer at all except to the gym. I like the no-show kind with the tab on the back to protect your heel. In the winter I wear long socks with boots and booties, but I have no method to the madness. I just pick them up when I feel I need them in a variety of colors and patterns that coordinate with the boots.

As for tights, I mainly wear Nordstrom nude/sheer stockings or DKNY opaque tights. I used to wear Hue cotton tights exclusively but realized they are really too long on my short legs.

Amazon

Wrightsock Women's Coolmesh Athletic Socks Three-Pack

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Top Pick

Nordstrom

DKNY Opaque Control Top Tights (2 for $30)

$16.00

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Top Pick

Nordstrom

Control Top Pantyhose (3 for $36)

$14.00

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Top Pick

9 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

I have those sockies with the silicone on the heel. They're so small that I was hand washing them. I finally realized I could put them in a mesh bag and machine wash them. It was a revelation for me. (I also used the mesh bag to wash a hand wash only top and it came out fine.)

I have a drawer full of various kinds of socks, too. I don't know how you can simplify. Maybe have fewer of each kind? I have quite a pairs of REI hiking socks. I think around a dozen pairs or so. I have that many because we went on a trip and didn't have laundry facilities available to us. But I wear them everyday in the winter. My husband packs excess socks in a plastic bin and keeps it in his closet.

9 years ago

LaPed

Veteran

Oh, I definitely understand! Used to be, all I needed was crew socks. Then it became crew socks and knee socks, then crew/knee/micro-crew, then I added no-shows and footies, various stockings, ski socks, boot socks, etc etc.

From what I read abaove, it sounds like you are ready to let go of patterned tights. That's a place to start. I went through this too, a few years ago, when I realized I no longer wanted to put the effort into styling patterned tights -- the payoff just wasn't high enough to keep them in the drawer any longer. I'd hang onto the solid-colored tights but put them in holding and see if just black tights is *too* minimalist -- figure out which ones you miss, if any.

As for the rest -- I think it comes down to isolating specific brands/styles that you really like and think of them as your go-to's, and when socks need to be replaced, replace them only with what you *know* you will wear/like. It means curbing the impulse to buy random socks when you see them on sale, which was realllly hard for me.

For instance: I went through a lot of wool knee socks before realizing that none of them hold a candle to Viyella, which last practically a lifetime (I was given my first pair at age 13 and they're still wearable 17 years later!). As soon as my old, not-great knee socks wore out, I replaced them with Viyella. Ditto athletic socks: I used to have a huge hodge-podge, but I've slowly switched over to just Darn Tough merino, non-cushioned micro-crews for trail runners, and cushioned crews for my fall/winter boots. They come with a lifetime guarantee, fit great, and come in fun colors. For footies and no-shows, I buy the Smartwool Sleuths, usually on sale at Sierra Trading Post. I like that they're merino, and that they actually stay on my feet. I finally bit the bullet a couple years ago and eliminated all the cotton and synthetic socks from my sock wardrobe. I buy only wool now, because they're so much more comfortable -- no sweaty feet, no rashes! The only synthetics I have now are some opaque tights from Hue, which are rarely worn but essential, and fleece Acorn socks that I take camping in cool weather and use like slippers when my floors are cold (although once they wear out I intend to replace them with some *real* slippers!).

Having just wool socks and nothing else has simplified my laundry process, because I just throw all the socks (mine and my husband's) in a small separate basket, and do a full sock load with wool-specific soap (Eucalan) and mesh delicate bags to extend longevity.

9 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

JAileen , I just recently got some gray no- shows with the silicon heel pad at Wak- mart and am thinking of using those as my go- to rather
some other styles. But, this is ironic, I think they are George, , not Peds, and I got them when OOT , and can't find the exact style locally!
La Oed, you are right about sakes. I get items at TJMaxx and they are packaged a certain way and can't supe by the timd j figure them out. So I could work on retail research for that.
I got some Smart Wool that as it turns out, I don't like, and was having trouble because, oh, they're Smart Wool, I should love them. But they don't love me back.

9 years ago

Keix

Veteran

I totally empathize. I have so many different kinds of socks in my sock drawer and yet only 2-3 pairs suitable for any given shoe type.

For a while I tried replacing with high quality wool socks, but they have their own problems--the seams tend to be bulkier and rub against my feet. I've mostly given up on Smartwool for this reason; they don't seem to be made for my foot shape, even in the size Small. I like higher-end cotton/synthetic blend athletic brands, like Stance, but they also don't repeat styles across seasons or heights. I found the perfect light boot sock, for instance, but it only comes in one ankle height when I'd love to buy it in no-show and crew height too.

9 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

I totally get this!!! My DD used to wear black opaque knee highs for choir performances, and now I seem to have inherited a few pairs but none seem to match. You know those plastic four-drawer thingies they sell at Target and Office Depot? My late mom had two of them filled to overflowing with socks, plus another box or two. I got rid of most but kept a dozen or two pairs. I won't have to buy any more socks in this lifetime.

BUT I would really like super SHEER knee high nylon stockings. As in invisible. I've never seen anything more sheer than so-called everyday sheers. Any suggestions?

9 years ago

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I hope some of my fellow fabbers suggestions help.
Maybe part of it is a change in how you think about it? There is so much emphasis in paring down sometimes, maybe it's time to celebrate that you have so many cute shoes and socks and tights.
I don't know how you store things, but I'm doing two new to me things.
I'm folding my socks in half and storing them standing up so I can easily see them. Modified KonMari. Socks that only work with one pair of shoes I'm actually storing in the shoe box.

Purchasing multiples of what you like sounds smart to me. I try to have at least one week's worth, although I am way over in cute socks.

9 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Right. Am no help. I think my sock category count was 14(?)...

9 years ago

Staysfit

Veteran

Don't get me started with another sock post! I lost control with Rachy's and I refuse to lose my dignity again!

I haven't heard of Viyella before, so reading you're post and responses is drawing me into the sock abyss.....

9 years ago

Helen11

Veteran

Oh, I was waiting to see what Rachy and Staysfit would say <vbg>

9 years ago

Helen11

Veteran

I second the idea of keeping specific shoe and sock pairs together. My feet are only mildly fussy, but I know what you mean about needing different styles of sock for various shoes.

9 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

This is why I hate socks and love the time of year when I don't have to wear them or think about them!!

I would simplify by getting rid of all the pairs (or partner-less socks) that you don't wear. I do this once a year.

I keep all of mine in a basket on a shelf (I have no dresser).
One kind that works to separate different types is this from Ikea:
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/cata...../60210552/

9 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

Barbara Diane, you are right, to some extent I'm sort of stuck with some of this due to fussy feet and I'm not going to try to get down to 24 paid of identical socks. So I just need to simplify to my own specifications.
And Suz I agree. There is some just annual review, just like the kitchen drawer, so that I toss the junk and line up the socks that go with my current shoe capsule. That will help.
I ymtinknthe basic holding zone will help on some. For example, I have all the pairs of black knee- highs that I needed before when I wore 7 pairs in one week and did not want to have to do laundry. Now I wear those less often, but they're still a favorite type for the purpose . I will " pair down" with the holding zone and see if now I get by with just a couple of pairs in the mix, I can let some go.
Well, it's nice to have some company in this area!

9 years ago

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