Q. This may seem a weird question, but what color socks should one wear with sneakers at work? On dress down Fridays (and some other days when an old foot injury acts up), I wear sneakers to work and feel odd having white or black socks. I'm not faking them as shoes, but they are black sneakers without significant logos, so they look a bit more business like. I am not quite comfortable with either sock choice when sitting in meetings.
A. Great question. A few years ago, when no one wore anything even faintly resembling sneakers in an office setting, I would have questioned that element and thus had difficulty answering it. But today, when dozens of versions of business-casual shoes are flooding the market, they have influenced what is perceived as acceptable.
Now, various types of sneakers are more common in business settings. When thinking about which socks to choose, it is essential to consider the rest of what you are wearing, whether it is the suit or the shoes, as you mention. So, I need to explain that further before getting to the specific best choice in your situation. A few near-universal guidelines exist about colors for men's shoes and socks.
Shoes. Usually, a well-dressed man has only three colors of dress shoes in his closet: black, dark brown and cordovan. Black has always been the dressiest of the group. For casual shoes, that limited number expands to include many dark and light colors. Sneakers, which in the past were only white, are now available in a wide range as well. You are right in thinking that black sneakers would be the least obtrusive color, and, thus, your best choice for slipping under the radar and substituting as an acceptable work shoe.
Socks. Which color socks go with which color shoe is a frequent question that men ask. While there seems to be an ongoing debate about whether socks should match the suit or the shoes, most agree with me that socks should match the suit (or trousers) rather than the shoes.
Still, that rule applies differently if the suit or trousers color is not one of the acceptable dress shoe colors. An example is the blue suit. While every well-dressed man should own a blue suit, I would say that no well-dressed man should own blue dress shoes. The same goes for khaki pants: "yes" to khaki pants and "no" to khaki-colored shoes.
These days, socks have become a style staple and, much like a suit, you should own more than one type. They range from the most elegant, thin over-the-calf black socks for black-tie attire, and dressy dark socks for traditional business suit dressing, to bulkier and lighter-colored socks for casual wear.
If you want to jazz up an outfit, socks are an easy and not-too-subtle way to add color, texture or a pattern without overdoing it. Appropriate sock colors for dress or business are not as limited as shoe colors. Where men once were expected to wear plain socks (in black, gray, navy, brown or white) and maybe an occasional extra pair in an Argyle pattern for golf, today they have a world of patterns and colors available to them. From polka dots to an image of the Mona Lisa, every imaginable design is out there waiting for you.
There is no reason at all that socks must be a solid block of color. It is perfectly acceptable to be more whimsical with your socks, especially when dressing informally. They can add a little spark when you're wearing a very conservative combination.
You are wise to be concerned. Wearing the wrong color socks or the wrong length socks can be the shortest route to dorky dressing.
Since matching socks with your shoes is not a smooth move, my usual advice is, if you are going for a formal look, wear black socks with a black suit, navy socks with navy. By doing so, you are matching your socks with your trousers, which is good. Even so, your question about what socks to wear with sneakers is a bit different. I strongly suggest you stay on the conservative side.
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High Profile on 09/24/2017