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Socks
rock By Eleska Aubespin www.floridatoday.com Those lovable, cuddly, stylish garments that even The use of socks began in the Middle Ages, as strips of cloth
or hide that
were wrapped around the legs and feet, according to My Sock Drawer, at
www.mysockdrawer.net. Originally, the strips of cloth were called
leggings and
around the 12th century, feet were added to them. By the 20th century,
as men's
pants grew longer, these hose became shorter, with the word "sock"
replacing "stocking" for the smaller foot coverings. Now, we use them for sports, exercise or to add padded comfort
to a cold
floor. No matter how you wear them, socks can hold their own against
any piece
of apparel. Just like colorful shirts, sock decorations can reveal
personality. Dogs,
bicycles, pumpkins, the American flag. Even Bible verses are available
on socks
these days (www.holysocks.co.uk/). And lengths? It's a decision that can send any shopper into a
frenzy.
Footies or anklets? Midcalf or knee high? And that's not all. A
must-have
fashion this fall is over-the-knee socks, which can compliment boots or
accessorize mini-skirts, also fashion leaders this year. "It's a really big statement when you wear over-the-knee socks
because
they are so different," said Chelsey Joiner, a ninth-grader at "It's more posh and more of a fashion statement," Chelsey, 14,
added. "They are mandatory with a miniskirt and you have to have the
right
shoes to pull off the whole outfit." While wearing over-the-knee socks are cool, they can be a bit
on the dressy
side. So Chelsey usually only wears them outside of school hours and
around
groups of her friends. And there's no concern about them falling down. A tight
elastic band at the
top of the sock prevents that. "They really do stay up," she said. "Its like wearing a
knee-high stocking." "Legwear is very hot and certainly goes with this year's
fashion
styles," said Alison Hessert, public relations director for HUE Legwear
in As part of its fall line, "Over-the-knee socks have been around for years, but it is a
fashion
that goes in and out," Hessert said. "This year, it's back and
appeals to so many, because either a school girl or adult woman can
wear
them." The beauty of legwear, particularly socks, is that it allows
people to
constantly update and change wardrobes without spending tons of money. "The economy is not the best, so we can't keep buying new
wardrobes," Hessert said. "The beauty of legwear is being able to
update and express yourself without having to spend a fortune. Legwear
is entirely
stylistic and functional." But don't go running out just yet to find those over-the-knee
socks. In
Brevard, they are still a bit tricky to find because, let's face it,
summer
continues to sizzle here. At least one store, Dillards at At Holy Trinity Episcopal, where students wear uniforms, socks
are always a
fashion show. "You see it all," said Cathy Ford, headmaster at Holy Trinity.
"They can be way down in the shoes or the little cute ones that come up
over
the knee. We do have a uniform code, but we can flex some things." One thing students can't flex at the school is color. All
socks must be
white. Well, they must be white most of the time. Students who
participate in
sports usually sneak in a color or two on the socks they wear to
practice. On this particular day, for example, Chelsey is wearing
mid-calf socks
decorated with Christmas trees. Never mind that it's the middle of
August. "At my school, the calf-high socks are really in and they all
have
designs," Chelsey said. She also owns socks with chili peppers. When colors count, this season's socks are bright orange, red
and blues.
Polka dots and stripes are also popular, along with fall neutrals and
jewel
tones like eggplant. Even Ford has a few favorite socks, mostly anklets. Take the
ones with a
tiger face and tiger stripes on them. "My students bring them to me, because they know I'll wear
them,"
Ford said. "The tiger is our mascot." Ford also has a Halloween pair, decorated in bright orange
pumpkins. Not to
mention the numerous socks with "little baskets of things on them." "I have grown daughters who won't be seen with me in public
because of
my socks," Ford added with a chuckle. No doubt, socks are one of Plus, you can never have too many. "Everybody has an individual style, and that's just the fun of
socks,"
Ford said. "You get to chose which length and style you're going to
wear."
Socks began as strips of cloth or hide, called "leggings," and
were wrapped around the legs and feet. In the Middle Ages, the legs of trousers became lower and more
fitted. Hose
was a fitted cloth that covered the lower leg. When "breeches" became
shorter, hose began to get longer. Around the 12th century, feet were added to hose. Around 1490,
breeches and
hose were made as one garment, forming tights. These tights were made
of
colorful silk, wool and velvet, with each leg a different color. Knitted hose was worn in Cotton came into use in the late 17th century. In the 20th
century, nylon
became popular for stockings beause of its strength and elasticity. As
men's pants
grew longer, socks became shorter, with the word "sock" replacing
"stocking" for these smaller foot coverings. Argyles were popular in the Roaring Twenties, but eventually
basic colored
socks came into fashion for men. These days, you can find a wealth of
interesting, colorful and distinctive socks for women and men. Source:
History
of Socks, according to My Sock Drawer,
www.mysockdrawer.net/history.shtml
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