The Sagging Sock Issue

Can everyone that’s never had to pull their socks up at an awkward time please raise their hands?

Just as I thought.

For the few of you that raised your hands please feel free to go and read my article Male Attractiveness and Aging instead.

For the rest of you, please read on.

If you’re anything like me, this is a problem that’s kept you up at night.

Seriously though, it’s something that can be both irritating and awkward at the wrong time.

The fact is that I have had a few gentlemen ask about it who have suffered from this problem.

Let’s get right to the 3 solutions!

3 Tips to Fix Your Sagging Socks

1. Get Rid Of Your Old Socks and Buy A Better Sock

Simply put you need higher quality socks.

Sagging socks happen when the elastic wears out and this happens extremely fast with low quality socks. They only have one or two bands of elastic that run through the top of the sock so it doesn’t take much for them to die either by breaking or simply wearing out.

The next time you consider that set of 10 tube socks for $2 consider how long they’re going to last before you have to spend more money to replace them or the aggravation you’re going to go through when they keep on slipping down.

I’m going to hazard a guess that they’ll last about 2 washes before they start to fall apart. By buying higher quality socks you can ensure that their elasticity will remain intact for far longer and save you the aggravation of having to pull them up the whole time.

To get a better idea of why you should buy better quality socks and why they last longer, have a look at my article:

Why Dress Socks Matter | Purchase the Perfect Sock

Full Calf Socks2. Buy The Right Type of Socks

Something that often gets overlooked by men is that different socks have different uses.

When it comes to socks we use for dress shoes men tend to wear mid-calf socks but a much better option is to wear full-calf socks.

This is especially true when you’re wearing taller shoes: In my case I have a pair of boots I’m very partial to but no matter what mid-calf socks I wore with them they would fall down until I started wearing full-calf socks.

These specific boots are not even full-length ones: they’re just dress boots that come just above my ankles.

The problem with the half-length socks is simply in their construction.

Because of the shape of your calves wearing them is like a larger man wearing a belt instead of going with suspenders. No matter how well the socks grip they’re holding something up on a downward slope.

What makes the calf-length socks superior is that they have a larger area of traction or grip and they’re holding your leg above where your calf starts to become thinner again which means their effective shape is holding them up instead of helping them slide down.

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3. Use Dress Shirt Stays

Shirt stays are elastic bands that connect the bottom of your shirt to the top of your socks almost like suspenders.

I recently received a sample from a company called KK & Jay that I really like.

You can also get shirt stays from companies like Sharp & Dapper and Hold up | Suspenders.com who call them shirt-stay-downs.

I am certain some of you are thinking that this may not be for you. Maybe you don’t like the idea or you’re against the idea of suspenders in general or you may think they’re effeminate or that people will laugh at you.

If this describes your thinking right now erase any doubts you have and go have a look at KK and Jay’s Instagram page and have a look at some of the stylish, well-dressed gentlemen who use this solution.

These shirt stays are also not just fashionable, they have some serious practical application as well. I can confirm personally that I used these during my time in the military and I have it on good authority that many gentlemen in law enforcement use these as well.

kk and jay

Can you really imagine having to pull your socks up or tuck your shirt in in the middle of a pursuit? For the same reason those of you into hunting and outdoor activities should look into using these: Imagine having to pull your socks up while being pursued by a bear!

If you’re still determined to wear mid-calf socks and find the idea of full shirt stays a bit intimidating, a reader pointed me in the direction of these so-called sock garters.

They’re like a limited version of shirt stays that serve the sole purpose of holding up your socks – but they don’t keep your shirt tucked in.

Bonus tip on keeping your socks from sagging:

For those gentleman who are a dab hand with a needle and thread (or have a spouse or girlfriend who are) I have a final solution: If you’re absolutely set on keeping your current socks you can upgrade them by sewing an elastic band into the top of your socks. Simply get some elastic from a sewing supply outfit, material shop or tailor supply shop and sew a piece all around onto the top of each sock.

Source: http://www.realmenrealstyle.com/fix-sagging-socks/