White is reserved for the Pope

Away from sports, there is only one person whose official uniform provides for white knee socks: Pontifex Maximus, the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Gammarelli, supplier to church dignitaries worldwide since 1798, reliably delivers the stockings to Vatican City

Black and dark blue long socks (the somewhat more charming English term for knee socks) are the rule for suits in very conservative industries, for example, when old fortunes are at stake or clients still expect traditional business dress from their counterparts.

With black and dark blue socks you do nothing wrong and are well dressed for the audience with the Pope but you deprive yourself and everyone else, of a pleasure.

Lilac, Eggplant, Granny Smith Green

The choice of colors is wide at good sock manufacturers and the color palette resembles the seductive colors of watercolor pencils.

Where we are talking about plain socks, a contrasting pinstripe or a subtle pattern. Funny motifs should be reserved for the private home.

It is worth filling the drawer at home with long socks in fresh colors to choose an exciting combinations in the morning.

A light green reminiscent of the fresh tips of a fiche, a burnt orange, a clear signal yellow, a fresh light blue. The more interesting the contrast between shoe color, socks and pants color, the better.

The view of the others

Do not underestimate the effect that an unusual color combination has on your environment. No one will comment on black socks.

The reader we asked to test the quality of a brand of socks from Paris for us was amazed that the unusual colors had positively struck his colleagues at the bank on the very first day.

With Long Socks in attractive colors, your day will start on a cheerful note and you will also be a feast for the eyes of everyone you meet during the day.

These socks manufacturers know the man of the world

Crimson

The store in Paris has knee socks for men in beautiful colors in very good quality in the program. The majority of them monochrome: clear, expressive and unusual colors. Crimson’s online store works perfectly.

Pantherella

When you think of the name, you tend to think of Italy. In fact, Louis Goldschmidt started producing socks in Leister, England, in 1937, thanks to custom-built machines from P.A. Bentley.

There you are still produced today and shipped around the world. Harrods has had them on sale since 1940, but you can find the socks just as easily at Bergdorf Goodmann in NYC.

The color selection at Pantherella is a bit more conservative and not quite as large as Crimson, but you can choose between different cotton qualities, wool, cashmere or silk.

Cashmere, even if it’s only a small percentage of the wool blend, is something you should definitely treat your feet to from time to time. A small, pleasant feel-good unit on days when the mood threatens to become rather icy.

Gammarelli

Here buy the lovers of noble silk socks, who want to make a statement with their long socks in cardinal red or want to adequately carry out their spick-and-span leather shoes in the noble shade of eggplant.

The silk socks, which were also recently seen on the runway in Balenciaga’s collection on the models, can be bought directly in the store in Rome or online in Paris, should the dinner jacket be taken out of the closet again in the foreseeable future.

Tabio

Japanese socks are available in all shades, the natural tones are of particular elegance. Stumps from Tabio are indestructible and hold their shape perfectly for many years after countless washes. The selection you get in Europe is very small. Make a note for the next trip to Japan and visit one of Tabio ‘s flagship stores there.

Hawk

In the meantime, unfortunately, not all qualities of this traditional brand are as outstanding as the Made in Germany label used to reliably promise.

Still highly recommended in terms of elegance and quality are the men’s knee socks Shadow, the pinstripes among the long socks with smart contrasting color combinations that make an impression with the anthracite suit and gray jeans alike.

Gallo1927

In Desenzano on Lake Garda are the knitting machines of Gallo, the sock manufacturer founded in Milan in 1927. With Italian stylistic confidence, the Italian manufacturer weaves fine patterns into the long socks and offers subtle but extraordinary colors.

The elegant accessory

Long Socks are one of the most elegant accessories that you should not do without in everyday life. Fill your closet at home with the most beautiful colors you can find. So the choice in the morning is already a pleasure, for you and for everyone else.

Photographs Stills © GloriousMe | Gammarelli Atelier in Rome © Andrea Sabbadini, Alamy Stock Photo

Men’s knee socks by Gallo1927 seen at Diehl&Diehl “Schuhwerk und Garderobe” in Frankfurt am Main