The Very Best White Socks for Women

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Height:Crew |Material:Cotton, nylon, spandex |Price:$12–$13 per pair

I bought these Maggie’s Organics socks in 2022, as soon as I read Strategist contributorRuby Redstone’s ode to them. And after nearly four years of wearing them, I can confidently declare that they are, indeed, the best white socks. For just $12 or $13 (depending on where you buy), you get an extremely high-quality, durable, well-constructed pair of socks. They’re made of 98 percent organic cotton, plus a touch of nylon and spandex, with a cozy rib knit and a just-right crew length. They’re snug but not constricting and never leave red marks on my legs. A couple years ago I packed them in my suitcase to visit my parents, and my mom, who often bemoans the cheap, flimsy quality of current-day clothes,took a shine to them; I promptlygifted her six pairs. According to Redstone, the socks are “knitted on old machines that create a heartier, more durable product that stays remarkably fresh-looking and tight at the ankle,”and I’m happy to confirm this is true: In the multiple years I’ve worn them, they haven’t pilled, thinned, or sagged into sad, shapeless lumps — they look just as nice as the day I got them. (However, I do treat them somewhat gently, drying them on a delicate cycle; because they’re on the thicker side, they usually emerge from the dryer a little damp, so I give them some extra time to fully air-dry before I put them away.)

Height:Crew |Material:Cotton, nylon, polyester, elastane |Price:Approx. $6.70 per pair

These Aritzia crew socks received stamps of approval from personal stylistBrittany Sansoneand Hally Seminara and Lauren Vreeland, co-founders ofOMG You Need That. “They are great quality. They have a real thickness to them and don’t get holes, even with how often I wear them,” Sansone says. “And I’ve found that the height of them works really well — they’re not too high where you have to scrunch them and it’s bulky, but they’re not too short either.” Vreeland says they have the perfect weight and thickness to pair with everything from boots to loafers, and Seminara adds that their versatility allows them to seamlessly transition between a workout outfit and a day outfit: “You can wear it with leggings and a fashion-y sneaker or a pair of jeans. It just ties your whole look together.”

Height:Ankle |Material:GOTS-certified organic cotton |Price:$30 per pair

Four of our experts — By Colby founder and stylistRyan Gale, fashion editor and stylistMichelle Li, content creator and real-estate agentBeth Doud Tomashoff, and stylistJuliana Salazar— name-checked the statusy Comme Si Everyday sock, which comes in an off-white. The sock has a wide rib and is made of GOTS-certified cotton. Salazar likes the sock’s ribbing, noting that she prefers it to any other brand. “Comme Si wins ribbing every time,” she says. Gale loves the brand’s “subtle” branding and “luxurious fabric,” which she says look great with dressier shoes like loafers and mary janes. Since these socks are on the pricier side at $30 a pair, like Gale I also found myself gravitating toward them when wearing a dressier outfit or more formal shoes. They hit a couple inches above my ankle, have a nicely cushioned heel and reinforced toe, and feature a tab at the back, a fun detail I appreciate. I do tend to baby them even more than the Maggie’s Organics socks, putting them through the wash on delicate and letting them fully air-dry. That means for me they’re a tad too fussy to wear as an everyday sock but perfect to pull out for special occasions.

Height:Crew |Material:Cotton, nylon |Price:$12 per pair

ArtistAnya Tisdaleused to not be a “sock girly,” but Doublesoul managed to convert her. “They just make socks fun in a way that’s more appealing to Gen Z,” she explains. She owns a wide array of styles from the brand, including the ankle, quarter-length, and these high socks, and calls them her “everyday go-to socks. They keep my feet warm, but they don’t make them sweat and I’m not going to feel them bunching up in my shoe.” Even after wearing them nearly every day for a year and a half, she reports that there are “no holes, no tears, no fraying, no pilling. They’re really, really durable socks.”

Height:Crew |Material:Cotton, polyester, spandex |Price:$12 per pair

Le Bon Shoppe’s socks are beloved by Strategist staffers and our stylish sources alike. “I have these in multiple colors and wear them all the time,” says brand strategistLynsey Waite. “They’re thinner, so great with both sneakers and loafers, and a tiny bit dressier than an athletic sock.” Strategist writerAmbar Pardillais also a fan, calling them the best cotton socks that don’t give her sweaty toes. The fact that they’re available in a rainbow of colors (fromfuchsiatoturquoisetotangerine) is one of their main selling points, but they also come in plain white, too.

Height:Crew |Material:Cotton, nylon, polyester, spandex |Price:Approx. $3.33 per pair

Multiple sources shouted out HUE as a brand that makes comfortable, affordable casual socks, including stylist and content creatorJules Fox. She’ll pair these with everything from her Samba sneakers to her J.Crew loafers: “Any shoe where you want a little bit of a cute sock peeking out, I’ll wear these,” she explains. She does repurchase them every so often since they can discolor a bit, but “it’s such a reasonable price and it’s an easy thing to just reorder off Amazon. I’ve turned so many people onto them,” she says.

Height:Crew |Material:Cotton, polyester, spandex, nylon |Price:Approx. $4.70 per pair

White socks tend to complete a look without making a statement, but the ubiquitous Nike swoosh is an exception. Almost everyone we spoke to mentioned seeing it in the wild. The athletic crew sock has become a status symbol and pairs with a dress shoe just as easily as an Air Force One. Celebrity stylistNichole Goodmanrefers to them as “quintessential” and says in addition to its recognizable logo, it’s also a thick, quality sock “with the right amount of ribbing so it won’t squeeze your ankles purple.” Strategist writerTembe Denton-Hurstowns around 40 pairs and rotates through them daily: “I think of them as kind of like footwear. They’re slightly padded on the bottom, look cute when scrunched, and go with absolutely everything,” she says.Toniesha Renee, the head of content strategy for hip-hop and R&B at Interscope Records, says they’re also a daily sock for her. “I wear them every day because they offer cushioned support,” she says. “They also just look cool.”

Height:Crew |Material:Cotton, polyester, spandex |Price:Approx. $1.30 per pair

These Hanes moisture-wicking athletic socks come in a pack of 14 for less than $20, making them especially suited for the serious gym-goer on a budget. “These are the perfect height with or without leggings, never get holes no matter how much I wear them, and don’t give you a clammy feeling post sweaty workout,” declares influencer and content creatorGabriela Mannix.

Height:Crew |Material:GOTS-certified organic cotton, polyamide, elastane |Price:Approx. $6.67 per pair

If you’d prefer a crew without ribbing, personal stylist andKulecontent directorElizabeth Tamkinsuggests these from Subset, which are made from ultra-soft GOTS-certified organic cotton. “They’re the kind of socks that are high enough quality that you’re not embarrassed to let them show,” Tamkin says. In addition to being soft, they’re also ethically made in sustainable factories.

Height:Crew |Material:Cotton |Price:$8 per pair

For a more affordable non-ribbed option, Gale recommends the Summer Sock from Los Angeles Apparel, which she says is ideal for warm weather due to its lightweight fabric. The socks also have a small cuff at the top, which helps them to stay up throughout the day.

Height:Ankle |Material:Cotton, nylon, polyester, elastane |Price:$16 per pair

Technically, an ankle sock sits right at the ankle bone while a quarter sock sits an inch or two above the ankle, but brands tend to use the terms interchangeably to describe the latter. (Confusingly, quarter socks also go by a slew of other names, including half-socks and mini crew socks; Strategist writer Liza Corsillo broke downwhy they’re the best sock length here.) After testing a bunch, Corsillo says Bombas’s ribbed quarter socks are her favorite because they have a spot-on height, don’t droop, and don’t feel too hot in the summer. And Fox agrees, declaring them “the best socks in the world.” She’ll often throw them on with a a sneaker when hitting the gym or going for a run along the West Side Highway, but they’re versatile enough to “wear with workout sneakers or with winter boots,” she says. She adds that she stillowns some Bombas socks from high school that “have held up amazingly. I promise they’re worth the splurge.”

Height:Ankle |Material:Cotton, polyester, spandex |Price:Approx. $1.10 per pair

Eliza Grace Huber, a fashion editor atWho What Wear,stumbled across these socks during a Target run. In the past, she would go for the standard Hanes crew socks, but upon noticing that the brand had a slightly cropped “ankle” version, she decided to grab those instead. Upon trying them, she never looked back. “They’re the perfect sock height because I normally fold my crew socks in half, and these took away the need to do that.”

Height:Crew |Material:Egyptian cotton |Price:$35 per pair

Writer and brand consultantHarling Rossis another fan of Comme Si socks, but prefers the Agnelli, which has a tighter rib and is inspired by a classic men’s trouser sock. It’s made from ultra-soft, long-staple Egyptian cotton. “The tabs on the back are so chic for some reason,” she says.Naomi Elizee, an editor atVogue, also likes the Angelli, which she pairs with loafers and slides. “I love how lightweight these are,” she says. “They aren’t super-bulky and slip on easily.”

Height:Crew |Material:Bamboo rayon, polyamide, elastane |Price:$5 per pair

Made out of breathable bamboo rayon, these all-season Hugh Ugoli dress socks keep feet feeling comfortable whether it’s freezing or sweltering outside. “My God, these are so good. The softest socks ever, and they’re super stretchy,” Tamkin says. She’ll baby some of her more expensive dress socks by hanging them to dry, but these she’ll toss in the dryer and they hold up excellently. “They’re the best socks. I cannot say enough good things about them,” Tamkin says.

Height:Ankle |Material:Cotton, nylon, spandex |Price:$18 per pair

Lexi Mainland, a Brooklyn-based writer and editor, “went down an internet rabbit hole” looking forTaylor Swift’s ruffled gym socks. Her sleuthingled her to concludethat they’re from Free People’s athletic line, FP Movement. They’re cute enough to wear with everything, not just gym sneakers, and in addition to white they come in forest green, heather gray, and lemon yellow shades.

Height:Ankle |Material:Cotton, polyester, spandex |Price:Approx. $3.70 per pair

For a less pricey option, this six-pack of ruffly socks come recommended byMcKenzie DePinto, an account executive at Mansur Gavriel. “You’ve seen them on every fashion girl, but these are truly the best,” she says, adding that they have a very nice thickness to them, making them “perfect for pairing with a sneaker, a loafer, ballet flats, sling-back heels, everything.” She thinks that what would otherwise be just a plain, basic sock gets elevated by the lettuce-edge detail at the top: “It adds something extra and makes it feel more feminine and fun.”

Height:Ankle |Material:Polyamide, elastane |Price:$20 per pair

Doud Tomashoff first fell in love with wearing Swiss dot socks around three years ago, when she was in Paris. She thinks the delicate, polka-dotted mesh material “adds something different to your average plain white sock,” she says. “It’s a fun conversation starter or just a little bit of extra something.” She’s a fan of the brand Falke, and says she’ll often pair these sheer ankle socks with ballet flats or loafers.

Height:Crew |Material:Viscose, polyamide, wool, cashmere, elastane |Price:$11 per pair

When Strategist editorHilary Reidasked for recommendations for a pair of wool socks to wear with loafers that “weren’t too thick and weren’t too thin,” Strategist staffers Lauren Ro and Najwa Jamal both name-checked these wool-cashmere blend socks from Calzedonia. Reid wore them consistently through a freezing NYC winter and reports that the socks are “fantastic. They’re super-warm and soft, stay up when worn with boots, and do fit nicely inside a pair of loafers,” she says.