My Hunt for the Perfect Red Sock

Like most girls who live below 14th Street, I love Sandy Liang. I own a lot of its under-$200 items, such as T-shirts, slippers, and jewelry, to quell the desire to drop $900 on an extravagant dress that I do not need. I decided to try its socks for the first time and was delighted when it had a red pair with its “SL” logo monogrammed in pink. I could tell right away they were made from 100 percent cotton, as the quality is truly fantastic (and justifies the $38 price point a bit). There is a noticeable lack of slouch, which makes the silhouette feel more like an athletic sock (hence the name), and does unfortunately give me flashbacks of being cut from the field-hockey team in eighth grade. In retrospect, these would be better styled with a chunky athletic sneaker as opposed to a loafer or ballet flat. They were also a few inches too short for my liking (again, long shins).

My only disappointment in my hunt was this pair from Intimissimi. I am a big fan of the brand, as it is my go-to for tights in the winter; however, the best way I can describe these socks is that they are utterly flaccid. I found the softness of the cotton to be off-putting, and the entire time I was wearing them, I was extremely aware that they were on my feet. I have many things to think about all day long, and an awareness of my sock should not be one of them! Pass.

These are by far the most iconic pair on the list, as these were the preferred sock of the Pope (may he rest). When I opened up the package, I kid you not, myrrh wafted from the dust bag … Experiential retail is alive! Unlike the Pope, I paired my Gammarelli socks with a leather minidress and loafers, and was pleasantly surprised with how good they looked. They are more of a traditional men’s dress sock — you can tell by the stitching — yet they slouch exactly how I want them to. My only complaint is that the fabric feels viscerally cheap; that said, they are extremely breathable, which I imagine is an important quality for someone fulfilling papal duties all day long. I probably would not purchase again, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t love being able to tell people I am wearing the Pope’s red socks.

What Comme Si does best is truly spectacular colorways. I have a pair of itsLa Boxer Clasica shorts in Maraschino, which I live in in the summer, so I was eager to get a pair of socks to match. The Merino Sock is made from 68 percent wool and 30 percent nylon. I usually have a bit of an aversion to wool socks because of the itchiness, but this is exactly how wool should feel. They are not itchy at all and hold their shape effortlessly. I will say, these are better suited for winter, as they are pretty warm, but I shockingly still found them breathable.

I am pretty sure I am not the target customer forChaps, but I adore these socks. They are the perfect weight and are at a very good price for being 80 percent cotton. I wore them running around the city on the first warm Saturday of spring and received a plethora of compliments from sweet girls waiting in bathroom lines at various bars. From a color perspective, they are a richer maroon in comparison to the other socks on this list, which I like to have in my rotation as an option. Given their darker hue, I can foresee myself reaching for this pair in the winter when I want something in a heavier tone.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the perfect red sock. The color is bright enough to be eye-catching, yet it has a slight hint of deep rouge that gives them that classic Coca-Cola red. They are perfectly ribbed without being too casual, and the handfeel is buttery-soft. The length is exactly what I’d been looking for: long enough to be noticed without creeping up the shin too much. Given the low price point, I was worried how they would launder, but I can confirm they wash beautifully looking even better than they did before.