Few fashion debates seem as controversial to the tucked versus untucked t-shirt than pairing traditional or custom socks with shorts. Answers seem to depend on the year, pointing to style as flexible and the sock debate as a trend or fad.

How then are you, the consumer, to choose between mid-calf options and no show options? Trend-setters always seem to change their minds, making purchases difficult and frivolous. Maybe it’s time you take your choices into your own hands. Stop looking to everyone else and decide what you want, what works best for you and your style.

Your sock selection can say a lot about you, but it can also speak to the elements of an outfit you want to highlight. For example, wearing ankle or no-show socks keep attention away from your feet and lower-half, making your shirt, blouse, jacket, or other accessories more prominent. Therefore, it is more about selecting a sock style that highlights your look’s attributes such as custom dress socks.

No Show Socks Are Always In

The most straightforward response to the socks-or-not debate is to wear no-show socks. These accessories stay below the ankle, making them invisible to the average spectator.

Wearing a pair of no-shows means you do not run the risk of being unfashionable because the bare ankle look is classic. You can use these socks for any outfit, ensuring that the focus remains where you want it, on the clothes or shoes.

Colors Can Dazzle

Color socks with shorts seem to come up in the debate every once in a while. Currently, pastel colors seem to be on-trend, but don’t make the rookie mistake of pushing the socks down toward the ankle. If you opt for a low-or-mid-calf sock, pull the pair all the way up.

For men, pushing the socks down create a feminine and bashful look. For women, doing the same can make a style choice look haphazard. Choosing pastel or other colors is a bold choice, but don’t run from it; embrace it. Fashion is about expression and confidence. Show the world how you see yourself; bold and beautiful.

Retro Is Cool, Again

Retro almost always finds a resurgence, and that is true even in the world of socks. People have taken a sudden and growing interest in the 70s athletic sock. You know the ones, the mid-calf, all white, with two parallel stripes, typically blue, around the opening.

It doesn’t take much to glance around parks or runways or look to a fashionable friend or magazine to see the athletic resurgence. However, a word of caution: While this 70s throwback is experiencing a boost in popularity, remember it is likely a trend or fad, meaning it will not last. Watch for the inevitable fashion fallout.

Custom Socks To Show Of Personality

While the fashion world ebbs and flows with different tastes and influences year in and out, your personality is likely more consistent. Personal style does not need to change with the current year’s trends; instead, they grow with your personality and lifestyle, maturing and aging with you.

Wearing custom socks or above-the-calf socks can and should be a personal preference for those confident in their tastes. Knowing what makes you feel comfortable and secure is the only thing that matters to personal style, and that expression of confidence often comes with others’ acceptance.

While the fashionable answer to the socks with shorts debate is often wearing no-shows, it is not always the solution for your style. Wearing bold colors, custom socks, or various lengths and retro fashions is primarily up to you, the wearer. Wear what makes you happy and do so unabashedly. Be your own critic and fashion example, and know that your confidence and happiness is all that matters.