At a company training meeting a few months ago, I was introduced to a new co-worker. This guy was extremely motivated and on the ball. I was pretty impressed with him, until I looked down and saw that he was wearing white socks with a pair of dark dress slacks. Maybe its superficial, but at that moment this guys credibility as a sharp shooter and go-getter entirely evaporated. I suddenly saw Steve Erkle standing in front of me. Other people at the meeting noticed as well, and got a laugh out of it. No one took the guy seriously.
You dont want to be this guy. If you want to impress people, you have to pay attention to the details. It doesnt matter if youve put together an awesome outfit; if you dont have the right socks, you spoil your whole look.
To help you not sabotage your image or credibility like the guy at the meeting, follow these simple rules when selecting which kind of sock to wear with your ensembles. Wear dress socks with dress shoes
Dont try to wear athletic socks with dress shoes even if the socks are black. Athletic socks are thicker than dress socks and dont match the refined style of dress shoes. If you try wearing gym socks with a pair of dress shoes, theyll bunch out over the shoe and look goofy. Stick to dress socks. The thin material feels nice on your foot and looks sharp.
With jeans theres a little more wiggle room. Preferably, you should have dark socks even with denim, but you can get away with wearing gym socks with jeans.