New Shadow Stripe Socks at Boardroom

As I’ve written a few times before, the further along I get on my menswear journey, the more I value versatility in design. But, once you’ve got the bases covered, it’s nice to branch out, expand, and play a little with your wardrobe. That absolutely includes accessories like your socks. For me, and I hope you as well, stripes are a natural extension.

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How are Shadow Stripe Socks Made?

While we covered some ways to style particular striped dress socks in our launch article last year, we never really spoke about how they’re made. From a technical and manufacturing perspective, it’s perhaps more interesting than a ‘typical’ pair.

See, when socks are knitted, it’s based on pattern. Creating a shadow stripe means we first have to build a base color. In our first batch, we used a versatile olive green and a deep navy as our base colors. Then, to create some high contrast, we weave brighter-colored yarn behind the vertical ribbing to create an interesting, signature look.

Shadow stripe socks can, of course, be as wide or as thin as you can think. But, we think we have the perfect middle ground. Our stripes are wide enough to be seen, but not so thick they overwhelm the rest of an outfit.

Denim Heather and Bright Coral Stripes

Another blue combination is naturally where we chose to go next. But, this one, a coral over a blue we’re calling ‘denim heather’, is a little brighter and more poppy.

Your first inclination might be to pair these with jeans, and that’s certainly a good direction to go. Try it with a medium blue at first, especially as the shade of sock will mesh very well here. This allows the coral to really stand out.

Lighter, washed denim would work nicely as well, especially with a pair of leather loafers or a minimalistic white sneaker. I would, perhaps, leave white denim for another pair of socks. Both of the items stand out on their own!

Conversely, a black pair would be quite conflicting. A dark, inky indigo would be best with these socks.

Sticking with the more casual end of the spectrum, one of our favorite ways to wear this new denim and coral style is with khakis. While likely not the first color of pants that comes to mind when looking at these socks, the combination is undoubtedly dynamic.

These can, of course, also be dressed up nicely. Blue is the instinctive, and perhaps most natural, pairing. Try them with a lighter blue suit- think postal or Air Force blue. Much as with any other sock of a similar suit color, the long creates a clean line and elongates the leg.

For a less tonal look, they offer a nice contrast with shades of grey, as shown below with black oxfords.

If you’d like a pattern, though, keep it smaller and uniform. Ideally, a nailhead, birdseye, hopsack, or sharkskin. Larger checks, windowpanes, Prince of Wales or (especially) chalk or pinstripes should be avoided. The contrast is simply too much for comfort!

Grey Heather and Burnt Orange Stripes

This is an exercise in bold styling and classic traditionalism. First, we have the sober grey base. Classic, versatile. Easily at home both on a London high street and a suburban school run. But, then the whimsical burnt orange ups the playful factor.

Orange is, admittedly, a difficult color to style well. Too much and it becomes a little cartoonish- more Hobbes or Garfield the Cat than an elegant complement. Of course, we think ours is very much the latter.

The key to our success in execution is the shade. Enough to be heard, but not so much it dominates the discussion.

So, how to style this? On the casual, most jeans are acceptable here. Try it medium to lighter wash in the spring, and darker in the fall and winter months. It’s also perfectly fine to wear these with black denim, too. White denim is possible, especially if the denim in question has yellow or gold stitching.

Ideally, a pair of stone or (even better) tobacco chinos would be excellent, as would navy or even a sage green. Try some medium-wale chocolate brown corduroys for a little fall fun.

These can be dressed up, too. Green Harris Tweed, medium weight flannels, and a full corduroy suit are excellent pairings. A sober business environment or a traditional law office might be a bit of a stretch here, though.

Sixteen Years and Counting

For the last 16 years, Boardroom has proudly produced every pair right here in the southeastern United States using the finest imported yarns. Since then, we’ve shipped over 750,000 pairs and continue to invest in our people and our product. Thanks so much for being part of our journey, and we’re honored to have you with us.

Yours in Style,

Tony Gorga
Boardroom Socks

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Proudly Made in the USA using Domestic & Imported Yarns