Your Cart is Empty
Free Shipping & Returns - All U.S. Orders
The phrase ‘shades of grey’ has been used ad nauseam at this point, so I’ll spare you the cliches or allusions to trashy pseudo-romance novels. But, the humble grey sock is still one of the most versatile in your style arsenal. And, how to wear grey socks is just a little more interesting than one might think.
Here at Boardroom, we’re all about making the mundane a little more exciting- and pulling a little more thought into a classic combination presents a fun challenge. So, we’ve added a few new styles in our grey lineup, and are happy to share them with you.
Great question. While, as Merriam-Webster cheekily acknowledges, there is a grey area, once you get down to it, it’s rather black and white. “Grey” is most common in British and Commonwealth English. It also tends to extend to nouns and pronouns- “Grey Whale”, “Greyhound”, etc. In the US, we Colonials more commonly use the ‘a’ variation. How rebellious. No matter what you call it, it’s correct either way.
Now that we’ve covered semantics, let’s get into the lineup.
I want to approach this line working down the formality scale, and thinking of a sock the way you would any other menswear out.
While Navy should probably be your first suit (and your first pair of socks), a charcoal suit should be your second. It’s a little sober, but phenomenally versatile. It’s excellent for any kind of business meeting. It’ll pair well with most any shoe–save lighter walnut brown or tan. And, it’s easy to break into separates. Style the jacket with some odd olive or navy trousers, and use the charcoal trousers as a blank canvas for anything from dark brown to burgundy jackets.
It follows then, a dark charcoal grey sock is the best sock for a grey suit. It creates a clean, uniform line, which works really well for more formal affairs.
‘Business casual’ is perhaps the most common workplace dress code today. And, if a pair of socks were ‘business casual’, these would be it.They’re dark enough to wear with the ubiquitous grey flannel pants, but still light enough to style with a pair of slim (not skinny!) mid-blue to dark wash jeans.
And, since business casual dress tends to favor a loafer over a lace-up, it’s far easier to wear in this capacity, too.
Business casual outfits transition well from day to night, and so does the construction on all of our socks. We reinforce the toe and heel for exceptional durability, but not much it creates a bulky sock. The toe seam sits low so it doesn’t rub against the toe box of your show. And, we use a blend of wool and nylon to help the sock keep its shape. They’ll stay up all day, which both looks and feels good.
These are a new offering for use, and one we’re rather proud of. Sure, both charcoal and heather grey are rather popular. They’re definitely the most versatile, But, lighter grey works really well with–you guessed it–lighter grey pants.
Light grey is most at home in spring and summer. Try some light grey chinos, a navy polo shirt, and some richly nappy suede loafers. Layer with an open weave cardigan or crew neck sweater for a casual-chic summer evening.
Or, if you’re attending a wedding this summer, a light grey suit is an excellent decision. And, since you probably don’t want to show much ankle in the evening, a light grey sock works wonders here. It’s a clean, easy look with a little *something* extra.
We’ve written before about the benefits of wool socks. Wool, as a fabric, is almost magical. It regulates heat, keeping you warm in cool weather and cooler in warm. It absorbs moisture (okay, mostly sweat)- which keeps you dry and comfortable. It’s, generally, softer than cotton.
But, we understand wool may not be to everyone’s preference. So, we made some grey cotton socks for men, too. These are an interesting ‘steel’ grey. They’ll work well with grey trousers and most pairs of jeans- though I find lighter wash to be a little better in these situations.
Grey is far more versatile than you’d think. It can take you from day to night, and a variety of formalities as well. Charcoal is professional, a little sober, and definitely more formal. Heather grey is best for business casual; a perfect companion to the classic menswear uniform. And, light grey is a wild card.
No matter what colorway you go with and whether you choose wool or cotton, all our socks are made here in the USA.
Thanks, as always, for reading.
Yours in Style,
Tony Gorga
Boardroom Socks
Shadow striped socks are a cool way to branch out your sock game. They’re interesting, but don’t shout.
If the airline lost your luggage and all of your socks, where would you start? We rebuild a sock drawer from the ground up.
