In the last edition of ‘Why Are You Wearing That?’ I explored the appeal of Vera Bradley. I had to figure out what drove the cult following of those bags. This time around, I turned my curiosity towards a more necessary accessory: socks. To be specific, I tackled the college boy’s obsession with Nike calf socks (or if you want to get technical, Nike Dri-Fit cushion crew socks).
If you haven’t seen them yet, you must be walking around campus with your eyes closed. If you’ve had your eyes open, you know them well — calf height, ribbed, black or white with an opposite-colored swoosh. Obviously I’m talking about the one and only Nike calf socks. Guys wear them, girls wear them; even I have several pairs.
I first got them freshman year of high school for marching band. My marching shoes didn’t fit, so I had to wear two pairs of socks to make them work. These met the uniform criteria, so I wore them, end of story. However, in between my time in the drum line and now, they seem to have become somewhat of a phenomenon. Of course, I had to ask ‘Why?’ I found the answers in four unsuspecting young men.
The Investigation
In order to get a good handle on this sock sensation, I figured my best course of action would be to simply stop guys who I saw wearing them and ask.
When I posed the question, “Why are you wearing those socks?” VCU freshman Kevin Chen told me, “Because they’re comfortable.”
Though I found his answer simple, I thought it was fair enough.
Freshman Quentin Parzych said he wears them because he thinks “low cut socks look weird.”
According to sophomore Merkur Gjinovci, Nike calf socks are “the only kind I own.”
If that sounds crazy to you, make no mistake, he’s not alone. Both Kevin and freshman Jake Pickell admitted to having nearly 30 pairs of these socks. Now having 30 pairs of socks isn’t uncalled for, but 30 of the exact same kind? That’s just foolish. How do you dress for different occasions?
Quentin thinks Nike calf socks are great for any event.
“I wear them for every sock related activity,” he said.
That includes walking around, doing something athletic and even church. He does this in case he needs to “dunk on someone mid service.” Jake agrees, as he likes to don them everyday for both casual wear and sports, but prefers to wear them to the gym.
While that’s all fine and good, the real question on everyone’s minds is, black or white? Kevin prefers white, although he’ll wear whatever his mom buys.
However, “It depends on what shoes I’m wearing,” said Jake.
Quentin said that it depends more on the outfit, and though he prefers black, he does concede. “Sometimes you have to wear white,” he said.
I personally believe that certain things become trends on campus because they are stylish. When asked if they thought the socks added to their style or attractiveness, the boys were modest.
“Probably not,” said Merkur.
“No,” said Jake, laughing.
Since I haven’t purchased a pair myself in quite some time, I decided to look up how much a set of three would cost today. Depending on where you go, a three pack of black or white socks could cost you anywhere from $14 to $18. However, despite what you may have seen on campus, Nike calf socks come in a number of colors, sure to fit any collegiette’s style.
Though the boys surely gave me some things to consider, I don’t think I’ll be wearing my Nike calf socks for everyone to see anytime soon. The most use I get out of them these days is in the winter, as they’re great for riding, rain and snow boots galore. I can attest that they are comfortable and won’t slide down. I mean, that’s all you can really ask for in a pair of calf-height socks anyway, right?
The Result
If you’ve been wondering why the boys cannot let go of these socks, you need look no further than the comfort they provide. Instantly recognizable, at the top of every mom’s shopping list and (apparently) perfect for any event, these socks are simply ‘the bee’s knees.’ Though they may not instantly boost your sex appeal, take comfort in the fact that at least everyone knows you’re actually wearing socks, because no socks is a no-no.
Photo Sources:
https://twitter.com/T0mmy_M0e/status/485599539496120320
https://twitter.com/PreppyManCandy/status/521848984001064960
http://images.footlocker.com/pi/700001/zoom/nike-3-pack-moisture-mgt-cus…