Sometimes it’s the simplest of things that can cause you the most frustration. Whether it’s that one tie that just can’t be knotted at the right length or that button on your cuff that just won’t button, we all have occasions when a molehill becomes a mountain. I found myself in this exact situation a few weeks back when considering shoes, socks and trousers – and what colour goes with which. I was standing in my room wearing my new olive chinos, teamed with a blue Oxford shirt and navy shawl-neck cardigan, and completely drew a blank on what shoes to wear. I hadn’t even got on to choosing a pair of socks yet! The problem I was having was that I needed to dress a little more conservative, due to where I was heading, so my go-to combination of bold patterned socks and beat up white bucks just wouldn’t cut it. Oddly enough, the creative and colourful side of style comes easier to me than the more subtle, conservative elements. As per usual, this got me thinking about whether other people have this sort of problem. Because if I’m struggling then there must be others out there that are in the same boat, if not out of the boat and sinking to the bottom of the big blue. With this in mind, I have decided to put together a simple guide on how to combine your trousers, socks and shoes for those occasions where you need to appear a bit more refined – be it during business hours, at a formal event or meeting the parents. Hopefully it will help put my, and your, troubles to bed.

The Sock Situation

Firstly, let’s clear up this part of the problem. The general rule you should stick to here is to make sure your socks are the same shade or darker than your trousers. For example, blue trousers = navy socks and mid grey trousers = charcoal socks. However, as with any truly scientific law, there is an exception – and it comes in the form of brown. Within the spectrum of brown I’m including beige, tans and khakis, just to be clear. In this situation, ensure your socks are a shade darker than your shoes. I generally find that this approach also works when you are wearing olive or burgundy trousers. What about a suit trouser with stripes or checks? Simple: pull out the colour of the less dominant stripe. For example, a navy trouser with a grey check calls for some grey socks to highlight the pattern. What about a stripe or patterned sock? Firstly, make sure it’s not too in your face. Secondly, use the dominant colour of the pattern as your base. So a navy sock with thin white stripes is going to be paired with your blue trousers.