A quick Google search on socks turns up more fun facts that you can imagine. Though most of the facts are random and somewhat useless, sites such as BLACKSOCKS, the first online shopping site to exclusively sell socks, take its socks trivia seriously.
First and foremost, socks can add a fun splash of color and variety to your wardrobe, while keeping your feet protected and dry throughout the day. Here is what turned up as it relates to socks from the “Sayitwithasock” blog.
“Socks”- The Origin of The Word: Like many words in the English Language, the modern word “sock” has evolved over time, having come from the Old English word “socc”, meaning ‘light slipper’. Socc comes from the Latin word “soccus” used to describe a ‘light, low-heeled shoe’. The word sock is likely also derived from the Ancient Greek “sykkos”, which referred to a thin shoe worn with sandals.
Why We Wear Socks:At some point in your life it would be natural for you to have questioned why we wear socks. Is it done out of tradition? Or do socks provide a function? It turns out that the latter is the case. Socks provide an important function by protecting your shoes from your body’s sweat, as your feet sweat nearly half a liter a day. Socks also help prevent the bacteria from forming in your shoes that can lead to smelly feet. Additionally, socks provide vital padding to your feet that prevents chafing and rubbing, and socks also help to provide extra cushion to your feet, making them a vital part of your wardrobe.
3 Toe Socks: The Original Sock? While it is now often considered to be a fashion faux pas to wear socks with sandals and toe socks have become more of a novelty item, it is likely that early socks were actually made to be worn with sandals. The oldest socks discovered that we previously mentioned featured a split toe, making it easy and comfortable for them to be worn with sandals, and it is likely that early socks were actually meant to be worn with sandals.
The Greeks Wore Fur Socks:By the 8th century, it was popular amongst the Greeks to wear socks made out of matted animal furs. As you can imagine, these socks were extremely hot and make us grateful for the breathable sock materials we have today!
Socks Were Once a Status Symbol:By about the 10th century, socks had transformed from purely functional footwear to a fashion symbol. This was primarily due to the fact that making comfortable, fashionable socks was a time-consuming process only affordable to the rich. Nobles, royals, and kings alike wore knee-high stockings as a way to express their financial and class standings, as long silken socks were considered a status symbol at the time.
Queen Elizabeth Was Picky About Socks:After inventing his stocking knitting machine, Lee approached Queen Elizabeth to patent his invention. However, as legend has it, Lee’s request was thrown out as the wool socks he made were not up to her standards. Lee then reworked his machine to produce finer, silk stockings, but his patent was again rejected as the court worried that his machine would put knitting artists out of business.
Albert Einstein Hated Socks:Albert Einstein was known for being eccentric. One such eccentricity was the fact that he despised socks and never wore them after giving them up at a young age. He claimed that not only did he not see the point of wearing both shoes and socks, but he said it annoyed him that his socks would form holes because of his big toes.
George H.W. Bush: The 41st president of the United States was an avowed lover of socks and he made his affinity for fun socks even more public in the later years of his life choosing bold patterns and bright colors to liven up his suits or chinos. His socks became a talking point among his visitors, including fellow former President Bill Clinton when the Democrat visited the Republican in June. Bush tweeted a picture showing that he wore a pair of socks with Clinton’s face on them when his successor visited him.
The Sock Capital of The World!Believe it or not, there is actually a sock capital of the world. The Datang district in eastern China is the top producer of socks in the world, producing roughly 40% of the world’s socks each year. This has caused it to become known as “Sock City”, as it is estimated that in one year, they make enough socks to supply two pairs for every person in the world.