Gray Flannel with Green Socks

The standard advice is that your socks should match your trousers.  This practice creates an uninterrupted visual line from your waist to your shoes, thereby giving the impression of a longer leg.  However, there is nothing wrong with wearing more interesting socks.  Many British gentlemen wear sober clothing with bright socks.  I discusssed in a previous post about how the interplay among shoes, socks and trousers can be a source of gratification for the wearer; colorful socks may add to this combination.

The photograph above illustrates my point.  Today I am wearing gray flannel pants, musk green Marcoliani socks and Alden brown suede monk strap shoes.  You can see how well the green coordinates with the gray.  The texture of the brown suede also balances nicely with the heavy flannel of the trousers.  Above the waist I have on a navy camel hair blazer, a blue Oxford cloth button-down shirt, a blue micro-check pocket square, and a paisley tie in fall colors of rust, green, navy, tan and brown.