The once old-fashioned knee-high is making a surprising comeback, with Generation Z leading the way.
Gone are the days of low-rise or ankle socks that dominated gyms, workplaces and social media. Now, the trend is all about higher socks, echoing styles popular in the 80s and 90s.
Fashion trends are a battleground where generations collide. From Gen Z’s banishment of the side part to the slow death of skinny jeans, the lines in the sand are clearly drawn.
“If you wear short socks, it means you are 30+,” Chidebe Ndibe, a 26-year-old software developer and short-sock advocate, told the Wall Street Journal.
There’s a constant push and pull between forging a unique identity and repeating history. Gen Z, eager to forge their own path, is guilty of ridiculing styles that the previous generation considered “hip,” even when those same styles were all the rage back in the day.
The once dated ankle sock is making a surprise comeback, with Gen Z leading the way. Actress and singer Kylie Cantrall will be seen July 2 wearing the type of higher sock that is now a favorite of fashion-conscious young Americans
Gone are the days of low socks dominating gyms, workplaces and social media. Now the trend is all about higher socks, echoing styles popular in the 80s and 90s.
Young sock enthusiasts are embracing the ‘higher the better’ approach, citing a range of influences.
From the late Princess Diana’s iconic biker shorts and socks to modern-day celebrities like Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner wearing high socks with leggings post-workout, and even fashion editorials showing rolled-up socks with loafers, these youngsters are taking inspiration from both classic and contemporary styles.
“I think it completes an outfit,” another Crew Sock member, Kendall Maynard, 18, told the Wall Street Journal.
Ndibe agrees: “It especially makes my legs look longer,” he says.
From the late Princess Diana’s iconic biker shorts and crew sock combo to modern-day celebrities like Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner wearing high socks with leggings post-workout, and even fashion editorials showing rolled-up socks with loafers, these youngsters are taking inspiration from both classic and current styles.
“If you wear short socks, it means you are 30+,” Chidebe Ndibe, a 26-year-old software developer and short-sock advocate, told the Wall Street Journal
Fashion trends are a battleground where generations collide. From Gen Z’s banishment of the side part to the slow death of skinny jeans, the lines in the sand are clearly drawn
The other end of the spectrum, however, continues to persist in the belief that calf socks make shoes look disproportionate.
“On a good day, I’m 5 feet 10 inches tall and have short legs, so if I were wearing socks, there would be no difference between my thighs and my ankles,” Krista Figueroa, 32, an X-ray technician, told the Wall Street Journal. “It doesn’t look cute.”
Figueroa also said she associates calf socks with her father, who pairs the mid-calf socks with New Balance shoes to create the ultimate old-school dad look.
But young people’s preference for longer socks is also reflected in the sales figures.
Hanes figures show that sales of socks that extend above the ankle have increased 5.9% since 2021, while sales of low-cut socks have declined 3.8%.
A similar trend is being seen at Aritzia, where mid-calf socks are selling twice as much as ankle socks, said Heather McLean, the company’s executive vice president of product.
Youth’s preference for higher-cut socks is reflected in sales figures, as Hanes sock sales show a 5.9% increase for socks that sit above the ankle since 2021, while low-cut socks are down 3.8%.
Bombas is also seeing a shift toward longer socks, with visible socks now accounting for 42% of its April sales, up from 33% last year. In fact, there’s been a corresponding decline in no-show sock sales, which were down 9% this April compared to last year, according to Randy Goldberg, Bombas co-founder and chief brand officer.
Phoebe Parsons, a 34-year-old Pilates instructor from Brisbane, Australia, said in a TikTok post that has now been viewed 3.7 million times that there is a direct correlation between age and sock height.
“As millennials, we’re stuck in the skinny-leg mindset and think our legs look better if you can see your ankle, but Gen Z doesn’t care,” Parsons said. While she tried to see the younger generation’s perspective, she said she had a “visceral” reaction to crew socks and it just felt wrong.