Who are these people wearing socks?

It all starts on the Croisette. On May 14, during the opening ceremony of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, Zaho de Sagazan lit up the stage of the Palais des Festivals during a surprise performance. The 24-year-old singer in a two-color dress takes off her shoes on stage and shows white socks on her feet. A look that, without a doubt, Khloe liked. “It’s so comfortable and cute,” confides this 25-year-old beauty editor when we talk to her about the socks. “One of my drawers has a bin full of white, black and gray socks. I also have a pair printed with a smiley face pattern. And when they are colored, I put them in such a way that the tip extends beyond the shoe.” Like her whole family, Khloe finds that high socks are meant for sports, while with ankle socks, “you can match the colors to your outfit, there’s a fashion side to it.”

This fashion opinion is shared by image consultant and color specialist Marine Husu. According to him, the “invisible” side of socks is strength. “We can play on the details, for example, choosing network models. It goes really well with sneakers and pumps.” The boss of Je Suis Sublime agency also has his favorite couple. “It has a leopard print and goes well with a pair of sneakers. It also brings something different to my appearance.”

Doubles or leaves

The sock, this shortened model that stops at the bottom of the ankle, was first designed to be invisible in the shoe. Its origins date back to the 1940s, when nylon, a staple material for women’s tights and stockings, was used for war. To save money, young girls are advised to wear socks that use less fabric. This is how socks appear, which are immediately integrated into schoolgirls’ uniforms. They are still relevant in 2024. “I bought some when it was fashionable and I still have them,” Theo, a graphic designer from Paris, tells us. I have big calves, so when I wear shorts, if I wear high socks, they will fall down. Socks are a good alternative, you don’t see them in your sneakers and you don’t have to pull them up every two seconds.”

But not everyone shares this opinion, like Alice, 26 years old. The fashion student thinks that Zaho de Sagazan’s socks lack taste. “He would have been better off wearing any other pair of socks,” laments the young woman. It’s always the same problem with socks. It’s not a choice for me, these are the socks I only wear when all the others are dirty. “Putting on socks is like imagining a look but not following it.” Even Theo admits that he doesn’t always think the accessory is very beautiful, because “it sticks out of the shoe, but not too much. A bit like ill-fitting socks.’

Socks fit into the minimalistic desires of the 2010s, when skinny jeans, loafers, ballet flats and slides were all the rage.

Alexandra Osina, freelance stylist

A sock out of style? It’s likely because the peak of its popularity dates back to the 2010s, as Paris-based independent stylist Alexandra Osina recalls. “Socks fit into the minimalist craze of the 2010s, when skinny jeans, loafers, ballet flats and slip-ons were all the rage. Women were looking for a ‘clean look’ and that’s why stockings were so successful.” In fact, it’s their practical side that made them popular during this decade, which was marked by the emergence of the trend indie tenderness, where tight pants are worn rolled up and revealing the ankles. So we wear sneakers with socks for the “barefoot” effect. Or we’re totally assuming it, like Rihanna, who in March 2010 dared to wear a pair of pumps and sparkly stockings on the red carpet.

As the 2010s progress, so does fashion. Little by little, the tall, colored hose is taking over. In this regard, the trend is moving towards colorful models that are full of patterns and can be worn with white sneakers and very short pants. It was the beginning of the hipster phenomenon that spread across Europe. Meanwhile, the slim fit was losing steam and giving way to looser, more comfortable cuts. Pants hit the ground now, say goodbye to socks!

A sock, a symbol of generation

Or not? On Valentine’s Day 2023, Lana Del Rey, 37, is releasing her smash single A&W:. The success of this work was voted the best of the year Big fork , naturally draws attention to the cover. A black and white photo of the American singer posing in white socks with a little black on the bottom. She, who shamelessly admitted at the beginning of her career that she had “no fashion sense”, has always stuck to the dress code of the 2010s and continues to prove her love for socks on her Instagram page.

Introduced over a decade ago, but still widely worn, have the socks become the symbol of a generation after all? A question that raised New York Post In late 2023, after a viral TikTok posted by Australian Phoebe Parsons. An Australian content creator says you only have to look at someone’s feet to know what generation they’re from. He suggests Gen Z exclusively wear high socks, while millennials born in the 1990s prefer ankle socks. After the controversy this video created, the hose was widely mocked on TikTok. “I’m pulling my socks off to please Gen Z,” one user quipped in the video, which has 15.8 million views.

Because yes, the hose is still worn and protected in 2024. But for some devotees, it retains an unrefined side, especially in a society where fast fashion and its shoddy clothing are no longer popular. “I see it as a sporty, disposable thing. A sock can’t be made of cashmere, it’s more of a sports material,” says Sara, who does, however, accept models with “extra details like lace threads, a layer of tulle…”. For consultant Marine Husu, it all depends on the colors you choose. “For the choice, I find it more interesting to wear colorful models with prints than the white or black model that we associate with sports.”

The expert considers it a “fun” element to create a fun look. “In France, color is not our thing at all, we are quite minimalistic. We wait until summer to wear them when we should be wearing them all the time. These details can affect our morale, our well-being and give us a lot of self-confidence on a daily basis.” Despite everything, socks continue to stay away from fashion houses. Except for Zimmermann, one of the rare brands that offered some at the Cruise 2025 fashion show, but watch out for the mid-rise, pastel and woven version.