Soleful

Selecting Battle of the Japanese Socks Brands Sock Culture Sleepy Socks Spring 2016

FUN FACT: Sophie enjoys to cook in her free time, especially baking sweets.

Hannah Iglehart

Emily DeBold

A kindhearted, sockoligist with a passion so fierce that she even started her own club as a sophmore at WCHS called the knitting club. Emily’s involvement in musical theater has lead to her success in many productions at the Woodford Theater, WCMS, and WCHS. She has been selected as the vice-president of the student council, and she participates in the Y-Club and TAG (Teen Advisory Group). With all her talent, she still balences her AP classes and spending time with friends.

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FUN FACT: Emily enjoys knitting so much that she can actually knitt her own socks!

FUN FACT: Hope doesnt like fasion, but she sews old clothes to make new ones!

Sophie Edelen Playing tennis as a main sport can become difficult while being a sophomore, but this hard worker makes it seem easy.

She has been playing violin since she was 8 years old at Huntertown elementary school. Sophie participated in WCMS orchestra and now is a musician in the WCHS orchestra. She shows her spunky personality while participating in the Y-CLub and TAG (Teen Advisory Group). Through all her activities, she still balences her school and her personal life.

Music has become her way of expressing herself and connecting to others. As a sophomore at WCHS, she has accomplished many things the average student would not.

She has been selected to be the marching band’s drum major for the ‘16-’17 school year.

After playing the flute for 7 years, she was accepted into Govenor’s School for the Arts. Her involvement with music has even allowed her to be part of the worship team at her church. She also participates in a youth orchestra in Lexington (CKYO) while also spending quality time with her family in her free time.

FUN FACT: Hannah enjoys puzzles with her mom on snow days while drinking homemade hot chocolate.

Hope Mitchell

Being 16 can become pretty hectic, but Hope keeps her cool as her artistc skills shine. She is part of Honors Art, and her favorite color is green.

She has a cat named Smokey who helps her channel her style into her art. She has taken many computer classes before Digital Discourse and Design, so she has been a huge asset to this group. She plans on going to Barea College when she graduates. As a sophmore at WCHS, her dreams are big and her worries are small.

Letter From the Editors Dear Readers, Here at Soleful Socks, we strive to bring you a creative and visually appealing magazine to help you in your everyday sock choices. We also aim to bring you the latest fun facts about the sock wearing community. Soleful hopes to inspire you to live creatively, not be afraid to be the odd man out, and live in the now. Developing this magazine helped us to understand the community of sock lovers we were slowly becoming.

Soleful also helped shape us as computer geeks, and creative connoisseurs. We are so excited to share our sock passion with you, and we hope you enjoy.

With warmth,

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Table of Contents

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2 3

About Us

5 6 10 14 15 20

Sock Quiz

Letter from the Editors

Selecting Socks Japanese Sock Culture Sock Maze Sleepy Socks Battle of the Brands

What Sock Are You? 1. What’s your gender type?

A. Male, feminine B. Female, masculine C. Female, feminine D. Male, masculine

2. What is your sock opinion?

A. Socks are the worst.

B. Just keep your feet warm C. Are fun to accessorize with

3. Do you wear socks to bed?

A. NO B. Only if cold C.YES D. Yes, but kick them off.

4. What kind of socks do you wear?

A. Mostly plain colors.

B. Some plain, some colorful C. All colorful and patterned.

5. Favorite sock pattern?

A. No patterns B. Polka Dots C. Cartoon, argyle, animal, and shapes D. Stripes

6. When in a fight, what do you do?

A. Wait for them to apologize.

B. Ignore them C. apologize D. Complain

7. Favorite kind of weather?

A. Hot sun B. Warm and sunny C. Snowy D. Stormy/cloudy

8. What fruit would you be?

A. Apple B. Pear C. Orange D. Grapes

9. How do people view you?

A. The shy one B. The athlete C. The Joker D. The leader

Results

If you answered mostly A’s, you are a SOCK HATER. If you answered mostly B’s, you are an ANKLE SOCK. If you answered mostly C’s, you are a FUZZY SOCK. If you answered mostly D’s, you are a CREW SOCK.

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Selecting Socks Bell bottoms, Crocs, and wind breakers: what do these all have in common? All were huge fashion trends that have gone “out of style.”

Except one: Socks. Millions of people wear socks every day and have been wearing them for centuries. But not all socks are created equal. Many factors go into making the perfect sock choice every morning including the visual appeal, what activities you will be doing that day, the season, and comfort.

One of the most important factors that makes up a sock is the material.

Socks come in wool, acrylic, cotton, nylon, polyester, olefins, and spandex. Wool socks are known for their warmth, but they are also known for their itchiness. That is why other materials such as bamboo, silk, and mohair are mixed with the wool to give it a softer feel while still keeping the insulation. Acrylic socks are thin but are a good alternative to cotton because acrylic has a better shock absorption and can handle perspiration unlike cotton.

Nylon socks give a sheer effect and are usually used in a formal environment. Polyester socks are the classic white socks that provide decent cushioning but won’t keep your feet from sweating. Olefin and spandex

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By Emily DeBold

Decorative acrylli c socks. www.zocalopubli csquare.org socks on the other hand do the exact opposite. They deal with perspiration and are thinner than the typical polyester sock.

Don’t judge a book by its cover is a great saying to live by, but not when it comes to socks. There are so many beautiful socks out there in the world.

From hamburgers to aliens, there is nothing that can’t be put on a sock.

But are you compromising your comfort?

Socks with crazy patterns tend to be made out of acrylic material which has its benefits and downfalls. Acrylic is a thin material and would work better for a warm environment, so if you have any summer parties, feel free to snazz up your socks for the special occasion. But you might want to think twice about wearing them to your Christmas or dance party. Due to the thin nature of the socks, they lend themselves to tearing on your feet while you’re tearing it up on the dance floor.

For the active individual, I would recommend acrylic compression socks with padding. One in four of athletic injuries are foot injuries. Numerous studies have gone into the idea that your sock type can help prevent a foot injury. Most foot injuries are due to the amount of negative space between the where the sock ends and the shoe begins. If you choose a sock with a nice amount of padding it acts as an extension of your foot and increases your foot’s shock absorbance, therefore enabling your foot to go through more wear and tear without being injured.

Padded socks are also a good option for older people. Everyone has these things on the bottom of their feet called fat pads and their job is to protect your foot bones, tendons ligaments, blood vessels and nerves. As you age, the fat pads on the bottom of your feet wear down and can cause substantial amounts of pain. By age 50, the average human is projected to have lost half of their fat pads mass. If we were walking around on grass or dirt the damage wouldn’t be nearly as substantial, but in our modern day society we are forced to walk on manmade pavement and cement which is not good for your feet at all.

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wool socks being air dried. www.publi cdomainpictures.net That is why socks are so important, if you don’t have a nicely fitted pair with the proper amount of padding you can seriously damage your feet.

Some nice brands to purchase for this problem are Smartwool, Thorlos, Nike, or any well padded sock. I would recommend all of these brands for athletes who desire to keep their feet in tact especially if they are considering their sport as a career choice.

If you are planning on going hiking, ice skating, rollerblading, or doing any other activity that strains your feet or ankles, I would recommend a long padded sock. The more padding and the better fit of the sock allows your ankle to be insulated and will result in less foot pain. I would also recommend that this sock be acrylic because acrylic material will stay cooler and help wick any perspiration away. My personal favorite sock for activities such as these is the Dry Max brand. It promises to keep your foot dry while still padding it.

This hiker is ready to hit the trails with wool padded socks!. https://pixabay.com

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The businessman must have a very specific sock, usually a slick lattice patterned one with colors that are vibrant but not too vibrant. You want to show the boss you are a professional, but still an interesting individual. Professionalism in the workplace can also be conveyed through the length of your sock. Half calf is usually the rule to live by, but if you really are looking to impress your counterparts I would recommend a full calf sock. Under no circumstances are you to wear an ankle sock to a business meeting.

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An example of the modern buisness woman. Image by me.

Although you should choose your socks based on the physical activity you will be doing that day, the time of year is also essential. You should not be picking a wool sock with snowflakes on it to wear to your next Fourth of July party. Spring is best suited for a light cotton ankle sock due to the moderate to high temperatures. Although this warm weather might tempt you to go sockless please consider the health risks you are taking by not giving your fat pads any cushion whatsoever.

An example of wool snowflake socks. publi cdomainpictures.net Fun Fact: Feet are one of the sweatiest parts of the body. You can loose up to half a liter of sweat through your feet in a day.

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Soleful Fall is best suited for a plain classic white or wool sock if it is starting to get more chilly. Fall is a very fun season to experiment with your socks because knee highs paired with boots have been very popular during the season. This is one of the only seasons where it is acceptable to wear socks that long and comfy so I would try to take advantage of that if I were you.

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A new fall trend is boot cuffs. Boot Cuffs give the appearance of wearing long socks, but without the foot cushion that give you health benefits. One advantage of boot cuffs is that you can have all the fashion of leg warmers with a light sock on to decrease the heat inside your shoe.

A survey conducted at a central Kentucky high school concluded that Winter was the most popular season for people to wear socks. This is due to the extreme temperature drop.

Wool socks are best suited for winter because they are fantastic insulators.

Some of the highest quality wool sock brands are Wool ease and Smartwool. photo

A cheap acrilli c sock that has been worn out. http:// www.pd4pic.com Socks are for all different types of people, but it takes a considerable amount of knowledge and effort to choose the right pair in the morning. There are so many variables that go into a sock including the material it’s made out of, the length, and the thickness. All of these should be adjusted based on what activities you will be doing throughout the day and the weather. Socks also have effects on your health and choosing a pair is a simple decision you make every morning.

An ideal pair of buisness socks. losangeles.cbslocal.com

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Japanese

By Hope Mitchell

Sock Culture Have you ever wondered what someone on the other side of the world was wearing on their feet? Well i can tell you what socks they’re wearing in Japan! You might not believe it but Japan has a very extensive sock culture with many different brands, fads, and extensive designs for every person. Some of these socks have even made their way into american culture.

Tabi To start off we should look back to the Tabi. Tabi are the traditional form of socks that people in japan have worn for hundreds of years. They are made ankle high with stiff material and a split in the middle so that they would fit well with Geta. Geta is a wooden shoe that closely resembles a flip flop, although these were very common back in the day now they are a more ceremonial shoe. The Tabi is still used in Japan today although not as much unless dressing in the traditional kimono style of japanese clothing, It has also influenced the creation of such things like the five toed socks, which we have here in America. Now days they do have Tabi available in modern sock form with softer stretchier fabrics and cute designs with characters instead of the stiff black and white fabric they traditionally use.

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A modern tabi used for both shoes and Geta.

Fashonable yet traditinal Geta.

Sock Fads

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Many fads have come in and out of style through America and Japan alike.

Although there are some i’m sure you might not have heard before. In Japan, there was a style of socks that were made to be stretchy and long then pushed down to give a wrinkled squished down look. These are called Gal socks, and cater to the teenage girl demographic. This fad hit its peak in 2014 and is now considered retro.

They are still worn just not as much; although, many japanese models seem to have taken a liking to these leg warmer type socks that has re-hyped this fad a little bit.

The Fad that came after this are normal Knee high, navy blue socks that are worn by the teenage girl highschool demographic called KonHai socks. These are most likely to be seen on a teen girl to go with their school uniform. Although these socks are completely normal and worn by everyday student, they do have a sexual connotation around them and are often seen in the common media of japan like manga(comic books) tv shows, videogames,movies,etc.These are leading reason as to why they have grown in popularity.

A girl out of school wearing thick rolled Gal socks.

One of the most popular socks in the young adult teen dimographic in japan, navy blue knee high scocks.

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Fun socks There are many different sock companies and stores all around different parts of japan, and they all offer many different types of socks. Just like how we have many designs, prints, and colors, Japan has many different sock stores with many different fun sock prints designs and colors for everyday wear.

Prints are especially popular concerning the teenage demographic with silly and commercial subjects.

There are many socks with just about anything on them like food or animals all the way to pencils and rainbows. Even more popular socks with prints of people’s favorite characters from the favorite shows and movies like Cat bug, or totoro( a odd but adorable fuzzy looking japanese mythical beast).

Then there are more homy socks like those at Kutsushita-Ya, a popular sock store in Japan, that sells all different kinds of sock wear.

You might not find prints which are more pop culture oriented, but you will find sock that you could wear to work or at home. Depending on what you want you could get a cute design or many different colors in many different hues.

Prints from cartoon bears to betty boop!

A serious japanese sock store detemined to fufill your sock needs!

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Soleful

Popular Brand Socks

There are many competing sock stores in japan with different goals, age demographics, and selections. Tabio is a adult sock store that has been around since 1984 and is spreading across europe with locations in japan,france,britain and a online store. Tabios focus is specialty socks coming in all different styles, colors and materials like silk and alpaca.They of course, being a bit more fine in the sock market, are more expensive.

Uniqlo are a reasonably priced and dependable sock store with 50 colors and shades to choose from. This store is also more adult oriented and focuses specifically on men and women everyday wear. Men’s socks are a comfortable fit and last a very long time. Women socks Come in more of a variety of sizes unlike the men socks including tights, knees socks, and ankle socks.

Although this store is only in japan they also have a online store. Lastly, Village Vanguard is a wonderful place to find fun socks with designs and prints and all sorts of colors.

Soft, high quali ty Tabi socks.

Tabio color selection

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SOCK MAZE START

Can you make your way throug h th e sock? Start f rom th e to po f th e ma ze and work your way to th e tip o f th e sock . Can you do it?

STOP 14

Sleepy Socks 15

By: Hannah Iglehart

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s it better to sleep with socks on or to sleep barefoot? Researchers all around the world are befuddled by which is more beneficial to a good night’s sleep.

Many people have their own view of their preference. Some people prefer sleeping with socks on while others can’t stand it. Which is more beneficial to the average person? The average person wears socks almost everyday for work in the office or comfort when wearing shoes. Based on a survey conducted on February 24, 2016 for the students of Woodford County High School, The high school student respondees said that within the span of a week, 91% of them wear socks 5-7 days of that week. That’s means that almost everybody wears socks almost everyday. Everyone has worn socks, so we all have our preferences for when to wear them, but is sleeping one of those times?

Sleeping is an essential part to everyday life. Without sleep, your body doesn’t function correctly. On occasion, student with higher stress levels experience insomnia (loss of sleep) due to anxiety or depression. There are many other causes to insomnia, such as allergies, asthma, arthritis, chronic pain, alcohol, caffeine, heavy meals, and the like.

However, there are many solutions such as cutting off the problem, but there is a solution to that is much easier.

75.2% Sleeps better with socks on 24.8% Sleeps better without socks on

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A destination for socks to do their best work while you ‘re relaxing the n ight away. Picture taken by Hannah Iglehart

There are disagreements on whether or not sleeping with socks on is good or bad. Some people drift off easier with socks on, and others feel constricted by the feeling of them. Students ages 14-18, every 7 out of 10 of them sleep without their socks on. There are other people that are the remaining 3 out of 10, who do sleep with socks on.

Based on that information, you’d think that the same survey would record about the same data for those who sleep better with and without socks.

You’d would be correct. The survey recorded that 75.2% high school students sleep better without socks on and 24.8% sleep better with socks off. But is the popular way really the best?

Soleful On average, 14.3% of high school students don’t like wearing socks or feel uncomfortable with them on. Is there a specific reason as to why some people don’t enjoy wearing socks? Throughout the many seasons, socks fluctuate in popularity. 94.6% of the responses of the survey agree that winter is the best season for wearing socks. Although other seasons are popular options, summer is the least popular possibly due to the high humidity levels.

uncomfortability could be caused by other things such as shoe size or sock choice, many people experience Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) which causes “[them to] over-respond to sensation and find clothing, physical contact, light, sound, food, or other sensory input to be unbearable,” as stated by the SPD Foundation.

The most reasonable explanation for those people who don’t like to wear socks is that they feel uncomfortable in them. A reason why is because some people’s feet become sweaty when they wear socks. Did you know that on average, our feet produce more than ½ cup of sweat per day? That’s a lot, and it can make you feel uncomfortable. The extremity of having more sweat more often is called Hyperhydrosis. Although

Others experience constricted circulation with their socks on because they think their socks are too tight. They might think this, but socks are meant to be tighter than normal clothing. This keeps them on your feet and not loose and more likely to fall off. Due to their dislike of socks, they will usually not wear them to bed. They wonder why they experience insomnia, because they assume it assists their beauty sleep.

Beauty sleep is important to busy people, so it’s important that we address which one is better.

Styli ng socks! Another way to show your personali ty while also getting the benefits of wearing socks.

Model and photographer: Hannah Iglehart

On a verag e, our feet produ ce more than 1/2 a cu p o f sweat per day!

According to Phyllis Zee, a professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, wearing socks during the cold winter will improve your circulation. This, in turn, will help you sleep if your cold feet are keeping you awake. New Health Advisor agrees with this conclusion by stating that “this is because when you warm your feet, the blood vessels within the feet will dilate and then the brain gets the signal that it’s time to sleep.” That means that when your body becomes hot, it cools itself to a comfortable temperature. This helps you fall asleep easier because you are warmer and comfortable.

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There was also a study done at the Sleep Laboratory in Basel, Switzerland that concluded that wearing socks while in bed helps you nod off easier.

Based on this information and the idea above, it is evident that sleeping with socks on is beneficial to getting a good night’s sleep.

While there are other ways to get a good night’s sleep, such as watching less television before bed, exercising more, and consuming less caffeine, there is a simpler way to lessen insomnia and restlessness: wear socks to bed. There are some simple benefits to sleeping with socks on.

According to New Health Advisor, is that prevents night sweat and hot flashes. Your body activates its cooling process when you wear socks to bed. It helps you regulate your body temperature, reducing sweating at night. For those who dislike wearing socks while sleeping because of uncomfortable sweating, this may seem weird to them because wearing socks makes your feet warmer. Granted, wearing socks is more effective during the winter and less likely to be helpful during the summer. Colder weather

Antique quilts for napping made by Phoebe Gill.

Photo by Hannah Iglehart..

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Comfortable pillows from Temperpedic and iComfort that will help you sleep.

Courtesy of Hannah Iglehart. creates a colder body temperature, making socks a smart option to falling asleep. Warmer weather might activate more sweat at night. For those who have trouble sleeping due to sweaty, uncomfortable feet, watching less TV before bed would be a more beneficial action to take to sleep better.

Cold temperatures can cause insomnia, and Raynaud’s Disease makes people very sensitive to the cold. If you are experiencing extreme sensitivity to the cold and are having trouble sleeping, you may have Raynaud’s Disease, but only 1 in 20 people develop this disease. Wearing socks will be a way to help you sleep. Raynaud’s Disease affects individual blood cells, making them sensitive to colder temperatures. Wearing socks will keep your body temperature in check, keeping those without Raynaud’s Disease away from that disease.

People obviously try to stay away from crusty, dried out feet, especially during the summer. Nobody wants to have nasty feet while they’re walking on the beach, but this is an unfortunate, normal cause of people who have naturally dry skin. It especially gets

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Socks vs. Barefoot. One small change coulld keep give you the beauty sleep you deserve! Model and photographer: Hannah Iglehart. worse when the colder temperatures come in, and it sometimes affects those who don’t have issues with dry skin. A way to keep this from happening is to put lotion on before going to bed. This is an effective way to stay away from dry feet, but it will be most efficient if you wear clean, cotton socks at night after application. After your feet become moisturizer more often, keeping socks on at night will continue to help because they keep your feet soft and away from cracking.

Based on this information, it is clear that sleeping with your socks on at night is better than sleeping without them on at night. While there might be some occasions when it will be better to sleep without them on, such as if you get extremely sweaty at night, there are many benefits to sleeping with your socks on making it clear to due as such.

If socks are too much of an inconvenience, then there are some alternate ways to help you fall asleep.

One is to turn on a fan while you sleep.

The soft noises produced by it will lull you to sleep, distracting you from car noises or the party across the street.

Another is to limit the light exposure in your room to relax your eyes before bed. Soft lights from a lamp will help calm your eyes after watching TV, helping you fall to sleep better. Taking a hot bath before going to sleep is an alternate way to sleep better. It creates a higher body temperature, which will make you fall deeper into sleep.

Caffeine raises anxiety levels and keeps you more awake and alert, so it’s best to steer clear of these before bed.

Eating a bigger meal before bedtime will also cause you to have a restless night as your digestive system is working overtime to process the meal.

Drinking before bed also causes you to lose sleep because you frequently have to go to the restroom to empty your bladder.

These options might be a good way to get you to sleep better. The easier way to decrease insomnia is to just wear your socks to bed. It is clearly beneficial and a simple way to fix a problem that affects your everyday lifestyle. If you don’t mind wearing socks at anytime in the day, as the majority of high schoolers generally do, then your best bet is to sleep with socks on. Plus, you can wear specialized socks to show your style as you’re going to those sleepovers while also getting a good night’s rest.

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Battle of the Brands

By:Sophie Edelen

Athletes, hikers, couch potatoes, and energetics can’t all wear the same sock brand, and they shouldn’t have to. There are many sock companies on the market today ready to offer you the highest quality, but picking which one works for your lifestyle can be a troubling task. There are many brands, including Nike, Adidas, Forever 21, Smartwool, Under Armour, and many more. We live in a society where being comfortable isn’t always a necessity, but when it comes to socks, it’s of utmost importance; so, you need to make sure that you are choosing the right sock brand for the right occasion.

The first brand is for all the hikers and outdoor lovers: Smartwool. This sock is on the more expensive side, with prices ranging from $11-$40. These socks seem to be a bestseller with the hikers and people who live for comfort. They have amazing quality, and live up to all the standards a sock needs to have.

Smartwool socks come in cute patterns, are incredibly durable, comfortable, and let your feet breath without making your shoes into a puddle. They also keep your feet warm during the winter. They have ample reviews to back up the statements that smartwool puts out, including several that say, unlike Under Armour, they are firm enough to stay up, but leave no indents on the leg. They are mostly for hikers, but if you’re looking for a reliable sock, this would be the one to beat. They are, in my opinion, the top sock brand for all lifestyles

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All sock brands that will be dis cussed in this article.

Ph otos found on flickr.com.

Smartwool socks. Th e re view can be found in para gra p hs 2&3. Ph oto can be found on flickr.com

Soleful One of the more underestimated sock brands on the market today are Hanes.

Though this brand is mostly known for their underwear, they also have some affordable and comfortable socks. Ranging from $5$20, they are on the cheaper side while not compromising the quality. The classic Hanes sock has a reinforced heel and toe, making them more sturdy than the other sock we’ve looked at.

Despite this fact, they are still one of the worse socks on the market. They leave a horrible amount of lint on your feet, and break holes that aren’t in the heel or toe just because they were washed. They also fall apart like no other. They are not worth the money, and are highly unrecommended by all parties. I wouldn’t recommend them at all, and would go for the next brand before I ever considered these.

I looked at alot of different sports and “fashion brands” of socks before I chose my next brand: Under Armour. Though they’re less expensive, ranging from $10$36, will that lessen the quality, or simply make them a more affordable option. The reviews I’ve found claim that tighter isn’t always better. According to many buyers, the mid thigh socks fit almost perfectly on the foot, but the leg is a whole different situation. They are rumored to be so tight in the leg that they start to cut off circulation, which doesn’t sound like anything I would want to wear.

Hanes socks. Th e re view can be found in paragra p hs 4&5. Ph oto can be found on flickr.com.

Under A rmour Sock . Th e re view can be found in paragra p hs 6&7. Ph oto can be found on flickr.com.

One positive is their lifetime. They can last up to two years without so much as stretching, and will still fit “well” until you decide they need a renewal. With this fact and the lower price, they seem like they’d be a better option than Nike, but I can’t get past the bad fit. When you’re looking for socks, fit is everything. The fact that that was a complaint across the board, makes me have to rule them out as the best brand to buy.

To the next contestant we go.

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Soleful Fore ver 21 Womens Sock . Th e re view can be found in paragra p hs 8&9. Ph oto can be found on flickr.com.

This one’s for you ladies: the infamous For-

ever 21. These are by far the cutest socks I have ever come across. Though, despite their styling patterns, the quality seems to be lacking. With them starting at an astounding $1.90, you can probably see why.

They are known for their crazy patterns and cheap price, but the comfort isn’t always there. I am an avid wearer of Forever 21 socks, but can’t remember the last time I wore a pair more than 2 months without a hole showing up somewhere.

Reviews show that women love the patterns and the way they look with a cute ankle boot, but also cite their concern of the thin material. However, it seems to just be the ankle socks people have a problem with. The others: crew, knee high, lace, and fleece seemed to win out with the crowds.

One person even claims she’s had a pair for over two years now with no visible signs of damage. I can’t attest to this, but many others can. With their cheap price and higher quality than I originally believed, they are a top contender in the women’s department.

Though Forever 21 is known for their women’s clothes and socks, we can’t leave the fellas out. Men’s socks run a little more expensive, starting at $2.80. Most people claim their success in comfort and price, but still state they lack the quality of a more expensive brand. One person even claims they don’t last more than 2 weeks without breaking a hole. This was also an avid concern for the women’s socks, and with a price like that I’m not surprised.

Forever 21 are extremely stylish despite all the other complaints, and many people keep buying them for this exact reason.

They don’t dig into your foot, fit too tight or too loose, and have the best price you can find on the market today. I would say these are some pretty good socks to purchase, just be prepared to refresh your stock every couple months.

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Fore ver 21 Mens Sock . Th e re view can be found in paragra p hs 10&11.

Ph oto can be found on flickr.com.

Next we’re gonna look at another all time favorite sports brand: Adidas. These socks have a smaller price range, and the lowest price I’ve seen so far, going from $8-$25.

Most, if not all people, had one complaint or another. They were too big, slipped down your feet, felt coarse after a couple wears, the No-Shows had too large a show portion, and on and on. Apparently, they aren’t worth the money at all.

Although they were few and far between, there were some people that said they were the perfect fit, specifically women. The men complained up and down about the size gap, but the women seemed to think they were the perfect fit for their foot. I’m not sure if Adidas made them like this for a specific reason, or if it was just mere coincidence. The women’s socks seemed to be tailored more towards their feet than the men’s, which explains the complaints. Despite these few stellar reviews, I’m still gonna say they are the worst brand I’ve seen thus far.

The most popular sock for high school aged students seems to be Nike, but are they really the best brand to wear. I started hunting around on the internet to find the best and worst reviews for Nike socks, and almost found no negatives. The biggest complaint was the price, with each pair coming in at anywhere from $12-$65, depending on which pair you chose to purchase. If you want something a little less flashy, you can choose to wear the classic black or white crew socks, but if you want something with a little more spunk, be prepared to break your bank. The highest sock, at $65, is the Nike Elite sock, which is the bestseller in the Nike sock community.

They don’t boast perks compared to the classic crew besides added padding on the bottom.

With other brands coming in at $10 and less, it’s hard to see why so many people continue buying them. The proof is in the popularity, or something like that. Nike is one of the largest athletic companies with a net worth of 28.1 billion dollars as of November 2015. Many reviews include the statement “My kids love them, and so do all their friends.” Parents are purchasing these socks for kids, unknowingly, because the kids feel left out if they don’t have the winning teams pair.

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Adidas Socks. Th e re viwe can be found in paragra p hs 12&13. Ph oto can be found on flickr.com.

Looking at this, we can now ask the question, “Are they as comfortable as we assume?” Most people that wear them are sworn athletes, either professionally or not.

They commit to the statement that Nike has the best socks, for both comfort and sport wear because of their sweat wicking abilities.

However, I ran across an article that states the socks leave the shoes a disgusting mess, by letting all the sweat into your shoe instead of containing it in the sock, which pulls into question the value. Some say you just absolutely can’t wear them with Under Armour or Asics shoes because they don’t have air venting, but others claim no shoe is immune. Most people wear socks to keep the sweat and smell off their shoes, but this sock doesn’t seem to effectively do its job. I can, therefore, safely say that Nike may be popular and pricey, but they aren’t the best sock on the market today.

Socks are the key to comfort, and with all different lifestyles, the style of sock you buy can vary tremendously.

This being said, one sock brand that can fit all lifestyles has to go to Smartwool. Nike might be good for basketball players, Forever 21 for fashionistas, and Adidas for the common man, but Smartwool takes the cake. So, get out there and start living life with the beauty of a

comfortable, affordable, and classically amazing pair of socks.

Nike Socks. Th e re view can be found in paragra p hs 14,15,16,&17. Ph oto can be found on flickr.com.

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