The best socks you'll ever have

Socks may not be a big consideration in your clothes shopping, but tall men can and should find high quality dress socks. It has always seemed strange to me that a tall man in search of good clothing can easily find a long silk tie, a pure cotton shirt with extra long sleeves and long inseam woollen trousers . . . but when it comes to socks, the large sizes are some ghastly nylon or polyester blend that stretches improbably from size 10 to size 16.

Natural fabrics for socks are the original high-tech fabrics as they deal with moisture (a tactful way of saying sweaty feet) better than artificial fibres as well as feeling more comfortable. I am talking here about cotton or wool - you can find cashmere or silk socks but they always seem a bit decadent and excessive to me. So not only will you look and feel better, your feet will be more comfortable.

I recently listened to a lecture where it was said that there is a city in China that makes enough pairs of socks to provide two pairs for each person on the planet. But you can be sure that these are not going to be high quality cotton socks, because all of the best known firms are based in Europe and still manufacture locally - and supporting traditional craftsmanship is another reason to buy them.

If you live in Europe, you will have little trouble finding socks in sizes up to US 15 (European 50) from brands like Falke, Pantherella, Kunert or even more obscure brands like Dore Dore or Marcoliani. My top picks are Socksfox in the UK (also ships to US) or the Falke online shop. I have used Socksfox several times; the service has always been quick and efficient and they have a good range of large socks.

In the US, it's a different story. Despite spending hours looking for high quality large socks (slightly obssessive, I know, but it's all in the cause of helping tall men to look good) I have barely found any suppliers who have a decent selection. Below are a few examples of good large socks that you can buy at reasonable prices in the US.

For some other sock ideas, see our previous article here.

Pictures:

Left: Falke Family lightweight socks feature superfine cotton with just a touch of spandex and they make an excellent choice for casual or business footwear. The fine rib knit reaches just over the calf and built in antibacterial keeps you fresh and odor-free. Falke is a German brand and these socks are manufactured in Hungary.

Center: MarcMarcs socks from Kunert are Kind to the skin due to their high cotton content (97%). The socks also integrate aloe Vera for ultimate softness.

Right: Pantherella's argyle socks look good with anything, and offer a rainbow of colors along with their ultra-soft, lightweight cotton knit. Pantherella are an English brand and these socks are still manufactured in the United Kingdom.