Socks!

[shivver]

I was reading an article yesterday that listed the attributes that, when you're traveling in a foreign country, broadcast to the natives that you're an American, and one of the items listed is "wearing white socks". Now, you have to understand, I have no fashion sense no matter what country I'm in, including my own, so I have no idea and I have to ask: what color socks are you supposed to wear?

Please enlighten me, so that I can endeavor to not be so damned American when I'm traveling abroad. There's nothing I can do about my accent, but I can certainly try to make my footwear fit in.

Comments

[dm12.livejournal.com]

Oh... I misread that at first and thought you were saying we should broadcast that we are American, and my first reaction was, "Why would we want to do that?"

Now that's out of the way, one should wear socks that match your outfit to some degree. I'm not sure how that goes with jeans, but with most outfits, one should match. Since I don't wear pants anyway, but skirts, I generally wear some kind of hose/stockings. Well, unless I'm wearing sandals, in which case one definitely doesn't wear white socks, but goes barelegged if they are casual; if formal, it might be appropriate for women, at least, to wear hose. Come to think of it, I can't think of "formal" sandals for men....

Of course, I'm American, so what would I know?

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

See, that's my problem. I don't wear skirts. I'm generally in jeans or shorts, and wearing... well, not tennis shoes per se, but I guess walking shoes? Clark's WaveWalks. So, um, blue socks to match the jeans? Or colored socks to match whatever's on top (blouse or t-shirt)? Or just black socks if you don't know what you're doing (which I don't)?

I hate fashion. :)

[dm12.livejournal.com]

I really don't know about jeans or shorts at all, since I only wear skirts well below the knee. I was thinking with chino type pants or something like that.

If you're wearing sandals (I have Teva Na'ot that are wonderful for walking around in), don't wear socks... that's all I can say.

I will wear black socks under boots in the winter....

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

Nope, I don't wear sandals. Actually, I have a pair of sandals I have never worn because I have no idea what they look good with - they seem to be a bit heavy for wearing with a skirt, and I'm not sure if they look good with shorts, but if I'm in jeans, I'm going to wear my usual shoes. Have I mentioned I hate fashion?

Maybe I should invest in a bunch of those socks like DT seems to like to wear, brightly colored stripes and whatnot. I can go with the idea that since I have no idea what the socks are supposed to match, make them not match anything at all.

[dm12.livejournal.com]

Black is always fashion-savvy... or so they say! I think DT gets "day of the week socks" which have different colored toes and heels for each day, plus the day of the week to be used on the bottom! He was so excited over them...

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

Oh, now THAT's what I need! Perfect!

[dieastra.livejournal.com]

I can go with the idea that since I have no idea what the socks are supposed to match, make them not match anything at all.

Hehe! Fun theme!

You are like me, I also am absolutely not interested in fashion and just wear what I am comfortable with. And usually my pants cover my shoes so it is not important, but I admit having mostly dark socks, not colorful ones.

In summer with skirts also sandals without anything. But sometimes I do wear socks in sandals (sportive sandals, not nice ones) which are almost skin color so you hardly see them, and I so don’t care. I rather have not cold feet than look good.

Here is a picture of Tom Hiddleston with baby blue socks with white dots:

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/12963797_1160623550622523_1139983565366330346_n.jpg?oh=35db2606d005e13489fd46e04236f279&oe=57B4522A

I know that I hate when men in TV shows sit with their legs crossed and you can see the white leg between the end of the sock and the beginning of the pant leg that rides up. That’s why they should not wear socks but knee socks.

And here is a picture of Scott Gill, the husband of John Barrowman. A few weeks ago he posted several pictures like this, also that Scott has a full sock drawer, and a video of Scott saying I like my socks. Finally they burnt them in a ceremony, it was hilarious. Look at those huge holes on the soles!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cd7ZJIlXEAE9VJ3.jpg

I’m getting picked out as a German for my accent, there’s no way in hiding it. But what is fun, sometimes the Brits talk back in German. I had that at a train station once when asking for a train and platform. It was a nice surprise and the guy seemed very proud. And it was more than the usual “Good afternoon”, it was whole sentences.

There was a meme recently about “circling the wagons” and friending friends of friends. I never friended you back as I thought this would be mostly a fic journal but I would hate to miss further fun discussions like this one. So as long as you don’t mind not getting feedback on stories all the time (there’s just too much to read out there and too many fandoms) – here I am?

Would I find pictures of your UK travel if I looked further? I’m always interested in those. I also was in Edinburgh in 2014, but it was January when they had storms, heavy rain, bad floods and we picked the worst day of all to go to Edinburgh from Glasgow (where we saw John Barrowman in musical). So I’d be happy to see how Edinburgh looks like, as I didn’t see anything! I posted my grey rainy pictures a while ago, not sure if you saw them.

[tkel-paris.livejournal.com]

This is something I should ask bas_math_girl or tardis_mole. I'm meeting both of them when I go over there.

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

So jealous!! :)

[thisbluespirit]

For the UK, if your socks are going to be seen (you're not wearing boots/there's a visible gap between your shoes and jeans/trousers at any point), your socks should match your shoes, or at least be dark or light to tone in. Socks with sandals are mocked, especially white socks. White socks are a bit, well, sports things. But I don't think it would automatically proclaim you as being from the US to us!

I wouldn't worry, though - everyone shows their different nationalities when abroad. You see people on trains and you know where they're from, because clothes and mannerisms and the way we look and behave gives us away - especially when in pairs or groups. I mean, wear what you're comfortable with and you'll be happy and so what to the rest. (It's also like when you're watching a UK show and there's one US character or the reverse and you start thinking the one character is definitely fake, and they're not, it's just how odd they suddenly look against everyone else. Except of course, when they are fake, because TV, but you know what I mean!)

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

Well, at the very least, I wouldn't wear socks with sandals. That's pretty standard, I think (though I do see people wearing them here). I think the next time I visit the UK (which I really hope will be soon), I'll invest in some black and dark gray socks.

Mostly I'm concerned with being so obviously American that I become a target (of either scams or thieves). I'm not so worried about regular people picking up that I'm a foreigner. I did notice the difference between what women wear in the UK and in the US (or at least the US West Coast). In the UK, women never wear t-shirts and jeans - even the most casual women, in the park playing with their kids are wearing blouses and trousers. (Which is another thing that marks me as a foreigner - I wear jeans all the time.) And they never wear trainers - always nice shoes or sandals. I did notice that men don't wear t-shirts much either - the only t-shirts I saw when I was in the UK was on some teenagers in a group who seemed to be part of a school outing, and even I could tell they were foreigners, since they were not in uniform. (my guess was that they were Norwegian).

[thisbluespirit]

Where were you and what time of year was it? Because trainers, jeans and T-shirt aren't uncommon casual wear here at all! Darker jeans are more common than the lighter, but still around. It would be less common in city centres or winter, obviously - trainers are way too chilly in winter.

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

It was September, 2014, and we visited Bath, York, Edinburgh, and London. The weather was very nice the whole time - I don't think there was a speck of rain, though it was a little chilly in Scotland. We were very surprised that there was so little casual clothing.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

I dunno...I wear black socks, which is probably just as much of a beacon, lol!

*HUGS*

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

I wear white socks all the time with my jeans and shoes. Somehow, I know enough that when I have wear black pants (which I have to do for band concerts), I should wear black socks. Or I wear boots so that no one can see my socks. :D

Last concert, we had to wear black pants, socks, and shoes, and the guy next to me was wearing olive pants, light gray socks, and brown shoes. My section leader leaned over and asked me, "What part of black pants, black socks, and black shoes doesn't he get?"

[arcanetrivia]

Whee, yet another thing to worry that people would be judging me for! (On top of, you know, the feeling that everyone else in the world hates Americans.) At this rate I'm never going to even go to the UK, never mind any place where English isn't the main language.

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

Actually, it can be quite fun. When my friend and I went to England in 2014 (first time for both of us), we went to see "A Comedy of Errors" at the Globe Theatre (it was absolutely fantastic!) and chose to walk back to the hotel afterwards. As we were approaching a pub, two men, rather drunk, stumbled out and walked up the pavement just in front of us, so that we were just behind them. My friend and I continued to talk, raving about the play, when one of them turned around and exclaimed, "YOU'RE AMERICAN!!!" We said yes, and he pointed to himself and very proudly announced, "I'M FROM ENGLAND!!" to which my friend replied, "REEEEEALLY?????" His friend and I were just cracking up. The original drunk then tried to get us to go to the next pub with them, but we politely declined and went on our way.

[topum.livejournal.com]

Bright orange with acid green stripes will puzzle everyone and make it difficult to place you. They will even distract people from your accent )).

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

Oh, absolutely! That's exactly what I need to do! :D

[bas_math_girl]

Perhaps we ought to go on a shopping trip and compare our hatred of fashion together? It sounds as though it'd be a right laugh!
Incidentally, the last pair of socks I bought were black Dalek ones...

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

My mother hated taking me clothes shopping! She and my sister would be happily rifling through the rack looking at every single item in the store, and I'd be sitting on the floor picking up the pins and playing with them (and once, sticking it into a power outlet - learned never to do that again). Now, I either go and buy whatever is displayed on the mannequin, or go with my friends and let them dress me. ;)