Why White Socks are Better for Your Feet: Debunking the Myth of Black Socks

Can you wear white socks outside the home? Can You prefer white socks over black ones? Are white socks in fashion? People ask these common questions asked when it comes to white socks. White socks can be good and bad for you at the same time. They will look good on colorful sports shoes like sneakers. But can be a huge turn-off when worn with black sneakers.

There are so many do’s and don’ts about white socks. So many myths that make you worried. And many fashion rules to follow. Many of us are guilty enough of not paying attention to the color of our socks. Grabbing the first pair of socks from the wardrobe, we hope that it goes unnoticed.

Separating Myth from Fact: The Truth About the Benefits of White Socks for Your Feet:

Well, most of the time this does not happen. And this makes us skeptical about having a pair of white socks. So much so that you find it important to ask, why are white socks better for your feet?

White socks are pretty basic. They exhibit an essence of elegance, hygiene, and activity. When you ask white socks lovers, the reason for their love for white socks, the answer is always as expected. They just look good. However, that is not true. White socks don’t always look good.

Rather, there is a socks rule you should follow otherwise it will look out of style. However, the sock rule is not in today’s debate. We all are here to know which one among white or black socks is the better choice.

White socks protect feet:

Socks are meant for foot protection. It prevents rubbing against the shoe which can result in blisters formation. White socks do the same.

They are said to protect your feet from bacteria and foot infections. There are a few additional benefits to them as well. Due to these benefits, white socks are preferred in most medical conditions.

Moreover, their active vibes make them perfect wear for sports and gym activities. They can turn out well with various clothing styles, a few of them, not all. Still, you are allowed to have a pair of white socks. And wear them on different occasions. 

Best White Socks on Amazon

Under Armour Unisex-Adult Training Cotton Quarter Socks

Under Armour Unisex-Cotton Quarter Socks

  • 76% Cotton, 22% Nylon, 1% Polyester, 1% Spandex
  • Imported
  • Pull On closure
  • Machine Wash
  • Lightweight
  • Medium cushioning
  • Ribbed construction
  • Mesh panels
  • Embedded arch support

Many diabetic or severely injured patients are recommended to wear white socks. This is because they have to go through various foot problems. The feet should be protected and at the same time, the problem should be identified.

Diabetes or injuries damage foot nerves (neuropathy. You can get to know in detail about neuropathy by reading the diabetic socks article.

If anything wrong happens to the foot the patient will not feel the sensation in the feet. Especially, in the sole and the heel. It leads to further complications in case of cuts, bruises, or scrapes. White socks help in the identification of excessive sweating, bleeding of wounds, or puss formation.

This helps in the identification of the issue, protecting the feet from potential injuries or abnormalities. They protect the feet by keeping them dry and enhancing blood circulation.

Traditionally, white socks were preferred for this because it lacks the use of dyes. Dyes are generally chemicals that can have ill effects on injuries and wounds.  But the scenario is different today. Most dyes used in socks today are made skin-friendly.

You can see a variety of diabetic socks in navy blue or some other colors. However, most people still prefer traditional white socks. The socks used for this purpose must be moisture-wicking, seamless, antimicrobial, soft, and padded.

Wear White socks for sports:

You may or may not be a fan of white socks.  But you will be having at least a pair of white socks with your sportswear. White gives an active and energetic vibe. They are part of a wide collection of sports fashion.

White socks are so much connected to sports fashion that sometimes it seems there is no other use. A wide variety of sports shoes and dresses looks great with white socks. They are perfect for athletics, running, jogging, gym, football, tennis, etc.

Sports white socks come in different lengths from mid-calf and above ankle white socks to no-show socks. Whatever you choose with your tracksuit depends on your liking. 

Many sports teams have white socks as a part of their sports dress. For example, in Real Madrid, Chelsea players wear white socks with their uniforms. You can also notice basketball players, tennis players, and boxers wearing white socks with their shoes.

Nowadays, the trend is changing a bit, and people like varied color choices with sports dresses or shorts. but white socks are always a great choice. 

Best White Socks for Sport

GOLDTOE Men's 656P Cotton Ankle Athletic Socks, Multipairs

GOLDTOE White Athletic Socks

  • 81% Cotton, 14% Polyester, 4% Nylon, 1% Spandex
  • Imported
  • Pull On closure
  • Machine Wash
  • Made with USA cotton
  • AquaFX moisture control
  • Reinforced Toe
  • Full cushioned foot and smooth comfort toe seam
  • Premium super soft cotton with stretch

Put White socks with Athletic Clothes:

The fashion police are always in favor of white socks with athletic clothes. You possibly will know someone who loves to have a pair of white socks in their wardrobe. The best use of these socks is with athletic socks. You can wear white socks with your tracksuit pants or shorts.

And no one will come to inquire you. It is trendy these days to wear white socks with sneakers. The people you will encounter at the gym, you will find them wearing white socks. Athletic white socks come with shock-absorbing properties, additional padding, and arch support.

White socks are not only better but are perfect for such occasions, especially on white sneakers. A clean pair of white socks will highlight your sports personality in a bunch of friends at the gym or among strangers walking down the track.

White socks are better for sweaty feet:

Feet have sweat glands more than other body parts. They get triggered by a rise in temperature leading to more sweat. The inside of the shoe is usually warm. This also causes feet to sweat. A few years ago people believed that black socks trigger the sweat glands more.

This is because of the fact that black color absorbs radiation. Therefore it was conceived that white socks will be good for sweaty feet. Now you know why our grandmothers loved cotton white socks.

Later it was found that fabric also plays a role in foot sweating. And cotton fabric does not have moisture-wicking capability due to a lack of ventilation. The fabric was replaced with blended fabric with a mixture of wool, nylon, cotton, etc. fabric.

These socks had moisture-wicking capabilities in their yarn. This kept the sweaty feet in a comfortable, relaxed, and dry environment inside the shoe. You can get socks with moisture-wicking properties in many colors on Amazon. But white is still preferred over black and other colors when it comes to sweat.

Why White socks better for your feet
Source: Amazon

White socks stink less than black socks

Some people have sweaty feet. Like really sweaty feet. they do not know which one among their socks and feet is to be blamed. It is actually the feet. The dampness and wetness inside the shoe combined with the dirt provide a good environment for the smell to develop. White socks in comparison with black absorb less heat and can stay immune for a little longer. 

However, if you are someone who wears socks on for days then, of course, the color of socks won’t matter for you.  Any color of your socks will cause an embarrassing situation. And that is just because of the unhygienic habit.

If you want to avoid the smell in your socks then:

  • Always wash your feet regularly 
  • Wash your socks thoroughly
  • Avoid using socks for more than 24-48 hours
  • Wear anti-odor socks
  • Always keep alternate socks
  • Keep your feet dry before wearing a pair of socks. 
  • avoid putting on socks with wet feet and damp shoes
  • use antiperspirants on your feet
  • soak your feet in tea or vinegar for 30 minutes

Bacteria on Feet vs. White Socks?

Best Anti-Bacterial White Socks

Dickies Women's Dritech Advanced Moisture Wicking Crew Sock

Dickies Dritech Advanced Moisture Wicking Crew Sock

  • 96% Polyester, 2% Spandex, 2% Nylon
  • Imported
  • Pull On closure
  • Machine Wash
  • Moisture Wicking Fibers Keep Feet Dry
  • Ventilation Channels Engineered for Air Circulation and Moisture Control
  • Arch Compression Provides Added Support and Stability
  • Reciprocated Heel and Toe for Superior Fit and Comfort
  • Full Cushion Comfort

Bacteria grow in warm damp places. And inside the shoe is the perfect habitat for bacteria to increase their population. The sweat providing the nutrient in combination with the dark allows the bacteria to grow.

The growing bacteria and the wetness on the feet make the skin thin. The bacteria invade the skin, and feed on it, causing the infections to develop. Since black socks absorb more heat, they enhance the development of bacteria more than white ones.

Whereas, white socks absorb less heat, keeping the feet cool for a longer time. These days you get plenty of anti-bacterial fabric socks. Most of the white socks for athletes’ feet come with this fabric. They blend with a combination of different fibers rather than cotton.

Such socks are widely available on Amazon. But these socks don’t come as cheap as cotton socks do. 

White socks aren’t difficult to clean:

White socks get dirty easily. They do. Even they can get dirty after washing. Therefore, lazy people tend to wear black or colorful socks so the stain will not be visible on them. 

The color of your socks by the end of the day is based on your personality. A person with a careful and hygienic personality will always pay attention to the dirt piling up on the surface of the sock.  The dirt from your environment sticks to your feet and the inside of the shoe is a magnet to it.

Thus, it ruins your socks. However, if you adopt the habit of cleaning socks from time to time it will be okay for you. But laziness is going to get you nowhere. Having stains on your socks can ruin your image. So it is better to have them clean.

For cleaning white socks you can:

  • Use boiling water
  • Apply  Baking soda with Laundry detergent 
  • Use acetic acid in white vinegar 
  • The use of 3% Hydrogen peroxide  
  • Prewash before bleaching
  • use little lemon juice with Laundry detergent 
  • wash with a Dish Detergent Tab

The Do’s and Don’ts for white socks:

  • you can wear them with sports or athletic garments
  • With white athletic socks, wear sneakers
  • Wearing argyle 
  • While staying at home
  • With white socks with lighter-colored shoes
  • Wear white pants or white jeans wear white socks
  • Avoid wearing white socks with a formal dress
  • Don’t wear white socks with casual shorts
  • Avoid wearing white socks with jeans
  • Don’t Put white socks on blacks

Why actually white socks are good for your feet?

White socks help in the identification of wounds and injuries. It lacks synthetic dyes that can harm your feet. Moreover, it traps much less heat than casual black socks do.

When to wear white socks?

The color of your socks depends on the occasion, the color of your dress, and the bunch of people who will witness your activity. However, sports and athletic garments are one of the fine choices for white socks. Though, men find it fascinating to wear white socks on formal occasions. But white socks with a completely black suit or black shoes can make you appear strange. Therefore, it is recommended to determine the dress choice and do planning whether it looks good or not.

Is It Good to Wear White or Black Socks?

Black and white socks have their own place in the socks family. Where black socks hide stains the white ones look best with athletic garments and tracksuits.

However, both have negative points like black absorbs much more heat and whites get dirty. The basic rule for the socks is to wear them according to the dress choices. With few shoes, white is perfect while for professional outfits and a tuxedo consider black socks.

Conclusion:

There are certain white socks rules to follow. And not following them will make you get a fashion-faux pass. However, the white socks deserve similar love as other socks.

There are so many reasons to give. Hopefully, we explained a few of them in the article Why are white socks better for you? We will be very glad to know that this article helped you in your research. 

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