When the Chop came home and opened up our wardrobe after months abroad wearing mostly work clothes we came to a shocking realization… it’s pretty bland. That’s not to say it’s boring- there’s some pretty nice stuff in our closet, but one thing that’s not in there is a whole lot of color.

Our favorite season by far is the Fall, followed closely by mild Winters. It’s not that we don’t like Spring, we just don’t like dressing for it. In a shop full of racks we’re always more drawn to herringbone blazers and knit ties than we are to linen jackets and ribbon belts.

So we’ve decided to put a little color into our wardrobe, and we’ve decided to start with our socks.

Colorful socks are a great way of brightening up a darker look.

Think of it as a conservative way to be a little more liberal. As bright as they can be, colorful socks are still nowhere near as flashy as say, bright red jeans or a purple and yellow Spring scarf. This time of year especially, they can be totally casual or fit into a much smarter outfit. They also look great with one pant leg rolled up when you’re riding a bicycle. The pictures here are a good indication of how bright colors are attenuated by darker and plainer pant and shoe choices. They’re also a good indication of how we’ll be wearing them this season (although you won’t catch us in Chucks).

They're also a good solution for white sneakers.

If you’re looking to grab a few pairs of bright socks yourself, the great thing about them is that they’re socks- possibly the easiest item of clothing you can buy on the internet, because they’re cheap to ship and don’t require all the sizing and fitting that pants and shirts do. You can go to any of the boutique style sites like Gilt and Bluefly, or even specialty sites that sell nothing but socks. Or you can just go downtown and hit up American Apparel and Urban Outfitters, both of which carry a large selection of bright, patterned socks for about six or eight bucks apiece.