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Are new socks an indication of a mid life crisis?

(70 Posts)
phoenix Wed 19-Apr-17 17:35:42

Evening all, hope you are well, and if not, sending every good wish.

Now then, some time ago Mr P bought a pack of 5 pairs of socks, in various shades of brown, from Sainsburys. He then bought another pack of 5 pairs, again in various shades of brown, from somewhere else confused

You can probably guess where this is going....... we have ended up with a veritable pile of socks, in various shades of brown (even including the dreaded beige) which will NOT make a pair! Some almost do, but as they have possibly been washed separately from their intended mates, it's a bit hit and miss.

I thought I had a bit of a bright idea, which is unusual for me , especially on a Sunday, which is when it happened.

What if he bought some socks that were all the same colour, except for the heels & toes?? Surely they would look ok for work, but be much easier to match up!

We duly set forth to our local Factory Shop, where I showed him a pack of black ones, but with lime green, bright blue, fuschia and orange "hidden" bits. He was delighted, and immediately put them in the basket.

But then came the moment, he said "what about these?" I will admit that they were reasonably priced, cotton rich, and in his size.

However, they were the most luridly striped socks that I have seen in a long time! shock

Now, Mr P is normally most sober in his dress, he had a bit of a fit of the vapours over a red polo shirt once, so at first I thought he was joking, but no, into the basket they went!

Oh well, I suppose I shouldn't complain, it will make washing sorting easier, but he still has no sense of what goes with what, and will no doubt be wearing the blue/purple/red stripe ones with clay coloured chinos (shudder) when it is obvious that the lime/orange/yellow would be better! grin

Ramblingrose22 Thu 20-Apr-17 10:24:11

Don't like seeing blokes in odd socks.

I bought "mesh" bags in various sizes that go in the washing machine. The smallest size fits one pair of socks.

That was because years ago I got fed up trying to find where DH and DS's socks had gone when unloading the washing and refused to wash socks that are not presented as a matching pair.

The matching pairs are enclosed in the zip-up mesh bags - problem solved!

Highly recommend.

Foxyferret Thu 20-Apr-17 10:25:17

I was so fed up of odd socks, when I do the washing I count them into the machine before turning it on. This method seems to work for me.

Theoddbird Thu 20-Apr-17 10:31:16

I wear brightly coloured striped socks to work... I wear a uniform...beige calf length skirt and navy polo. My favourites are my striped ones with smiley faces on....hahaha

Oh you can buy odd socks...they come in a set of three...I get them on ebay.

Anyway in answer to your question. No, it is not a midlife crisis. The rebel has come out in him...brilliant. smile

hazel311259 Thu 20-Apr-17 10:33:51

I've always thought midlife crisis for men was either buying a powerful bike sports car or denim jacket!

caocao Thu 20-Apr-17 10:34:11

A couple of years ago I bought 2 packets of bright green clips from Home Bargains -like these ones-

/www.amazon.co.uk/d/Laundry-Storage-Organisation/Tidi-Pack-Sock-Saver-Clips/B004P

Never seen them again but they are the best £2 I've ever spent.

Mr C was easily trained to put them on before placing in washing and as long as they are put on properly they stay on and all socks are still in pairs after washing and airing. No longer do I have half a shelf of odd socks in my airing cupboard kept in the vain hope that their partners would miraculously reappear one day!

goldengirl Thu 20-Apr-17 10:55:14

One of my GS is always losing his socks so I bought him a 'bottle' of odd socks for Christmas and he was over the moon!!! No more nagging - unless it's the school socks that have gone AWOL.

Lupatria Thu 20-Apr-17 11:16:19

i have a "thing" about wearing odd socks - not me wearing the socks but my daughter and two grandaughters who live with me. i can't bear seeing odd socks being worn! whether it's fashionable or just plain laziness i still can't bear it.
and, talking of where do odd socks go, has anyone read terry pratchett's "hogfather"? in there you will find the sock monster who eats odd socks ......... i firmly believe that every house has one of these and that's where the odd socks go.

IngeJones Thu 20-Apr-17 11:24:48

My husband has a similar sock drawer, lots of socks all in black but very slightly different. He is also really fussy about them being paired correctly. My solution is that I give him his clean socks in a heap and HE sits there pairing them for hours, not me smile

lovebeigecardigans1955 Thu 20-Apr-17 11:29:51

I've used those little clips for pairing socks and I find that they work. I put them in a medium launder-net bag. However, may I offer some advice on the aforementioned bags? Get the zipped ones. I stupidly replaced the older tatty zippies with the drawstring variety instead as they were a bit cheaper - what a mistake!
They sometimes undo themselves in the washing machine and the socks escape. Also bras and pants - most annoying. Until I get round to replacing them I have to put the damn things inside a pillowcase for extra security. Blasted hell and damnation.
But to answer your original question - it's a very mild midlife crisis - it's the leather jacket and the Harley Davidson you really need to worry about.

stillhere Thu 20-Apr-17 11:32:54

I THINK I have solved the problem. I learnt how to knit socks. I then discovered that from a 100g ball of sock yarn, if I used different yarns of odds and ends from my stash of wool for the heels and toes, I could get three socks out of one ball, so the theory is, there will always be one pair available when the other one goes awol. It's only been a couple of years so far, and life does seem a little less fraught. Also, the family get to choose their own colours and you would be surprised at what they choose. The men love really, really bright ones. I think they have been colour-starved and brain-washed into thinking they have to choose colours that my grandmother would have called 'serviceable'. The ones I am currently knitting for my son are in shades of red, pink and orange! I wouldn't be seen dead in them!

rubysong Thu 20-Apr-17 11:44:20

Socks don't seem to last long these days. When I throw away one of a pair I always keep the other, then on days when I'm only pottering about the garden I wear 'fashionably mismatched'.

Maidmarion Thu 20-Apr-17 12:02:09

I used to be a Matron in a boys' college, and had to wash socks for 63 boys and then PAIR them all up... I leave it to your imagination what I feel about socks!!!!
I actually do LOVE stripey ones on men though smile

Diggingdoris Thu 20-Apr-17 12:06:34

When my four children were young I always kept an odd sock box that used to get looked in once a month to see if we could find pairs. Amazing that some just were never found. I used the lonely ones on my hands for shoe cleaning and for polishing brass, silver etc. Saves staining hands.

Juney64 Thu 20-Apr-17 13:12:43

Phoenix that sounds like a whole lot of socks to sort!

This wee cat has the right idea. ?

Madmartha Thu 20-Apr-17 13:25:17

Me too Wot. I put coloured threads on the waistband of my opaques otherwise DGD wears them for school and they go all bobbly.

marionk Thu 20-Apr-17 15:17:03

My DH is not too bad with sock choices, but he has just come home with some new underwear that he 'needed'. Great I thought until I saw them - BRIGHT deckchair stripes anyone?? shock

Lilylilo Thu 20-Apr-17 15:38:11

There comes a time when men start wearing red trousers .....have you noticed?around 65 ish. It tends to go with fairly silly hats, striped socks and, sometimes coloured shoes. They've worn boring work clothes for soooo long and in the words of 'Queen' they want to break free!

Bellanonna Thu 20-Apr-17 15:52:35

Juney that's so sweet!
My DH wears red trousers. Actually they're a fairly safe burgundy. They look fine. He's in his early 80s. Sartorially pretty unaware but has the stature to carry off most things,

Marmight Thu 20-Apr-17 16:26:40

I sat next to a rather 'county' gentleman in M&S cafe recently. He was dressed from head to toe in red. Sweater, cord trews, socks, suede shoes and coat& cap. Amazing but he seemed to carry it off shock

carolmary Thu 20-Apr-17 16:39:45

My husband bought himself some socks in M&S. They hjave the days of the week on them. Why did he do that. He never wears them onm the correct day. Daft or what?

allule Thu 20-Apr-17 16:50:52

What annoys me is that all mens socks are either for shoe size 9 to 11 ( a bit too tight after washing) or size 12 to 14 (too big). If competition really worked, surely one firm would see the market for size 10 to 12?

magwis Thu 20-Apr-17 16:53:39

Had a clear out of DH's sock drawer last year - got rid of 84 pairs!!!!

Yorkshiregel Thu 20-Apr-17 17:31:07

Why don't they make men's socks that do not shrink? OH's last only so long before they do not fit anymore.

Daisyboots Thu 20-Apr-17 17:44:24

DH's socks used to be just black or navy. But after being on his own for a while he niw has the black ones with the coloured toes and heels plis the grey ones with bright stripes. He also has some with the days of the week on but if they come from M&S someone must have bought them for him as a gift because he wouldnt go inside that shop.
Yes he has the leather jacket(s) and the Harley Davidson. The bike is now 14 years old and has barely 2000 miles on the clock.

rentawitch Thu 20-Apr-17 17:45:37

I bought my partner two packs of identical black socks every christmas.... no problem.