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Never underestimate the power of a good sock. While they may be an afterthought among your high-style accessories or performance gear, socks pose an opportunity to largely impact foot support, the fit of a shoe, or an outfit’s overall style appeal. With so many options and styles to choose from, Footwear News Shop editors have highlighted our top 12 standout pairs that deliver on all-day comfort.
The best socks for women function as a basic, but are anything but, as they range in supportive and stylish iterations, from moisture-wicking fabrications to trendy knee-high socks and everything in between. Whether it’s an adidas sock that’s optimized for athletic performance, or a Nike gym sock that’s reimagined as an bold accessory at Fashion Week, socks take on myriad functions, though they should always be durable, comfortable, and bring value to your footwear rotation.
An artfully styled sock is surprisingly on trend for the hotter months of 2024, as it can bring unexpected intrigue to even the most bold shoe or pared-down choice — and serve as a statement for both casual and formal occasions. Take the age-old debate over socks and sandals for example — a playful formula to elevate a daily shoe while upping the comfort factor. Or, look to dress shoes, like Mary Jane shoes, kitten heels, loafers, or ballet flats, which may otherwise cause painful pinching and blisters over the course of long days on your feet, if not for a soft layer of stretchy cotton that allows space to play with color and texture all the same.
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Or, consider preppy knee-high socks that Tamara Conlin, SVP of Merchandising and Design for Bombas, deems a secret weapon for playing with outfit proportions, like crop tops or micro-mini skirts. “It has come with an evolution in how socks play into our outfits,” she previously told Footwear News. “Ribbed socks are classic and look great styled under boots; lightweight, breathable mesh materials work year-round and can be dressed up with skirts or shorts, or dressed down under jeans.”
Below, shop our sock recommendations that revamp your wardrobe basics, including stylish designs, supportive features, innovative comfort solutions, and more, plus additional inspo for show-stopping sock outfit ideas.
Editor’s Choice: Top 3 Socks for Women of 2024
Socks are the unsung hero of your footwear rotation, so it’s important to shop styles for different needs. They range from high-performance athletic styles to delicate styles that purely deliver on aesthetic, but the best socks for women should provide equal parts style and comfort. Since there’s many sock options to choose from for the range of needs and preferences, Footwear News Shop editor selected our top three must-have pairs to add to your sock drawer. We assessed the below selections based on essential criteria, including stylish trend appeal, true versatility, and reliable durability:
- Hanes Crew Socks: The gold standard — these classic crew socks stand the test of time as a no-frills basic you can trust for comfort and day to day durability. White ribbed cuffs serve as a blank canvas for colorful or monochromic shoe pairings alike, with the ability to tick two trend boxes in one — scrunched and slouchy socks or crisp athletic crew cuts. Plus, this value pack brings a well-worthy bang for your buck.
- Bombas All-Purpose Performance Ankle Socks: If support is top-priority, Bombas’ will never steer you wrong. These highly-cushioned and oh-so-soft ankle socks feature snug arch support and airy technology that wicks moisture as you walk, which is perfect for sweaty feet in the summer heat.
- Alo Unisex Half-Crew Throwback Socks: An athletic sock and celebrity-approved style statement all the same, the Alo Unisex Half-Crew Throwback Sock sock leans into retro footwear trends while being stretchy, breathable, and supportive for everyday wear, no matter the shoe you pair them with. It’s earned high marks from testers who deem the cotton fabrication ultra-comfy and soft, while its wide colorway selection poses a shining opportunity for playful outfit pairings.
What testers say: “I absolutely love these socks. I am sensitive to the feel of clothing, including socks, and it’s taken some time to find socks that I like. These socks are soft, warm, and comfortable. The cuff is close-fitting but not too tight. The socks stay in place on my feet, and they are definitely not too thin. If anything, they are a bit thick, but this is nice for colder weather and also if you have shoes that are a little big. Five stars.”
Trend Appeal: 5/5 rating | Versatility: 5/5 rating | Durability: 4.9/5 rating | Comfort: 4.8/5 rating
Price upon publish date of this article: $9.80
What testers say: “These socks are better than anything I’ve ever had before. I love these socks! The quality of the material and construction is excellent. The socks feel supportive, cushiony, and provide an anti-fatigue feel. The bumblebee logo is adorable, and the motivational message hiding in the no-show style is just fun. I never understood the hype but I get it now! I will be buying only Bombas from here on out.”
Trend Appeal: 4.5/5 rating | Versatility: 5/5 rating | Durability: 5/5 rating | Comfort: 5/5 rating
Price upon publish date of this article: $16.50
What testers say: “So comfy! These are the best socks ever for activity and daily wear. The quality is impressive. Highly recommend.”
Trend Appeal: 5/5 rating | Versatility: 4.8/5 rating | Durability: 4.9/5 rating | Comfort: 4.9/5 rating
Price upon publish date of this article: $24
What testers say: “These are perfect to pair with my loafers for work and they make any outfit even better! I love the length of them, they fall right over the ankle, and they wash and wear very well. Just what I was looking for!”
Price upon publish date of this article: $14.69
What testers say: “Awesome socks! These socks are comfortable, durable, and have a great aesthetic!”
Price upon publish date of this article: $16
Price upon publish date of this article: $38
What testers say: “I love these socks — I have three pairs and want more. These are great socks with leggings. The stretch is awesome and very comfortable for big calves.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $16.00
What testers say: “These socks really are terrific, I wanted a compression sock that was easy to get on and off. This is what I was looking for! Great buy!”
Price upon publish date of this article: $28.00
Price upon publish date of this article: $22
What testers say: “These socks are so comfortable and cute. I wear them almost every day and they go with almost any outfit. Good quality material and fit well.”
Price upon publish date of this article: $9.99
What testers say: “These fit really well and were very soft. Definitely will buy more colors”
Price upon publish date of this article: $4.99
Price upon publish date of this article: $6
Women’s Sock Trends 2024
Just like any other accessory in your wardrobe, staple socks go through trends, too. In fact, artful sock styling has never been more on-trend — from sheer socks styled with slinky-strapped pumps to crisp crew socks that contrast smooth leather loafers. Once an afterthought, sock styling is now an easy, high-style way to add instant intrigue into any ensemble for work and play. There are really no rules to the sock game (yes, we even stand by socks with sandals), but if you’re looking for elevated inspo, look to the stars and the runways that are celebrating the humble sock in more ways than one.
Crew socks:
These days, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a model-off-duty look that doesn’t incorporate a pair of white crew socks with walking shoes. The post-pilates ensembles of Kaia Gerber, Kendall Jenner, and Lori Harvey routinely feature a clean crew ankle cut (which are, more times than not, Alo Yoga’s Throwback Sock), but varsity stripes and ankle padding go beyond athleisure, too. Emily Ratajkowski, for example, paired a chic leather jacket and midi skirt with ribbed socks and black Puma shoes for a stroll around NYC, while Jennifer Lawrence was recently spotted in green J.Crew socks with moccasin loafers and formal trousers. As for the runways, Prada matched shiny oxford shoes with matching black crew socks as a neutral base for metallics up top, and LaQuan Smith strapped in a similar cut with strappy heeled sandals.
Colored socks:
The simplest way to make an outfit look more thought-out? Add a pop of color that ties into the palette of your ensemble, or that brings a new energy to the overall feel. Take cues from the Jacquemus spring runway, which showed models in monochromatic red suiting — a top color trend of 2024 — with matching red socks that unexpectedly slipped into thong sandals. However, colored knee-high sheer socks are among the most dominant trend for spring, as an apt follow-up to last summer’s colored tights trend: Zimmerman showed glossy mules with colorful knee-high sheer socks in nude, gray, and lilac hues; the legs at Victoria Beckham shined in silver, rich burgundy, and green dual-tones; and Givenchy presented the rainbow of opaque colorways with every length of hem.
Sheer socks:
Much like tights or pantyhose, sheer socks serve as an added layer between your foot and your shoe, but offer a lighter and more versatile option for the spring and summer months. They can appear in any cut, from crew to knee-high, as well as the range of colorways and patterns. Gauzy gowns at Proenza Schouler were paired with sleek and chic sheer black crew socks that seamlessly melted into shiny black loafers, while Ami styled similar slouchy iterations with clean-cut tailoring and metallic loafers.
Slouchy socks:
The slouchy sock trend has been raging over several recent fashion cycles, but it’s getting a new lease on life with leggy hems and streamlined footwear for spring 2024. While Princess Diana’s street style lends major inspiration for thick, scrunched knits atop white sneakers, the runways have displayed thinner iterations that recontextualize dress socks with a more relaxed feel. Case in point: Ferragamo teamed wrinkled-up black crew socks with chunky sneakers to ground stiffer pieces and hot pants up top. Similarly, Gigi Hadid is often seen contrasting formal loafers and suiting with crumpled white crew socks, while Dakota Johnson recently squished a similar sock style into sporty sneakers to dress-down a feminine, summer frock. Hailey Bieber, who seemingly takes the wealth of inspiration from Princess Diana’s stylings, is also routinely seen scrunching white socks into traditional dress shoes, from Mary Jane shoes, ballet flats, and driving loafers.
Knee-high socks:
Forget everything you knew about prep school socks — and replace it with coquette-core style trends of recent. Rather than committing to heavy legwear, knee-high socks (especially in sheer fabrics) relieve some weight while also flattering the leg with elongating shape. Another sock moment on the Jacquemus spring 2024 runway included models that walked in calf-scaling lace socks that complimented ladylike Mary Jane stilettos, though solid-toned knee-high socks have also been trending in fashion insider street style — from Addison Rae‘s sweet and slouchy pairing with point-toe heels to Diane Kruger’s pump stockings on the award season red carpet.
How to Style Women’s Socks — Women’s Socks Outfit Ideas
Coastal Cool Girl
Darkcom Ruffled Ankle Socks
Shown with: J.Crew Garçon Classic Shirt ($98), Gap Modern Tank Top ($9), Levi’s High Rise Baggy Shorts (69.50), Gucci Jordaan Loafers ($990)
Cherry Bomb Babe
J.Crew Ribbed Dress Socks
Shown with: Lisa Says Gah Erin Tank ($88), J.Crew Amelia Maxi Skirt ($128), Steve Madden Kari Mesh Red Pumps (99.95)
Sporty-Chic City Slicker
Alo Unisex Half-Crew Throwback Sock
Shown with: Asics Gel-Kayano 14 Shoes ($150), Aerie Offline Tiebreaker Pleated Dress ($52.46)
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For more than 75 years, Footwear News has been the shoe authority. Our coverage spans top industry news, retail trends, head-to-toe fashion, athletic and outdoor analysis and more. Footwear News’ global network of editors has carefully curated all product selections featured using our expansive brand knowledge and thorough research to find quality, long-lasting items. Learn more about us here.
Meet the Expert
Tamara Conlin is SVP of merchandising and design for Bombas, a sock-wear and clothing brand whose mission is to design comfortable socks, underwear, and T-shirts for every type of consumer. Also baked into the brand’s mission is addressing the needs of our immediate community. For every piece of clothing you purchase, the brand donates a similar one to those experiencing homelessness.
Meet the Author
Olivia Cigliano is a Commerce Writer & Producer at Footwear News and WWD where she writes and edits shopping content on the best-rated footwear, TikTok style trends, and more. Olivia received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Emerson College, and her byline can be found in publications including Elite Daily and CR Fashion Book. She regularly reports on shoppable footwear trends that appear across runways, red carpets, celebrity street style, and TikTok FYPs.
