- Heddels
- Posts
- H+ Test Feed
H+ Test Feed
Posts from Heddels for 09/28/2023
Heddels
Heddels is the leading destination for those seeking to understand and find well-made, enduring denim, footwear, and other clothing that improves with wear.
By Brad Lanphear on Sep 28, 2023 12:01 am
Socks are one of those garments that most of us take for granted. In the modern day, they are seen as disposable by the masses – simply a formality worn to protect the foot. Heddels readers will know that we take socks seriously, but even we haven’t dived into the history of these daily essentials.
The history of socks is decidedly less humble than our perception of the daily foot covering, spanning back farther than Dark Age England. Following our coverage on socks with articles like The Three Tiers of Socks: Entry, Mid, and End Level and Wear &Repair – How to Hand Darn Socks, we’re looking back at the history and development of socks from their earliest days.
Foot Wraps, Open Toes, and Matted Animal Hair
Reproductions of medieval long socks. Image via Marchand Medieval.
As is the case with many Old English derivatives, the word sock sounds very similar to the Old English “socc,” which meant a light slipper. You could find clothing items in Anglo-Saxon Britain that resembled modern socks, specifically heavy-weight winter boot socks. These foot coverings were used for warmth only by the wealthiest individuals because they were very valuable. As it turns out, producing socks before the invention of mechanized knitting in the 16th century was extremely labor intensive. The shape of the human foot requires some complicated hand stitching. “Soccs” were predominantly made out of wool, and were probably very itchy, so by the early medieval luxury footwear would probably suck by modern standards.
Just as with the etymology of the word sock, the history of the garment goes back much farther than Dark Age England. Anglo-Saxons got the word “socc” from the Latin “soccus,” which was a light, low-heeled shoe often worn by entertainers. The Romans got the word from the Greeks, who had a kind of light sandal called a “sykkhos.” From there, Sock’s lineage can be traced back even further to Phrygian and other ancient Asiatic languages for foot coverings. However, these words were used to describe sandals and other shoe-like items before Old English.
Ad WallJoin Heddels+ to keep reading This article is part of our paid membership program, Heddels+ that includes: Up to 20% discounts at select brands and retailers 2+ exclusive articles per week Keeping our mission at Heddels alive$1 a week trial, $10/month after.Try a week for just $1 mashsb_timestamp: memberful_acl: a:2:{s:7:"product";a:0:{}s:12:"subscription";a:0:{}}memberful_available_to_any_registered_user: memberful_available_to_anybody_subscribed_to_a_plan: memberful_marketing_content: This marketing content will be shown in place of your protected content to anyone who is not allowed to read the post...mashsb_position: disable
