Sock Garters

[thunderw21]

I wear them. Actually, I'm wearing a pair right now.
Annoying, yes, but they keep my socks from slipping down and being just as if not more annoying.

 

[kpreed]

I wear them pretty regular, not really bad.

 

[dhermann1]

Pics!

 

[thunderw21]

Sorry, I don't have a camera right meow.

Mine are from the 1960s or earlier as there was no ZIP code on the original package.

 

[MrBern]

I was just admiring Dagwood's jazzy socks, and the subject of garters came to my mind. When I was a wee bairn my dad wore them to hold up his socks, as did most men. Now we have elastic and Spandex and we don't need them. But in old movies you occasionally see men wearing them, and they were de rigeur in their day. Any of you guys so devoutly vintage that you use these annoying things?

Theres a place on StMarks Place that sells them. I purchased a set for a giggle but havent tried them out yet.
-b

 

[Jovan]

No strange shaped impressions on my calves, thank you. Most of my socks hold up pretty well during the day anyway.

 

[kpreed]

Pics!

Not a great shot, buy here is a sock garter:

 

[Orgetorix]

I just buy over-the-calf socks whenever possible.

 

[Jovan]

Those definitely hold up well. It's hard to find the patterns I want in them though.

 

[CharlestonBows]

I just buy over-the-calf socks whenever possible.

Seconded. However, we do sell a surprising number of them in our shop, and we always have a couple pair on hand.

 

[kpreed]

I have three pair of socks that go over the knee, but they are really for winter as I find them a bit warm. I normally wear my sock garters with dress socks and as most socks now have springy tops, I find a garter with one clip does the job nicely of keeping all in place, you can get sock garters with two clips too.(but two are overkill for the job, I think)

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

My calves are the size of some people's thighs, and elastic socks squeeze a nice deep depression right around my leg. I may look into those sock garter thingies, if they make 'em big enough.

 

[Bugsy]

I've been wearing sock garters since I was about 15. I find them very comfortable and very efficient.

 

[Smithy]

Boy the word garter takes me back!

When I was at school, we had to wear garters (not the sock suspender kind but the good, old elastic loop under where the sock was turned over) to keep our school socks up to our knees. It was a detention worthy crime if you were caught without although if you made a habit of forgetting them it ended up with a caning.

 

[Anthony Jordan]

I wear them. Actually, I'm wearing a pair right now.
Annoying, yes, but they keep my socks from slipping down and being just as if not more annoying.

Likewise, although I left mine off for the summer and haven't got around to starting to wear them again. The best ones I have come across by far are made by Thurston the bracemakers for an internet outfitters called Bromleys - they come in wine, grey, black and navy with white edging.

 

[Edward]

Not something I'd be bothered with for everyday wear, though I do plan on acquiring some for formal dress, and maybe particular occasional wear with a lounge suit. You know, those evenings when you want a lounge suit to look especially sharp - usually when there's a young lady involved.

 

[Sir RBH]

I was just admiring Dagwood's jazzy socks, and the subject of garters came to my mind. When I was a wee bairn my dad wore them to hold up his socks, as did most men. Now we have elastic and Spandex and we don't need them. But in old movies you occasionally see men wearing them, and they were de rigeur in their day. Any of you guys so devoutly vintage that you use these annoying things?

Hello All
I wear Sock suspenders almost every day.. the only time when I'm not sporting them is if I am wearing plus fours etc.. or maybe on the beach (Not that we have much beach time in England!)
But.. I simply cannot wear socks without them being supported by my sock suspenders.. And to give you some idea.. here are a couple of images..
Regards
RBH

 

[BigLittleTim]

Gore Vidal, sock garters, etc.

Get my vintage sock garters at "Bobby From Boston", although they're getting a bit scarce. The new ones are usually boring old black, but the vintage garters come in an amazing array of colors and patterns.

I was put onto them by a racy sex-scene in Gore Vidal's political/historic novel: "Washington D.C.", set during the Thirties. In a raging thunderstorm the main character, a teenage boy, comes across his older sister and her beaux in the poolhouse of their Rock Creek mansion. He notes that the gentleman is still wearing his sock garters... she didn't just pull his socks/garters off, but rather patiently unhooked the socks and left the garters on his calves.

Thought to myself... I've gotta get me some of those.

 

[BigLittleTim]

When I was at school, we had to wear garters (not the sock suspender kind but the good, old elastic loop under where the sock was turned over)

Sounds similar to the traditional socks we wear for Rugby. The new ones have elastic to keep them up, but they don't really work well. Most guys still use the tie-off and fold-over socks.

The school reference also makes me think of the old expression: "Still in short pants" to describe a young man who'd still be wearing knee-socks and knickers to school. It was a big deal when your parents bought you your first pair of "long pants" for school.

 

[Smithy]

Sounds similar to the traditional socks we wear for Rugby. The new ones have elastic to keep them up, but they don't really work well. Most guys still use the tie-off and fold-over socks.

The school reference also makes me think of the old expression: "Still in short pants" to describe a young man who'd still be wearing knee-socks and knickers to school. It was a big deal when your parents bought you your first pair of "long pants" for school.

You're not far from the truth there Tim. I went to boys schools where it was compulsory to wear shorts and knee length socks as part of the school uniform all year round.

And rugby socks? Worn a few of those! Although, even if you had of worn garters there was no way they would stay up longer than 5 minutes in a rugby game!