The Humble Gym Sock Is Having Its Fashion Moment

At this juncture, the mark of a true it-girl is not if she carries a must-have bag or attends the best parties, it's her ability to turn the most mundane, "ugly" clothes into something majorly desirable. We saw it earlier this fall with the long cargo skirts and unassuming soccer shoes—and now, the gym sock has entered the chat. The accessory (if you can even call it that), which was once hidden away under jeans or paired with yoga shorts, is the centerpiece of many an outfit today.

Wearing socks—especially gym socks—with heels has long been considered a fashion faux-pas, but celebrities and influencers are embracing the style with open arms. The sock and heel combination was subtly introduced on the runway earlier this year at Miu Miu’s SS 2022 collection when models walked the runway in mid-calf tube socks paired with heels and khaki skirts.

Adding to the preppy take on this shoe-and-sock combination, actress Yara Shahidi recently wore a full Thome Brown look which included knee-high tube socks and a pair of closed-toe heels, while influencer Ruby Lyn paired her tube socks with Gucci ‘Baby’ pumps and a pleated mini skirt.

Meanwhile, celebrities such as Bella Hadid and Devon Lee Carlson are opting for a sportier approach with knee-high tube socks that look fit for the soccer field, while fellow it-girl Amelia Gray paired hers with a full skirt and kitten heels. Model Paloma Elsesser went for a twist on the look with a fun green striped pair, which she contrasted with metallic blue sandals.

Bella—the poster child for the ugly-but-make-it-fashion trend—has been no stranger to the tube sock look, and is often spotted wearing them with Adidas trainers, or with heels and a mini skirt on a night out. Perhaps her most ambitious take on the look was at the launch party of Gigi's new brand Guest in Residence, which included black capri leggings, a black cropped cardi, two belts, and white bunched socks.

This trend isn’t just for the daytime, though. For a night out, designer and model Lindsay Vrckovnik dressed up her tube socks with pink satin heels and a pair of blue athletic shorts. The ballet core meets track star aesthetic may not be for everybody, but incorporating the socks into your going-out look will certainly turn heads—and keep you warm in transitional weather.

Gym-style socks were also a popular accessory durning fashion week. Street style looks featured everything from neon green Nike tube socks styled with a chic two-piece pool blue set, to varsity jackets paired with grey tube socks and open-toe heels.

With fall upon us, everywhere seems to be filled with back-to-school ads and football fanatics, so perhaps there is no better time for this sporty-yet-preppy trend to have its moment.

Even if you aren’t ready to try out gym socks with heels just yet, you’ll want to have a pair on hand just in case, before the fashion girls clean out Nike stores everywhere.