Gen Z wages war on socks, declaring wearing a ‘millennial sock’ an act of ‘bravery’

[cat]

Gen Z wages war on socks, declaring wearing a ‘millennial sock’ an act of ‘bravery’​

By Social Links forBrooke Kato
Published June 27, 2024, 12:05 p.m. ET

First, Gen Z came for your skinny jeans, and now the trendsetters are putting the kibosh on ankle socks.

Zoomers and Millennials have been locked in a bitter battle online regarding socks, with the younger generation claiming you can tell a person’s age by merely looking at their footwear choices.

According to Gen Z trendsetters, crew socks, or hose hitting in the mid-calf range, are the preferred height. The youngsters believe you can always spot a millennial when their socks barely peek out from the top of their shoes — or worse, don’t show at all.

To brazenly wear ankle socks is an act of “bravery” — or at least that’s what Vogue declared about Jennifer Lawerence when she stepped out in a pair this month.

5
Millennials bristle at the revival of the style, spearheaded by Gen Zers like pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter.Andy Kropa/Invision/AP

Crew socks have had a resurgence lately, proliferating in street style and on the red carpet among Gen Z celebs, like Sabrina Carpenter who paired white tube socks with strappy black pumps.

While some elders have bowed to the style shaming of the youngsters — reluctantly retiring their ankle socks in favor of crews to keep up with Gen Z — others refuse to relinquish their no-show socks.

5
GC Images
5
Justin Bieber, however, still rocks ankle socks.GC Images
On social media, some millennials — and even some Zoomers — are pledging their allegiance to ankle socks, saying they’ll wear them “forever.” In other words, you’ll have to pry ankle socks from their cold, dead toes.

Despite the dreaded pitfalls of ankle socks — like fishing it out of your shoe when it inevitably slips off your heel — even some Zoomers prefer the divisive garment to hit just below the ankle bone.

“I’m Gen Z and I’m going to say it: some shoes look better with ankle socks,” content creator Caroline Colvin said in a recent TikTok. “I’m sorry but it’s true.”

Millennials, on the other hand, blame their upbringing. The low-profile socks have become “so ingrained” in them, comparing Gen Z garments to the regrettable tube socks worn by their Boomer parents in their heyday.

5
Fashionistas often style crew socks with heels, loafers and sneakers, much to the chagrin of Millennials.Getty Images
5
New York Magazine’s The Strategist declared that the “half-crew” — a crew sock that hits just above the ankle bone, rather than mid-shin — is the most palatable sock length across the generational divide.

“I just need Gen Z to understand that, in the early 2000s, showing lower shin was actually incredibly chic and elegant and the height of fashion,” creator, comedian and podcaster Matt Bellasai said in a recent video.

“Anybody who wore crew socks was a dirty nerd who deserved pity and ridicule and shame.”