What do Yoda, tacos, and Rudolph have in common? Well, nothing really. They just all happen to be items I have on my socks. YES, I have a pair of socks with Yoda’s face and ears; YES, I have a pair with little tacos on them; and YES, I have a Christmas pair with a red nose that encompasses my toes.
No one has ever questioned it, but I imagine that many people, including myself, just wonder “Why?” Looking back on it, there has never really been a reason why. I used to wear plain white socks everyday like everyone else, then one day I received a pair of socks with ham on them. I thought it was comical, but little did I know this would become my favorite piece of clothing.
This was my freshman year of high school. It started with one pair of ham socks and gradually began growing through Christmas, Easter, and Birthday gifts, to the point where I had a few “fun” pairs of socks. So my sophomore year I decided that every Wednesday would be dubbed “Wacky Sock Wednesday” and from that point on socks have been a staple of my wardrobe.
It quickly became common knowledge that my socks would never be dull. While most of my classmates were walking around with Nike Elite socks, I was keeping it simple with Pokéballs on my socks. It became a way to express myself without having to say anything. I can wear a pair of neon pink socks with palm trees and easily convey laid back and creative personality.
I like wearing these creative socks because it tells people about your personality if they care enough to see. YES, I could wear a Flash t-shirt and let people know that I am a superhero fan boy…or…I could wear the Flash socks and when people notice the socks we can start a meaningful conversation about my love for superheroes. Socks give a subtle nod about personality that other clothing just frankly can’t.
But socks become more than just a way of expression. They become a part of you and major events. Like the black Flash socks I wore to my first concert with my a cappella group. That was such a big moment for me and I remember that event every time I wear those socks. I put them on and think to myself, “Hey, remember that time you wore these and you killed it singing? That was pretty cool.”
Each pair of socks has a story and a meaning, like the aforementioned ham socks I wore to the track meet that I got my PR (Personal Record) in the Triple Jump. I wore them to remind myself to “go ham” and that is exactly what I did. Or the pair of Zelda socks with the Triforce of Courage I wore to my prom. They reminded me to have fun, just like a game.
Coincidently, they also serve as my go to interview socks to remind me of my own courage. Socks are more than just something to put on your feet to keep warm. They serve as an extension of you, holding your personality and memories inside them.
