What are the best socks for men? That really all depends. Are you looking to keep your feet dry in swampy heat, or keep your feet warm in cold weather? Do you need extra arch support, or a reinforced heel and toe? Athletic socks or dress socks? Crew socks or ankle socks? Supima cotton or merino wool?

If that seems like a lot of thought to give the layer you wrap around your feet, trust us: getting this nitty-gritty about your hosiery won‘t just improve the feel of your footwear—it’ll help make them look exponentially cooler. Ever seen a pebble-grain Oxford paired with ankle or quarter crew socks? Just doesn’t feel right. 

So maybe you’ve got specific answers to those questions, or maybe you need all of the above. Either way, we’ve rounded up the eight essential types of men’s socks you’ll want to reacquaint yourself with once you start wearing shoes that aren’t cozy slippers. (Which, to be clear, should be now.) From weighty hiking socks to moisture-wicking performance socks, here are the 32 best socks for men for every situation, style, and budget.

The Best Socks Shopping Guide

The All-Purpose Half-Calfs

If you’re looking to overhaul your sock drawer from the ground up with the most useful, versatile pairs around, these are the ones to stock up on first. Got a landlord who refuses to crank the heat even in the dead of winter? These socks are thin enough to slide into sleeker shoes—your loafers or Oxfords— without causing you to break a sweat, but thick enough to keep your toes warm should your fancy footwear carry you to freezing locales.

Nike Dri-Fit cotton cushioned crew socks (6 pairs)

The Swoosh’s signature crew has ribbing to mimic a dress sock, but enough cushioning to keep you comfortable through four hours of open-bar-fueled bad dance moves with nary a blister in sight. 

Bombas performance running socks

A thousand podcasters can’t be wrong: Bombas socks really are as good as advertised. They’re comfortable, cushion-y, and come in every color, pattern, length, and weight known to man.

Gold Toe cotton crew socks (12 pairs)

Treat your feet to a pair of Gold Toe’s heavy-duty socks—knit with fibers made from recycled plastic bottles—and never stress the plunging temperatures again.

Fruit of the Loom dual defense cushioned socks

Twelve pairs of thickly cushioned soles with a reinforced toe (no unsightly holes here) for $14 is what we call a real bang for your buck.

The C-Suite Essentials

Ribbed, solid-hued dress socks are still the very best way to fill in the gap between the cuff of your suit trousers and the tops of your brogues. That means get real teal! And eggplant! And maybe neon pink?! Because they’ll look good against gray or navy pants. With brands like Pantherella –known for being obsessed with fabric weights and finishes for the past 80 years—and Uniqlo offering up a plethora options for less than five bucks each, you’re more than covered.

Uniqlo color socks

Want to experiment a little with your socks? Start with Uniqlo. Their ribbed dress socks are shockingly high quality (tightly woven, comfortably padded, super-saturated in color) for a low, low price. 

Pantherella spirit logo-jacquard cotton-blend socks

Smells like CEO-spirit.

Paul Stuart cashmere blend ribbed sock

These mid-calf numbers from Paul Start, the venerable bastion of classic corporate style, are cut from a cashmere/viscose/nylon blend, making them a flex you can actually feel.

Falke airport socks

We named this exact pair one of our favorite all-around dress socks thanks to its comfortable-yet-versatile blend of cotton, wool, and elastane, but that mix also mean it’s just one of our favorite socks, period. 

The Heavy Hitters

Big winter boots call for big winter socks. But if you’ve got the kind of feet where people start leaving the room before you’ve even finished untying your laces, it’s time to carefully consider your options. The key is to settle between warm and breathable, which is why you’ll want to go for fabrics like wool and cotton.

American Trench merino activity sock with silver

American Trench’s signature socks are made with an anti-microbial silver knit directly into heel and toe to ward off odors at the source, and the breathable merino wool that comprises the rest will keep your dogs toasty and moisture-free.

Smartwool classic hike extra cushion crew socks

Wear them now while you blast the AC in your apartment with impunity, and then bust them out again to keep your feet toasty come winter.

RoToto reversible brushed mohair socks

Buck Mason waffle crew socks

Buck Mason’s scrumptious socks might look delicate, but they’re crafted from a mid-weight cotton/poly blend that won’t give out on you when you need them to perform the most.

The Summer Camp Specials

Sleepaway camp: good for making lifelong friends, learning practical survival skills, and developing excellent taste in thick, nappy socks. Whether they’re a slubby pair knit on a vintage vintage machine flown in from Japan (or just bought online from the good ole Bean), these are socks built for fond memories ahead.  

L.L.Bean merino wool ragg socks (2-pack)

L.L. Bean has the whole durability thing down pat. The brand’s merino wool socks are built to last, and to keep your feet in prime condition no matter how beastly the going gets. 

Thunders Love rubbed striped socks

Brings you back to your childhood, minus the pre-pubescent acne and crippling insecurity.

Parachute cotton marled socks

Parachute’s crisp linen sheets
routinely rank among our favorites, but the brand’s plush, subtly-flecked socks show it knows its way around cotton, too.

Gold Toe sport striped short crew socks

If you actually had these at camp, maybe your feet wouldn’t have turned into puddles at the mere sight of your crush. Sadly, you can’t turn back time, but you can snag a pair of these when you sign up for the latest GQ Box.

The Retro Athletic Tubes

Whether you were a jock or an affiliate, if the classic tube sock speaks to you by all means lean into it. The best pairs are going to hit that old school charm while leaning into retro prep style. 

J.Crew athletic crew socks

An ideal pairing of old school good looks and retro-leaning prep style. These guys are breathable, comfortable, and ready to be pulled up with all manner of short-shorts this summer.

Adidas 3-pack roller 2.0 crew socks

The only appropriate socks to pair with all your still-kinda-new Sambas, Gazelles, and Superstars.

Tabio striped crew socks

Tabio has only been in the U.S. for a few years, but they’ve been a go-to socksmith in Japan for half a decade. Looking to
gear up like a champ this season? These perfectly retro guys are just what the doctor ordered.

J.Crew athletic crew socks in gym stripe socks

J.Crew has this whole sock thing figured out. The brand’s retro-flavored crews are made from breathable cotton with just the right amount of nylon for some welcome stretch. 

The Hippy-Dippy Hosiery

Even if you aren’t a full-blown, hemp-wearing flower child, you still need at least one pair of vibe-y tie-dye socks in the rotation. What separates a good tie-dye job from a less-than-stellar one is distinct color separation—meaning you can actually see how all the colors play off one another instead of just seeing a muddled mess. Good thing there’s plenty available for your palette and budget.

Auralee tie-dye socks

Like flying first class or eating dry-aged wagyu, springing for a pair of top-shelf socks is one of those completely unnecessary luxuries you need to experience at least once in your life—and that’s doubly true if said socks are the type you’d be proud to show off going through security.

Philip Huang hand tie-dyed mango indigo socks

Uh, did you guys know that mango bark could produce such a dope dye? Or that indigo is naturally antibacterial, leaving your feet feeling fresh all day long? You probably didn’t, and you’re welcome.

Nike everyday plus cushioned tie-dye crew socks

Because you really should be allowed to wear tie-dye every day of the week if you so choose. 

Celine Homme tie-dyed cotton socks

When you’re into psychedelics, but less in a foraging way and more in dial-a-friend way.

The Total Swerves

We may not abide by novelty socks anymore—sorry, Justin Trudeau—but these freaky patterns will scratch the itch your Frasier socks used to. And just to be clear, freaky doesn’t mean kitschy. (Blindingly bright confetti print? No. Leopard print? Hell yes.) It can be tricky to differentiate between the two, so start here. 

Solmate mismatched socks

If you have fond memories of frequenting the
J.Crew Liquor Store, you might still even have a pair of these mismatched eyefuls lying around somewhere.

Missoni three-pack striped ribbed cotton socks

Missoni isn’t just an honorable mention—it’s the prototype.

Anonymous Ism animal crew socks

All the rejuvenating power of a childhood trip to the zoo, courtesy of Japan’s foremost sock savants.

Bode flower pot socks

Go forth and blossom.

The No-Shows

The #menswear-era heyday of going sockless is long behind us (thank god!) but there’s still a time and place for flashing some ankle or not letting your sock totally overpower your shoe. The way to do it without swamping up your brogues is to look for breathable blends reinforced with the appropriate amount of stretch for a durable heel grip. 

Bombas cushioned no show socks (4-pack)

Bombas has mastered the low cut, no-show sock, adding to it a honeycomb compression ring over the center of the foot, a Y-stitched heel, and footbed padding, all in Peruvian cotton. The results are spectacular.

Druthers cotton no show socks

A non-slip, silicone-reinforced heel means you won’t have to worry about your socks awkwardly bunching at the absolute worst times.

Nice Laundry six-pack

The build-your-own six pack box from Nice Laundry is a great way to replenish your summer sock options all at once. Plus, they’re made from three-way stretch fabric and have a heel grip so no matter how sweaty your feet get, they’ll still hang on for dear life.

Mack Weldon two-pack socks

Mack Weldon, a newish brand known for its mastery of menswear basics, makes a well-cut, no-fuss version of the no-show loafer liner. Better yet, each comes with two versions, and there are plenty of colors and patterns to choose from.