The 8 Best Dress Socks Every Man Should Own

Lightweight, breathable, and versatile—this is a dress sock you’ll wear everywhere, from your office to the airport. Falke designs these with unmatched comfort and durability, thanks to cotton blend that’s soft but still breathable. With its higher calf design and gorgeous, deep-green shade, this is a pair you’ll reach for again and again. This pair comes up nice and high on the leg, with a nice cuff to keep it there.

Reinforced seams. Stay-Up Cuff. Ribbed arch support. Your most beloved PJs also make damn good socks. This pair is breathable and versatile. The lightweight cotton makes even your most stifling, least broken-in pair of loafers feel comfortable and classy. It’s one of our top picks for comfort and everyday wear—clean, smooth, and easy to style with just about any dress shoe. No fuss, no overthinking, no trendy patterns you’ll tire of immediately. Just a really solid dress sock.

There is, lovingly, nothing particularly special about these socks other than that they are reliably the same year after year. And that is reason enough for us to like ’em. They’re a bit thicker than your standard uber-thin dress sock, so we like them especially for more buttoned-up offices or weddings during colder months. Dependable and polished.

It’s hard to overstate how damn soft these socks are. They’re plush but not too thick, so even your slightly-too-small dress shoes are compatible with them. They’re not super high, which isn’t for everyone, but if you prefer a lower dress sock, these hit the sweet spot. They’re a bigger investment up front, too, but the warm-but-also-moisture-wicking Merino wool make them a seriously comfortable, durable pick.

They do require a bit of TLC to keep them in tip-top shape (machine wash cold inside out, preferably hang to dry), but Darn Tough has a lifetime warranty. If your socks get holes, you get new free socks.

Maybe you’re the kind of guy who prefers a taller dress sock. If so, Bombas has just the pick. The over-the-calf socks in this four-pack are warm, comfortable, and seamless (literally—the toes don’t have seams), so your fit game will be refined and your comfort game will be unmatched. The ribbed design is constructed so as not to slip down your leg, and for some extra arch support, the sole is designed with a micro-honeycomb pattern. A great all-day option for longer lengths.

Sometimes you just gotta keep it simple and classy. Pantherella has just the sock for that. Crafted in England in a soft cotton-nylon blend, this pair is cozy and classic, with a ribbed cuff that helps keep it from slipping down your ankle. Plus, this style comes in an array of elevated, solid colors, so you never have to worry about matching patterns and prints.

For the best warm dress socks, Pantherella also makes some of the plushest, softest, and most luxe winter-ready styles around. When you hold them, you can feel the quality and craftsmanship in the weightiness of the knit. Our editors have been swearing by Pantherellas for years.