History of the sock from ancient Greece to the present day

The history of what we know today as socks dates back to the Stone Age. Back then, our ancestors used animal skins, which they wrapped around their feet and ankles.

The first socks: from the Stone Age to Ancient Greece

We do not know the exact date, but between 2,500,000 BC and 100,000 BC, different skins and leathers began to be used in different cultures.

We can say that socks began to be “put on” the foot instead of being wrapped around it around the 8th century BC. These events, like so many other milestones in our history, took place in Ancient Greece. During this period, the Greek poet Hesiod wrote about socks made from animal hair. This garment was used mainly by Greek women and was considered shameful for men. It was even used in theaters by men to make audiences laugh in comedies.

Socks in Greece and Rome

The Greek sykhos

The Greeks called them “sykhos”.

The Roman soccus

Not much later, Roman women copied the sykhos and Latinized the word, calling them “soccus”. In Rome, they also became an element of comedy, as did wide trousers later on.

The materials used by the Romans included leather, soft leather, fabric, and braided thread. From Rome, they spread to the British Isles and other parts of the empire. The British called them socks.

Socks in the Middle Ages

In the 10th and 11th centuries, men also wore long socks, similar to modern stockings, to protect themselves from chafing and the cold beneath their armor. By the 14th century, shorter, tighter-fitting garments began to be worn. In Spain, Great Britain, and other European countries, the nobility used them to protect their feet and ankles.

William Lee’s machine and the industrialization of socks

The English Reverend William Lee invented a machine in the 16th century for making socks from wool, cotton, and silk in various colors. Through industrialization, socks reached the general public, largely because of lower costs.

Socks in the Victorian era

At that time, all kinds of ribbons and ornaments were created to adjust the top of the sock. By the 19th century, our favorite garment had come to life and color; embroidery, details, and jewels adorned the socks of the wealthiest people. Queen Victoria of England was a great lover of socks, with a preference for silk socks.

Nevertheless, it was during her reign, after the death of her husband Albert, that men began wearing dark socks. This long period of mourning and industrialization filled wardrobes with dark-colored socks.

Socks in the 20th century and today

In 1930, a machine capable of producing socks in a single piece was invented. Even so, they became relegated to purely functional use, with dark colors predominating to this day.

Today, socks are worn by everyone, and it seems that this garment is once again being given the importance it deserves. However, many of the colorful patterned socks currently on the market do not have the quality of socks from the past.