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The question
Women aren't aroused by the skin exposed between a male's trouser bottoms and the top of his hosiery when seated? Can't these guys just pull up their socks or wear longer ones?
The answer
I quite agree: There are plenty of knee-socks on sale at every conservative men's-clothing store, but Canadians are afraid of them.
Perhaps long socks remind them of women's tights. I remember the hysterical derision, in school, of boys who were caught wearing knee socks – it was arbitrarily decreed a sissy thing. But we're all grown up now. Those classroom gender-code enforcers are all exhausted dads and don't care about other guys' socks any more. You can and should wear socks that cover the calf whenever you have fine trousers on. But what kind of socks?
Dark solids are the safest bet, but colours slightly lighter than the trouser add subtle accents. Patterned socks with office wear are a mark of a rebellious aesthete, although "sexy aesthete," in the minds of many Canadian ladies, conservative as they are, is an oxymoron.
Russell Smith is a novelist. His recent memoir, Blindsided, is available as a Kobo e-book. Have a fashion question? E-mail style@globeandmail.com.