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For most of us, I think it's safe to say that our socks are the least of our wardrobe concerns.  Most of the time, they are merely an afterthought that neither add to nor detract from our outfits.  Sure, there are some people who still go out of their way to make sure that their socks match their shirt, but most are content to just throw on a pair of white or black socks and be done with it.

I definitely used to be that way myself.  In fact, there was a time when my entire hosiery collection consisted of nothing but white socks.  That all changed, however, after I spent some time living in Japan.  You see, in that country, you have to take your shoes off all the time, even in public places or places that you ordinarily wouldn't think you'd have to do so.  For example, I went sightseeing at a 400-year-old castle once, and all of the visitors were made to remove their shoes and wear cloth slippers while touring the inside of the structure.  That would be like having to take your shoes off to enter a museum in New York or something.  I also had to take my shoes off in restaurants, school classrooms, and even the dentist office.  And it goes without saying that I had to remove my shoes when visiting someone's home.

Because I was constantly taking my shoes off, I of course always had to make sure that my socks were clean and free from holes.  I soon discovered that white socks weren't the best choice because the dirt really starts to show up on them quickly, which can leave them looking gross at the end of a long day of walking.  So I started to check out some more colorful socks and I really liked what I saw.

Since socks are such a visible part of a person's wardrobe in Japan, I guess it's not surprising that the country has a lot of stores that sell nothing but socks in every pattern and color that you can imagine.  You could get socks with thin stripes or socks with thick stripes, socks with polka dots or socks with flowers; socks with cartoon characters or socks with animals.  As a result, shopping for socks was a great deal of fun, and I came away with a new appreciation for what I put on my feet.

These days, I still pay attention to the socks that I wear.  I've also found out that there just as many fun and cool-looking socks here at home as there are at the Japanese stores.  Now I have a wonderfully colorful sock collection that helps me add just the right touch to almost any outfit I choose to wear.

If you are looking for an easy and inexpensive way to jazz up your casual wardrobe, then I suggest purchasing some great new socks.  You might be surprised at all the interesting choices out there, so buy a few pairs today and see what a difference having fantastic socks can make!