These days, white socks are often worn with shorts so that the brand logo can be clearly seen, whether that be Nike, Adidas or Puma. White socks are no longer seen as a fashion faux pas.

Bobby socks — white, lacy socks folded over at the ankle — took off among young women in the 1940s. In the 1970s, tall, ringed tube socks exploded alongside the rise of organized sports in the ...