Socks

It was a phase. I had just become a real lawyer, and for the first time in my life, I had a steady income. It was time to build a wardrobe. Like every corporate drone, I began with a dark blue suit and built out from there. As you know, drone fashion provides only limited opportunities for self-expression. Three buttons or two? Blue or gray? Pinstripes? This places a lot of pressure on the necktie.

Too much for some people. Many of the lawyers in my firm broke out by wearing designer suspenders, but I could never get past the fact that clowns wear suspenders. Goofy, multi-colored suspenders. And some of these lawyers looked like clowns, especially when they wore suspenders with a matching tie. (Or, worst of all, a matching bowtie!)

I chose a different avenue of self-expression: socks. I went crazy, buying socks with all sorts of designs and colors. Socks have the advantage of being much less conspicuous than suspenders. Indeed, they can be completely invisible when you want them to be. On the other hand, all you need to do is cross your legs to expose your fashion statement. They seemed like the perfect tool for a not-quite-compliant drone.

The only problem with socks is that we have a habit of wanting them to match. As a result, socks are labor intensive. One of my lawyers friends offered his solution: buy all black socks. So much for self-expression. But this has a strong appeal for the efficient side of my personality. Now, my socks largely come in two varieties: black and blue.

Seth Godin just pointed out a business that probably would have hooked me, if only they sold socks in men's sizes. LittleMissMatched sells socks in packages of one, three or seven. Looks like I have found a Christmas stocking stuffer for my 11-year-old daughter.