Socks with sandals was a definite no-no when I was growing up on the south coast. An unspoken law of the beach. You just didn’t.
Later, during travels around France, Spain, Israel and the Greek islands, I noticed with approval that it was fairly universally observed.
More recently, the law has become a lot less unspoken. People frequently comment on (typically) an old person’s socks ’n’ sandals combo and declare it the worst crime against fashion imaginable.
No, sandals on bare feet is the norm. The conventional. You could say it’s ‘mainstream’.
SFX: DISTANT ALARM BELLS
With a growing sense of horror, I started to realise that it was only a matter of time before someone, somewhere, would want to subvert the sartorial status quo. If everyone zigs, you zag, right?
So my loins have been in a perpetual state of girdedness, awaiting the day when the wearing of socks with sandals is not only acceptable but – NOOOOO!!! – cool.
I just never expected the move to come from that well-known fashion house, Google.
BraveNewMalden 