There are a few reasons why it’s a good idea to learn how to fold socks properly. Yes, it can help you save time when getting dressed in the morning, but it can also preserve the shape and quality of the socks, so they’ll last for years to come.
This is especially important when it comes to premium dress socks. Compared to ankle socks, dress socks need extra special care and attention. They’re designed to sit smoothly inside dress shoes and, because of this, they have a much finer and thinner profile. Many have been woven with special materials that have finer fibers, such as merino wool, silk, cashmere, or, in our case, a 32s/1 polyester and viscose blend. Because of this, folding your dress socks in the wrong way can ruin them. Here’s how to avoid that.
Why It’s Important to Fold Your Fold Dress Socks in the Right Way
Premium dress socks have a much finer knit, which means they’re more vulnerable to losing their shape, and the way you fold them is important in preserving the quality. Although it’s quicker to tuck one sock into the other or roll them into a ball, this can stretch out the cuff over time, which means your dress socks will no longer stay in place. You’ll find them slipping down to your ankles as the day goes on.
Mastering a good folding technique will help you store socks without stretching the fabric and compromising the quality. Not to mention, it also keeps your sock drawer neat and tidy, whether you choose to organize by color, patterns, or sock length.
The Best Ways to Fold Socks For Your Sock Drawer
The Thirds Fold
One of the best ways to fold dress socks is the gentle thirds fold (also known as the trifold). This type of fold is designed to keep the sock flat and protect the cuff, ultimately protecting the durability of your sock in the long run. Beyond that, it also creates a clean shape that fits nicely and neatly in your drawer. Here's how to do it:
- Lay one sock directly on top of the other on a flat surface so that the heel, toes, and cuff are all aligned.
- Use your hand to smooth the pair of socks with your hand, getting rid of any lumps and bumps, so they form a single, flat shape.
- Take the toes of the socks and fold them towards the cuff, covering roughly one-third of the sock.
- Fold the top cuff end down over the middle section. As mid-calf or dress socks are slightly longer than normal socks, you may need to fold them over one more time to form a tight, neat rectangle that won’t pull on the fabric.
This type of fold preserves the elasticity of the sock and the fabric, which is so important when it comes to dress socks. In terms of organization, you can see the pattern and color of the whole pair, which makes it quick and easy to choose the right socks in the morning.
The KonMari Method
The KonMari fold creates a compact square shape that keeps your socks upright rather than stacking them on top of each other.
- Lay one sock flat on a hard surface. Place the other sock directly on top of it, aligning the cuffs and the toes.
- Smooth out any bumps with your hand so the pair sits evenly together.
- Fold the toe end upward toward the cuff, but stop about an inch short of the top of the cuff. This is an important step because it stops the fold from being too thick at the edges.
- Fold the bottom (the new folded edge) upward one-third of the way.
- Fold it upward one more time.
- Turn it on its side (the edge) upright inside your drawer.
You’ll know you’ve done it properly if the socks can stand upright without unfolding. You may want to use this type of fold for your dress socks because it saves space, which will help you use every inch of your drawer (good if you have a lot of socks or not a lot of space). The KonMari method of smoothing and folding means your socks are less likely to develop wrinkles.
The Retail Tuck
If you’re folding over-the-calf dress socks, you may need a slightly different approach due to their length. The same rule still applies: keep the fold clean, and don’t pull the cuff.
- Lay the two socks together on a flat surface.
- Align the heel, toes, and two cuffs so the pair looks even from top to bottom.
- Fold the toe upward until it reaches about one-third of the length of the sock.
- Then, instead of folding the cuff over the top, gently insert the toe into the opening of the cuff (only about an inch). Be extra careful not to stretch the cuff here.
- You can make one more loose fold if needed, but try not to squeeze the pair too tightly.
Most people are guilty of turning the cuff inside out when folding long socks in a bid to keep them together. The tuck method works better for longer socks because it will fold your socks neatly and still give you that smooth shape, despite the length.
Since over-the-calf dress socks and knee-high socks are longer, they can create unwanted bulk and take up too much space. Because of this, you’ll want to store them flat. We recommend using drawer dividers to keep each pair in place.
The Savile Row Style
Also called the cross fold, this is a fantastic space-saving folding method for your socks.
- Lay one sock horizontally and the other vertically across it, forming a "+" sign.
- Fold the edges of the horizontal sock over the center.
- Then fold the top and bottom of the vertical sock over those.
This fold is particularly useful if you have lots of socks. It’s designed to create a thin square, which will let you store a large number of socks in your drawer. This fold also makes it easy to see the pattern, so you can choose your perfect pair easily every morning.
The Single Fold
If you’re looking for a simple and fast, no-nonsense way to organize socks, The single fold (also known as the half fold) is likely the best method for you. It’s exactly what it sounds like: you lay the socks flat and fold them once in the middle so the toes meet the cuffs. That’s it – that’s all you have to do.
The drawback of this folding technique is that if you pull one pair out of a stack, the others are likely to shift or fall. The shape also takes up a lot of space in your sock drawer, so if you’re someone who’s running out of storage, one of the other methods we mentioned above might be best for you.
How to Organize Your Dress Sock Drawer
Here at Southern Scholar, we know how to craft beautiful socks — and we know how to organize them, too. Organizing your sock collection will help you save time when you're getting dressed and keep your drawer neat.
Sort by Color
One of the easiest, quickest, and most popular ways to sort socks is by grouping them in terms of color. Group your charcoals together, as well as your browns, tans, and blue socks, or whatever other colors you happen to have. This helps you choose a pair quickly based on which trousers and shoes you’re wearing. Try not to store mismatched socks in your drawer, as you’ll end up wasting a good deal of time each morning searching for the right pair.
Sort by Pattern
This is where you keep socks with similar patterns together. For example, you can store argyle socks next to each other, and striped socks at the other end of your drawer. The logic is the same as when sorting by color: this can make it easier to select patterned socks for different occasions. Also, arranging your socks by pattern can help you identify which socks you might want to add to your collection. For example, you might have plenty of stunning polka dot socks, but you may be sorely lacking in stripes.
Sort by Occasion
Alternatively, you can also sort your socks by event. Keep the pairs you’d usually wear for the office in a separate row, and group together bolder colors you might be inclined to use for dinners and other events. Using sock drawer dividers here can stop your drawer from getting cluttered.
You could also just purchase socks from Southern Scholar. Our socks work beautifully for all events and occasions – from the office to the evening.
How to Fold Dress Socks for Travel
Travel calls for a slightly different system, as you’ll need your dress socks to stay together and fit neatly inside your travel bag without getting stretched or wrinkled. In this case, we recommend using the compact roll method:
- Start by laying the socks together.
- Smooth them flat, and roll from the toe end toward the cuff.
- Keep the roll firm enough to hold its shape, but not too tight that the fabric feels squeezed.
Rolled up socks can fit neatly inside dress shoes, a packing cube, or a small side pocket, so they don’t disappear into the rest of your luggage.
Dress Sock Folding and Storage Mistakes To Avoid
Avoid the Military Roll
This is where you lay the socks flat, roll them extremely tight from the toes to the cuff, and then invert the bottom cuff to wrap it around the entire roll. This creates a small, dense burrito or ball shape. Many military personnel use this method because it saves space when you're living out of a rucksack.
However, this method is not a good choice for storing dress socks because you end up stretching the cuff to fit over the roll. Also, if the roll is too tight, it can leave deep spiral wrinkles in thinner fabrics.
Avoid Overstuffed Drawers
A crowded drawer makes it so much harder to find socks. If your drawer is too full, you’ll spend stressful mornings digging and pulling to reach a pair (and you might end up wearing the wrong sock for your outfit entirely). We recommend giving your dress socks enough room to sit flat or upright, even if you end up using two drawers instead of one. This will protect the fabric and make better use of your drawer space.
Avoid Mixing Dress Socks With Athletic Socks
Dress socks and casual athletic socks both have completely different purposes. One is designed for style and everyday wear, and the other is made for working out. We recommend storing them separately to stop your premium pairs from being lost among heavier socks.
Southern Scholar Dress Socks: Made for Premium Performance
We make dress socks that stay up all day, wear after wear.
Each sock features a 2-inch custom-built ribbed cuff designed to keep your socks in place. We also use 200-needle count knitting, the highest standard in hosiery, for a finer, more durable stitch and exceptional softness.
Comfort is paramount. Our signature material blend has undergone testing and refinement for more than a decade. We don't use cotton in our socks. Instead, our blend includes 55% 32s/1 polyester, 23% viscose, 17% nylon, and 5% spandex for softness, shape retention, breathability, moisture-wicking performance, and a better fit.
We include a style card with every single pair, featuring expert advice to help you dress confidently every single morning.
FAQs
What Is the Best Way to Fold Dress Socks?
The gentle thirds fold is the best (and most popular) way to fold dress socks. This is where you lay one sock over the other, align the heel and toes, then fold the toe end toward the center before folding the cuff end over it. Designed to keep your socks neat and protected, you’ll never have to worry about a stretched cuff again.
How Do You Fold Socks Without Stretching the Elastic?
Stretching the elastic is detrimental to all socks, but especially dress socks. Don’t pull one cuff around the full pair. Instead, keep the socks flat and use a loose single fold, a thirds fold, or a gentle roll. The goal is to keep the matching pair together without putting tension on the sock cuff.
Is It Okay to Roll Dress Socks?
A gentle roll works best for travel or storage in the short term. Don’t tightly roll dress socks to store every day, especially if the method means you end up pulling the cuff inside out around the roll.
What’s The Best Way to Fold Socks For Travel?
Use a gentle but compact roll from the toes toward the cuff, and place the rolled pair in a packing cube, shoe bag, or side pocket.
Should I Fold or Hang Dress Socks?
Folding is the best way to store dress socks. Hanging can actually stretch your socks over time, especially if the clips or hangers pull on the cuff. A flat fold in a clean drawer will keep your beautiful dress socks organized and the fabric protected, so they’ll last for years to come.
Final Thoughts
Even the biggest sock enthusiasts are guilty of turning their socks inside out and throwing them into a drawer. But learning how to fold dress socks properly keeps your drawer neat and makes it easier to pick socks when you're getting dressed in the morning. Knowing how to store your socks properly also helps to preserve the quality and stretch of the fabric and can even prevent wrinkles.
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