Fun Wedding Socks: The Perfect Groomsmen Gift

The big wedding day approaches. The pressure is on. Your mind swirls second guessing the choice you’re about to make. A choice of love and respect that is a lifetime commitment. Are you questioning your vows and those two pivotal words, “I do.”? Hardly. You’re all good on that front. This is the choice of what to give your groomsmen.

It's a difficult choice to express your love and respect for some special dudes. The best groomsmen gifts are items that will stand the test of time and are clearly thought out and personalized.

My name is Owen, and I work on the Product Development team at Darn Tough. I have been a groomsman FIVE times and am married, so I know what’s swirling through your mind right now. And no surprise given where I work, I give socks as gifts a lot.

In this post, I’ll be walking you down the figurative aisle of why you should give socks as meaningful, fun, and practical groomsmen gifts. Whether you’re looking for impeccable styling or something fun and quirky, we’ll consider some ways to narrow down your choice, so each pair is almost as good of a fit as you and your future spouse.

With the right selection, top rated men's dress socks are a durable, personal gift that will remind your buddies of your special day for years to come.

Why Socks Make the Perfect Groomsmen Gift

With years of sock and wedding experience, I am your qualified professional to choosing the perfect groomsmen socks. For my wedding party, my wife and I gifted Darn Tough socks. 5 years later, we still hear how much they’re appreciated and worn. Useful and meaningful.

So why should you gift wedding socks for groomsmen?

• Socks give you the opportunity to unite your wedding party’s look while also showing off a little (or a lot of) personality.
• Giving your groomsmen the socks they’ll wear on your big day means you aren’t leaving socks up to chance or each groomsman’s choice. When everything else is so planned out, don’t leave groomsmen dress socks to chance.
• When you choose the right pair, they will be useful beyond the wedding day for years to come.
• Well-fitting socks will also keep you and your groomsmen comfortable on the day (more on this later) when you’re standing around. It’s hard to look your best if you’re thinking about how much your feet hurt or how sweaty they are in stuffy, stiff dress shoes.
• Because the gift of Darn Tough socks is a promise of comfort, durability, and fit that is Guaranteed for Life. Now that’s in sickness and in health.

Choosing the Right Socks for Your Groomsmen 

I see two high-level categories when gifting groomsmen socks: 

1. Socks he will wear during the wedding
2. Socks he will wear later. 

We’ll consider both categories separately, but why not give both? A combination of the two is a sure way to make your groomsmen happy: one pair for the event to complement one another and the vision of the day, and one or two more personalized pairs that fit their style and hobbies outside of this special event.

Socks for the Wedding

Let’s start with socks for the wedding event itself.

To be fair: socks are not the primary driving factor that defines the overall feel of your wedding. (If I’m wrong there, my deepest respect to you. That’s amazing 🧦). You and your spouse have picked a venue, created a guestlist, and agonized over what you and your wedding party will be wearing. But the right men’s wedding socks can amplify your existing theme.

Whether your party is dressed to the nines with impeccable matching looks, or you’re taking a more relaxed approach, we can narrow down the right men’s wedding party socks for the big event.

Groomsmen Sock Ideas: Style & Color Considerations 

If the dress code is black tie or formal and you want the socks to blend in seamlessly and not be noticed, choose a solid sock that matches the groomsmen pant color. Darn Tough has a great selection of solid styles in traditional dress tones (black, charcoal, gray, navy, etc.). You could also choose a complementary color to match a tie or pocket square (as opposed to the pants). Noticeable, but intentional.

Solids are always a good starting place, but maybe you want some wedding socks for the guys that are fun, but still elegant. Consider basic stripes that fit the color palette or subtle novelty patterns that complement your wedding’s theme or a personal connection. Maybe you like pigs or other wildlife. Sock designs like the Truffle Hog or Duck Duck Moose will look like basic dress socks from afar but are a fun little secret hiding under your pant leg.

If your plan is to be bold and not subtle at all, this is where you can really let loose with some fun men’s wedding socks. Socks can be a statement piece for the wedding party, and at Darn Tough we knit some truly crazy dress socks in our Lifestyle category. Take a look at the Wild Life and Animal Haus socks.

It’s not uncommon for the groom to wear something personal to him and have his groomsmen in a complementary style. For example, a friend of mine was married in the Spey Fly socks, as they matched both the color scheme (charcoal suit) and his personality as an avid fly fisherman. His men wore The Standard Crew in Charcoal to match. 

If you go the more fun or bold route, don’t keep those socks hidden. Encourage your groomsmen to cuff their pants at the reception to show them off. Maybe you all lift your pant legs up to scandalously flash a little ankle in one of the wedding photos… Weddings should be fun, just like socks. 

Beyond Aesthetics: Merino Wool, Cushioning, & Non-Dress Socks. 

If you’ve ever been in a wedding party, you are well aware how uncomfortable the day can be. There is often some waiting and standing around – pre-ceremony, photos, the ceremony itself… You’re likely in dress clothing and shoes that were designed for style over comfort or function. 

This all comes to a head when the venue is a stuffy old church or barn. Or maybe it’s an outdoor wedding where the weather will do what it wants to do. Rain may be good luck at a wedding, but your feet won’t feel so lucky if they’re wet from the elements or from sweat.

This is where Merino Wool might just be the secret VIP member of the wedding party. I won’t go into too much detail here as others have done before, but know that Merino Wool is thermoregulating, moisture wicking, and anti-odor, to keep those feet feel fresh all day. You don’t want to be thinking about your feet all day at a wedding…

Personally, I would consider a cushioned Merino Wool sock if it’s not too warm out and the footwear isn’t too tight. The underfoot padding will offer a little more comfort and moisture management and be especially helpful if your wedding party goes right from the ceremony to a reception with dancing and other activities.

A last point of interest is “non-traditional” wedding socks, i.e. socks other than lifestyle or dress socks. I got married in hiking socks as they were a bit more rugged for my outdoor wedding (a farm field in Vermont with tractor ruts). The more robust socks helped complement the terrain, and I was comfortable all day.

The novelty designs in the Hike or Run categories can double as crazy dress socks for weddings. The Close Encounters could be a fun pair – quirky cryptids cheers-ing some bottles might be the perfect symbolism of you and your rag tag crew coming together on this special day.

Darn Tough receives tons of pictures of socks worn at weddings from loyal fans. I recall one lovely bride wearing our Bear Town hiking socks under a traditional white dress. This was a fun secret for her that fit her personality and hobbies (she and her partner met on the Appalachian Trail).

These personal connections might be the most important thing for you and your wedding party. Got an outdoor wedding? Socks with mountains might be a great fit for the theme.

One final thought before we move on: It goes without saying to make sure your future spouse is on board with the selection of the wedding socks for men, so you’re both happy with the look and feel of the day.

Socks for After the Wedding

The second category of socks to give as groomsmen gifts are more personal socks to wear outside of the wedding festivities. Yes, the Darn Tough socks you ask him to wear at the event will be full of memories (long lasting ones, with a lifetime guarantee), but other, non-wedding day socks are an opportunity to really cater to his hobbies and personality.

Regardless of design, choose socks that you think he will wear. Is your groomsman a hiker? Or a runner or skier? Or does he like wearing something tongue in cheek for his sock design? Is he a sharp dresser?

There are tons of sock options to fit his needs and interests. Any Darn Tough sock you gift will be versatile and useful. Personally, the best gifts I receive are the ones I use a lot. A good pair of socks fits the bill there.

How cool would it be if that hiker friend thought of you when putting on his socks for future hikes? Or is your active friend wearing your gift when he laces up to hit the gym or run his next big race?

The Ultimate Practical Groomsman Gift

In closing, socks are a versatile, fun, practical gift to show your groomsmen your thanks. Whether to be worn on the day as part of the dress code, or gifted for them to wear after the fact, good socks will last for years, knit with memories that last for a lifetime.

One final note: A quick reminder to check your groomsmen shoe/sock size before ordering him those killer designs. Sock size really does matter to make sure your gift fits and functions exactly as intended. If you do miss the mark on sizing, our customer service team can help you exchange them, but no future groom wants to deal with that during their honeymoon…

Explore our collection of wedding-ready men’s dress socks today.