No-show socks are a great way to keep your feet comfortable and protected, whether you are wearing a dress or casual shoes.
However, one notable drawback to no-show socks is that they may slip off and become bunched up within your shoe, causing discomfort and annoyance.
We’ll share how you can keep your socks from slipping and what to look for in your next pair of no-show socks.
Create Friction Between Your Sock and Skin
The leading reason that the sock slips off the foot is due to friction. Specifically, there are two primary areas of focus for friction: between the sock and the skin and between the sock and the shoe.
Solving the Friction between the Sock and Skin
Supple and moist skin allows most no-show socks to latch on easily and prevent slippage. To increase the friction, moisturize your feet regularly after a shower or before you go to bed. By restoring the moisture barrier and preventing dry skin, most no-show socks will stay in place.
Aside from the current state of your skin, adhesive materials are another way to reduce the chance of slippage. While most companies may include a silicon adhesive on the inside of the sock, some folks find that an extra strip of double-sided tape or dot grippers to keep the sock in place. The downside to this is that it may be uncomfortable and will often come off when doing laundry.
A DIY hack that we found on Reddit was the use of pre-tape spray. This spray-on adhesive is primarily used by athletes as a way to keep bandages on their skin during intense workouts. To use pre-tape spray, spray your heel, let it set for a couple of seconds, and then slide on your sock.
Solving the Friction between the Sock and Shoe
With each stride, your shoe and sock rub against each other. The leading reason that most socks will slip off is sizing issues. Often, a shoe that is too large creates enough space for the heel and sock to move independently rather than with each other. This little bit of extra space allows the sock to shimmy off the heel with each step.
Furthermore, a sock that is too large or too small will only compound this problem.
Therefore, make sure that you are wearing the right sock and shoe sizes.
However, if getting new socks or shoes isn’t an option, then you’ll need to smooth out the inside of the shoe heel. Doing this will depend on the material of the shoe itself. For dress shoes, mink oil works well to treat leather. For most casual sneakers or athletic shoes, a light sanding of the fabric or using a fabric shaver to remove pills or fuzz balls will help.
What to Look for in a No-Show Sock
When buying no-show socks, being mindful of the following will ensure a good fit and prevent slippage:
- Silicone Adhesive: This will be on the inside of the heel. The larger, the better.
- Elastic Band: The entire opening of the sock should have an elastic band. This, in tandem with the silicone adhesive, makes it nearly impossible for the sock to slip off.
- Moisture-Wicking Fabric: Given that no-show socks are worn during the warmer months, moisture-wicking fabric will prevent the sock from slipping on the bottom of your feet due to sweat.