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Orange Socks and the Colour Theory

Blog, Men’s Style Tips • 27 September 2023

We are all about the positive power of colour at London Sock Company. Colours can influence our mood. They can make us Walk Brighter. And every hue has its own power.

Make way for autumn’s colour of the season, Rust. A beautiful burnt orange, and your seasonal showstopper. And with Rust comes a supporting cast of other orange socks, in a stylish variety of shades, ready to spice up your season.

Rust: a grown up orange

“Orange for autumn?” you say … Groundbreaking, we know. Yes, as far as an autumn colour of the season goes, orange is a rather elementary choice. But Rust is not your ordinary orange. This rich, burnt orange – almost bronzed orange – takes this shade to new levels of sophistication. This is orange for grown ups. It slides seamlessly into autumn’s signature sock palette – if it wasn’t so darn sophisticated, it would almost feel cliché – but balances out the often overpowering brightness of classic yellow or red oranges with its earthy undertones and elegant polish. For the fall purists out there, there is no better sock shade for adding some visual warmth and elegance to the season’s trusty wardrobe layers and staples.

A close up of a man crossing his legs, wearing charcoal grey trousers, brown leather loafers and Rust orange socks by London Sock Company.
Simply Sartorial socks in Rust are a sophisticated, seasonal must-have for autumn.

What is the colour theory behind orange?

Orange in all its guises is a happy, uplifting colour. Perfect for a mood-lifting, outfit-lifting dash as we make the sartorial shift through autumn. As a colour family, orange stands for optimism, confidence, enthusiasm, warmth, and vivacious charm. It has the power to make you feel more outgoing. With Rust orange, thanks to its rich, earthy and autumnal undertones, it brings to mind nature and changing leaves, meaning that it naturally inspires feelings of positive change.

Close up on a man's feet, crossed over against a stone wall, wearing brown suede shoes, grey trousers and a pair of checked burnt orange socks by London Sock Company.
Try Ottaway Style socks in Burnt Orange for a modern twist on a Prince of Wales classic check.

Is orange your favourite colour?

Naturally drawn to the Order of Orange? You are confident, fun-loving and enjoy standing out. Love brighter oranges like our Simply Sartorial socks in Curious Orange? You bring a youthfulness and playfulness to life. If you lean towards Rust, burnt orange or more ginger oranges, you are perhaps more restrained in your demonstrations. You enjoy the finer things in life, but still have fun with it. As with other orange fans, you too like to get noticed, but only for the right reasons – your elegance and great taste (in socks obviously). While red orange tends to be a controversial colour, often feeling a bit superficial, burnt orange is slightly more understated and thoughtful.

A man sits on a concrete ledge, wearing grey trousers, a white polo shirt and white sneakers. He reaches forward to pull up his russet orange socks by London Sock Company.
Shaken & Stirred socks in Russet beautifully blend checks of brighter yellow orange with a richer pumpkin orange for a smart, seasonal colour pop.

How to style orange socks…

With its slightly less bold, earthier tones, Rust is a more thoughtful, grown up answer to more red or yellow oranges. Try Simply Sartorial Rust with darker blues and greys. It also pairs really well with accents of mint green and peach for a more playful palette. Try a mint green jumper, dark denim and Rust Simply Sartorials, for example. Brighter oranges bring youthful energy. They also look great with darker staples (navy, charcoal, black) as well as white, lighter grey and cream. Forest green and pumpkin orange are well-matched too, and for something more unexpected, yellow-orange looks cool with violet.

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