Leg warmers were a thing. Then they were not a thing. Then they were ostensibly extinct.
I am neither a historian or fashionista; a detailed history and cultural relevance I leave to the reader.
I am a middle-aged man who was told by those more competent long ago that it is not fashionable to wear calf-high (or knee-high God forbid) socks with my tennis shoes. Therefore, I threw away all my tube socks in the early 2000s like any competent male who has a fashion minded friend or partner or relative. It took a while, but my ankles finally acclimated to these super sleek ankle socks. Some people take things to the extreme with no-show socks; I am not that exotic.
Everything was going fine until one combines winter, properly tailored pants, low-top shoes, and sitting or biking outside. If you don’t have any of those situations arrive in your daily life, stop reading now and go enjoy your warm weather, extra long pants, boots, or standing around.
The problem only arose when I would sit in a chair on the porch trying to soak in the low-angle 12 o’clock sun on a crisp winter day. Just because it is 28 degrees F outside doesn’t mean we need to be stuck inside at all times. Put on a warm jacket, maybe a hat and some gloves, and bask in the sun while reading a good book. As I sat and read, I would notice everything remained warm except approximately 4 inches of my leg between my ankle and my calf. If only there was a way to keep that area warm without the “cancelled” tube socks.
Partially Successful Ideas
- Wear thick wooly long winter socks - causes sweaty feet when back inside (don’t get me started on wool on bare skin)
- Wear thin thermal pants underneath jeans - great for super cold weather, get too hot when transitioning back inside
- Cover the legs with a blanket - makes me feel like an old lady (no offense to old ladies…but I am not there yet)
- Buy longer pants or tall boots - requires too drastic a change to my normal wardrobe
- Buy boot gaiters - these look great for a hike in the snow, but overkill for sitting in solitude
Enter the Winner
Leg Warmers in Action
As you can see in the image above, the leg warmers are barely noticable under my jeans as they gently overlap my ANKLE SOCKS. Granted, the temperature outside was only about 50 degrees F and it wasn’t windy. The picture was more for demonstration purposes. Even so, my feet were not sweating, my ankles were warm, and I didn’t need to bring different pants or shoes to sit outside in the fall.
Advantages of Leg Warmers
- Only cover the areas that typically get cold outside when sitting
- Easy to pack and don when required
- Create an airtight seal to prevent wind flow up the leg
- They show that you are a trend-setter that enjoys the outdoors
I personally bought my leg warmers on Amazon. I am putting the description below as the actual link could change in the future. Don’t let the “Women” in the description fool you…they fit both men and women. While on the subject, we don’t need to genderize simple clothing items such as leg warmers. As men, I think we need to stand in unity to bring back leg warmers for all gender identities.
- Zando Women Fashion Leg Warmers Adult Junior 80s Ribbed Knitted Long Socks for Party Sports A Black One Size
- V28 Women Juniors 80s Eighty’s Ribbed Leg Warmers for Party Sports (Black)
I give the items 4 stars out of 5. They are a bit baggier than I would have expected. They don’t slip off my feet, however, they don’t stay tight against my leg as I lower my jeans over them. The result is a bunched up mess of ribbed acrylic stuck between the top of my shoe and inside the bottom of my jeans. This plug that is formed is not physically satisfying, but the lack of cold air up the leg is satisfying. I would like them a little tighter against my legs using a soft cotton to prevent the feeling of dropping. However, they are extremely effective. These can be my “starter” leg warmers. It is best not to invest too much time (such as a full blog post) and money in a new idea. Test the water with <$10 acrylic loose leg warmers before diving into high-end handmade leg warmers made from Merino wool.
Comfortable temperature ankle Matt signing off.