Socks began as strips of cloth or hide, called "leggings," wrapped around the legs and feet. In the Middle Ages, the legs of trousers became lower, and more fitted. Hose was a fitted cloth that covered the lower leg. When "breeches" became shorter, hose began to get longer. Around the twelfth century feet were added to hose. Around 1490 breeches and hose were made as one garment, forming tights.

These tights were made of colorful silk, wool, and velvet, with each leg a different color. Knitted hose was worn in Scotland around the turn of the 15th century, and then in France. When knitting machines came into use in the 1590s knitted hose became more common. The Swiss and Germans favored slashed overgarments that revealed brightly colored hose beneath.

Cotton came into use in the late 17th century.

In the 20th century nylon became popular for stockings because of its strength and elasticity. As men's pants grew longer, socks became shorter, with the word "sock" replacing "stocking" for these smaller foot coverings.

Argyles were popular in the Roaring Twenties, but eventually basic colored socks came into fashion for men.

Fortunately, socks have been undergoing a minor rennaisance recently, and if you know where to look you will find a wealth of interesting, colorful, and distinctive socks.