The Thanksgiving outfit that works for most men is smart casual with some care: a sweater or an open-collar shirt, chinos or wool trousers, and leather loafers or boots. The afternoon is long and most of it is spent sitting, so the clothes have to look right at the table, not only at the door. That's where the sock comes in. A sheer dress sock, or a pair of sheer pantyhose made for men under the trousers, finishes the outfit at the one point that comes into view once the hem lifts: the ankle.
A Thanksgiving outfit for men, piece by piece
Start in the middle. Chinos in olive or navy, or wool trousers in brown, give the outfit its shape, and a plain hem sits cleaner over a loafer than a cuff does. Keep the break short. A hem that piles up on the shoe covers the ankle, and the ankle is where the finishing detail lives.
Above the waist, keep it soft. A merino crew neck, or a knit polo under an unstructured blazer, looks right through a long meal and nothing like office clothes. Leave the tie at home unless the host asks for one.
On your feet, leather. A penny loafer or a plain Chelsea boot suits the rest. The loafer is cut low over the instep, so the sock is in view while you stand. The boot covers the ankle, and the sock only matters once the boots come off at the door.
Brown, rust, olive and navy are the colors of the season, and all of them take a black sock or a black sheer tight.
The sock finishes the outfit
A sheer dress sock is a black dress sock knit from a very fine yarn. Two numbers tell you what you're getting. Denier is the weight of the yarn; a lower number is a lighter yarn. Needle count is the number of knitting needles.
We make two. The 1D Sheer Dress Socks 3-Pack is 1 denier on 512 needles, 80% nylon and 20% spandex, three pairs to the box. The 10D Sheer Dress Sock 2-Pack is 10 denier on 1012 needles, nylon with LYCRA spandex, with a reinforced toe, and it resists runs. Both are black, reach below the knee and come in Standard size.
For a long afternoon in loafers, the 10D sock is the one we'd point to: it resists runs and has a reinforced toe. The 1D is the lighter yarn, 1 denier against 10, with three pairs to the box. Our guide to wearing sheer dress socks with a suit goes through shoes and trouser breaks in more detail.
Sheer tights under the trousers
Sheer pantyhose made for men cover the whole leg instead of ending below the knee. For men 5'7" to 6'2" (170 to 188 cm) and 145 to 210 lbs (65 to 95 kg), our usual first recommendation is the 10D Sheer Tights: 10 denier, 1012-needle knitting, woven with Lycra, in Black or Beige. The 10D is the workhorse of our sheer pairs and resists runs. It's high rise, so the waistband sits above the navel on a soft, stretchy elastic band.
Under chinos or wool trousers, the 10D takes the sock's place at the ankle. Up close, the 10D is sheer with a soft sheen. Black goes under dark trousers; Beige is there if the trousers are lighter.
For broader builds, there is the Comfort Fit, our 3 denier sheer rebuilt to fit more: 640 needles, high rise with a soft, stretchy elastic band, fitting 5'7" to 6'2" (170 to 188 cm) and 175 to 300 lbs (80 to 136 kg), Open front only.
The 120D for a fully covered pair
If you'd rather have a fully covered pair, the 120D Opaque Tights are a dense 120 denier knit, the most opaque pair we make, made for colder days. It comes in a deep matte black that stays black when stretched at the calf, and it's fully footed. The waistband sits around the navel, a mid rise, and the pair comes in Tall only: 5'9" to 6'3" (175 to 190 cm) and 155 to 200 lbs (70 to 91 kg). Wear it under trousers, or style it with a sweater or a blazer.
If this is your first pair, start with the 10D and come to the 120D later.
Putting it on before you leave
A sheer knit can catch on a nail or a rough heel, so get ready before you dress. Trim your nails. Take off your watch and your rings. Every NYLO order includes disposable gloves for putting the pair on, so nails and rough skin don't catch the knit; wear them. Gather one leg down to the toe with both hands, set your foot in, and bring the knit up the leg a little at a time rather than hauling it from the top. Then the trousers, then the shoes, and you're out the door.
Questions before the day
Can I wear sheer socks with chinos and no jacket?
Yes. A sheer dress sock doesn't need a suit around it. Under chinos and a loafer it is the same finishing detail at the ankle, with the rest of the outfit relaxed.
Sheer socks or sheer tights for a long dinner?
Either. The sock ends below the knee; the tights cover the whole leg under the trousers. Both finish the outfit at the ankle, so choose by how much you want to wear.
How do I wash them afterward?
Hand wash in cold water, no bleach. Air dry away from heat, never in the dryer.
Can I return a pair that doesn't fit?
Unopened items in their original sealed packaging can be returned within 14 days of delivery; email support@nylo.us first. Opened or tried-on hosiery is final sale for hygiene, so check the size guide before you order.
Where to begin
Check our size guide against your height and weight. Then pick one: the 10D Sheer Dress Sock 2-Pack for a dinner in loafers, or the 10D Sheer Tights if you'd rather have one piece under the trousers. Both come in black, and black goes with every outfit above.
