Seasonal Disregard
Sometimes I want to eat dessert before dinner
(maybe I’m a freak, but sweet stuff makes me hungry for a main meal)
Sometimes I like white after labor day
(especially when it FEELS like summer well into November)
Sometimes I wear inappropriate shoes
(I once wore combat boots with a gown to a ball, yes an actual “ball”…
and even though “Muffy” stole my jacket that night, I had a blast)
Sometimes red and green are not just for the holidaze
(despite occasionally rude commentary from confused people when I wear my red/green mstripes year round. hey, remember that old Crazy Eddy commercial guy… “it’s Christmas in July”!!)
Sometimes I put on ankle length leggings or long socks even though it’s hot as an oven outside
(They are my legs and I’ll dress them as I please when I please, thank you… and hey, didn’t those old fashioned bathing beauties actually wear long wool socks or sometimes even tights with their cool bathing suits?)
Today it’s nearly 100 degrees outside and I’m sitting here in the lovely AC, wearing boxer shorts, sipping cinnamon tea, and wearing my brownie brown (that’s what I call them) Cronert Cotton Overknee socks. Am I breaking some sort of summer rule? Am I tempting the fashion police with my seasonal disregard? Who cares! I’m comfy, cozy and cool just the way I am.
The Cronert Cotton Overknee are an excellent light weight OTK in rich deep colors. In my dreams (my sock dreams that is), I have always wanted a pair of basic black OTK in a lighter thin knit, with no shine, soft flat matte or brushed texture, that of course would fit my feet and go well over my knees. I once had a pair (way back when) that was PERFECT and fit my specifications to a “T”. Then for years I could not find any.
When I first sought out our sock Goddess, this dream sock was what I was looking for. She led me to the E.G. Smith Solid Over the Knee Stockings, Though close enough to my dream to become a sock wardrobe staple for me, they still left a little to be desired in size and length. I’m happy to say that these Cronerts (though pricier than the EG Smiths) do come just a bit closer to my dream size wise, and texture wise these have a lovely almost brushed texture, but do have a little shine when pulled taught over a larger calf.
From previous experience with the Cronert spring striped anklets, I had anticipated these to be much friendlier to the larger footed. Though slightly more forgiving than the EG Smith’s, these still come out a bit snug on my toes when the heel is properly lined up (and surprisingly, the larges don’t seem to me to be significantly larger in the feet than the small, but they do seem slightly longer in length). And although they do make it over my knee, it is not by much, yet still a smidgeon more than the EG’s. If I had to choose between the two, I think I would choose the Cronerts for size and the Smiths for price. But luckily, here at SD I can have a pair (or three) of each :O)
The Cronert Cotton Overknees stay up mostly well, though they are prone to do that rolly thingy. If you have enough length you can try folding over a cuff on top as that seems to help them not roll, but if (like me) you don’t have enough over the knee length to do that, I recommend a garter to keep them perfectly where you want em.
All in all, I’d recommend these to anyone who’s listening… I’m pretty smitten with these.. and although I am truly enjoying them now in this nasty summer weather, I think I may just end up loving them even more in the cooler fall and winter weather.
August 6th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
EG you are HOT!!! and you are one COOL chick!!! so therefore being both extremes you can do as you please….plus you doing as you please pleases me because it brings yummy reviews and pics from one of my fav sock gurls!
however, it is a tad too hot for me to wear the long’uns right now because i dont use air in the house and have no air in my car for the long drive to work….HOWEVER, i will say that i have worn the Nouvella terry shorties in the greatest comfort these last hot days…so maybe the wee small fashion poilce can come visit me- or maybe it is too hot at my house even for them;)
your shoes are crazy vintage looking!!! i do adore wood heels/soles!
August 6th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
you crack me up with your links! the Mr T sock monkey is too much!!!
Well done my sockie friend ~:)
August 6th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Who cares what people think. I live in Texas and it is 100 everyday and I even spend time outdoors when I’m running errands. I wear my over the knee socks anytime I feel like it. I love my extra long ribbed yellow ones that I wear with my plaid skirt. If someone says it’s too hot to wear socks, I tell them it’s too hot to wear pants too, which most of them are wearing. I never go barelegged in the summer, always tights or over the knees. In the cold weather I will wear tights and over the knees. lol
There is no off season to wear cute socks, and with so many cute styles at sock dreams, you need 365 days to wear them.
August 7th, 2007 at 5:40 am
I just love this review!!! I had the Cronerts on my “maybe” list–but now I will definitely have to get a pair–or two. But I think the absolute best part of the review (great pics aside) was the smiling pig link!!! I just love pigs and have them stashed everywhere in my house since I can’t have a real one :(
Now if I could just get some awesome socks with piggies I would be in hog heaven (ooo, that was really bad, I know–but I couldn’t resist).
August 7th, 2007 at 8:08 am
Thanks guys!! :O)
Raubynn… the shoes are old payless (as I must admit are a lot of my shoes)
Goddess… I thought you might get a kick out of that Sock Monkey,
loved your new interview
Angela… yeppers!! :O)
Jennifer… I knew I had to include that pig the minute I saw it, that piggle really makes me giggle.
August 7th, 2007 at 8:13 am
ohhhh… whoops! I just looked at the interview again and see that I made a mistake.
It wasn’t done so very recently… But they have a date on the page, and I saw the August 6 date which I guess is there “today’s date” not the interview date (which looks to have been in March).
sorry for the confusion…
August 7th, 2007 at 9:10 am
I love your reviews and your taste in socks!
P.S. Did I miss something? Why does Vel have a cone? :-(
August 7th, 2007 at 10:21 am
We’ve been calling the E-collar (cone) his “hat” :O)
he’s been wearing it more often than not, since December.
Vel’s been having a rough time of it this year… a few health problems including breathing problems and some extremely itchy and resistant allergies that have caused him to scratch his own little corneas several times. We are trying desperately to get the health problems and allergies under control (it is an overwhelmingly expensive and all consuming endeavor) We are determined to get him all better whatever it takes. He’s a real trooper with all the meds, ointments, and everything.
He’s curled up on my lap right now (cutely snuggled up with a Super long Cable legwarmer as if it were a teddy bear… seems he always picks some of my favorite socks to make his own).
Keep your toes crossed that he’s feeling right again soon and back to being his old sockie self.
August 7th, 2007 at 11:35 am
wow, I spent 2 hours reading your post & links. You know, what really pulls off a good bob haircut is a fantastic hat, and in this day and age women’s hats are just NOT what they used to be… Overheard in NY is going into my daily link file.. that was so much fun to go through EG your posts are like fun treasure hunts. :)
& I hope Vel is ok? I forgot how much I wanted these & wish I would have ordered them in my last order… it’ll have to wait now. :( I love the Aubergine colour best
August 7th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
oh I love the *let’s be friends* blog lol
I was wearing leggings when it was really hot last week… mostly because nobody wants to see my ultra-short skirt without them lol ;P
and a big get well soon hug for (((Vel)))
August 7th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
I am so glad that socks are beginning to come into their own as a fun accessory… I feel the same way about hats Rebeckah, can’t wait for that part of our 80’s fashion revival to catch up to socks, I’d love to see them all over the place again (I was a total hat junkie in the 80’s).
And Babylon, that is another 80’s look I was really fond of (I think I was fond of much of the eighties looks, except for those giant shoulders… and well, even some of those looked good in the videos anyway)… anyway, back to the point… I had this great pair of capri leggings that I used to wear with the shortest little aline skirt I’d made myself. It was great, you got the flirty line of the short skirt yet no chance of flashing anything you didn’t intend on. ;o)
I haven’t tried any of the leggings on SD yet.. but those K bell lace leggings look the closest to my old fav pair (though I worry they wouldn’t be long enough to go under my knee… HAH!! for once I want something under my knee.. tee hee). The Music legs lace ones look so pretty too, but don’t sound like they’d fit my ampleness. I still want to try the roses and lace leggings too… hmmm… looks like I’m stuck on lace here…
uhoh…. sorry… I rambled off on legging dreams ;o)
Vel sends you guys hugs back!
August 7th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
You know, we get a lot of requests for larger sized leggings, but no one seems to be offering them ~:( I do not understand how this could be, but we are far from ready to be getting those made for us with all the sock goings on this year, surely someone somewhere must make decent larger sized leggings though?
August 7th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
for regular (meaning standard ankle length black leggings), when I’ve worn leggings I’ve worn Marika brand leggings since the late 80’s (the XL fits me with a bit of room to spare). The place I normally get them from however was experiencing some quality control issues as apparently they had got some new stock from Marika that was made outside the USA and it was drastically different (worse) from what is normally produced here. I had to return what I’d purchased as it was not the quality I’d come to know.
But I’ve not seen anything by Marika that has pretty lace or roses and ruffles like the ones here… boy, I’d swoon if Marikas came like that. I’d love it if we carried the classic Marika leggings here (the good ones that are made in the USA that is).
August 7th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
I like the look too and I swore I would never wear leggings again after wearing them from ages 5-11(the only pants long enough for me!) lol
my leggings were the American Apparel button placket style… I also have some of their regular ankle-length ones.
EG, I bought a pair of the K. Bell lacy ones and they don’t quite cover my knee cap and look rather silly on me… I think I’m going to make something else out of them lol
August 8th, 2007 at 9:44 am
Target has great leggings! & NewportNews.com might have larger leggings have you looked there? I bought a regular sized pair from them (NN) that was sooooo long. I love leggings and despite myself can’t stop doing the leggings/short skirt combo. Sometimes I wear shorts over leggings, isn’t that funny?
I have the Lace Leggings with Lace Trim and those are really long too. I have 31″ inseam. But of course the most fantabulous Super-Long Sheer Leggings can’t be beat for length, but they don’t hide any girly stuff since they’re sheer. Still, I LOVE those so much.
I ‘m with you on the returning of 80’s fashion EG. I loved that time. I think all this 1970’s stuff is so ugly. It isn’t very classy & the 80s were much more classy. ;) … (slips Vel a little steak)
August 8th, 2007 at 10:12 am
I have my heart divided all over the decades… I cherish my 80’s fashion because I was a part of it and because more was, well.. more! … I love the 60’s and 70’s fashions because I always wanted to be a hippi girl but was too young at the time and had a VERY conservative mom… I adore the 50’s because girls got to be girly girls, and pine for 20’s attire for the sheer fun of the styles. I especially like mixing different decades within one outfit, of course topped with a really great pair of sockies ;o)
August 8th, 2007 at 10:59 am
Vel LOVES steak!
August 8th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
EG the newport news variety is a pair i would like to send you….although they are basic black….the fit is incredible….so i bought extra pairs…i will try to get one your way.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
You better NOT be buying your socks from Target! :)
August 9th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Hey no worries Bsti! Target never has OTK nor thigh high socks. In fact I couldn’t find them anywhere but here which is what got me hooked on SD in the first place. :) that & Niq’s pics really impressed me. & shorter Target socks are nowhere near the same quality or lovely styles as SD carries.
& I was a child of the 70s so I wore all those styles the first time around. I’m transfering all our family photos onto disk and I must say I am sooooo embarassed by my *red white & blue* phase. But it’s not as bad as the appliqued hot pants & pink bell bottoms! lol.
August 13th, 2007 at 1:12 am
Ah, blast it. . .I had an intelligent thing to write that concerned the early hour, Led Zeppelin, and socks, but it slipped my mind.