For many people, putting on a boring pair of plain white socks in the morning doesn’t even warrant a second thought. However, there is an ever growing cult of students who dare to rebel against the traditional sock style and sport some wild and increasingly colorful socks.

One of these trailblazing students is Ben Kanter ’16, whose wardrobe has included some crazy socks since early on in his sophomore year. Kanter, whose sock collection includes over 15 pairs, decided to start wearing notable socks due to the limitations of men’s style.

“Guys don’t really have a place to go all out with clothing, we are really limited to socks and watches … I chose socks,” Kanter said. When shopping around for a new pair, Kanter will not buy just any old socks, “I look for [socks] that really jump off of the shelf.” He added that “individuality and color” are the two most important things to look out for.

This peculiar trend has not only taken over the Staples community, but the entire nation as well. In fact, there is even an online guide dedicated to giving people sock “rules” and color coordination tips, which some crazy sock wearing students follow.

Another student who pushes the boundaries of sock style is Jack Norman ’17, who made an impulse purchase on a pair of socks over the summer, which escalated into him wearing his “fun socks,” as he calls them, almost exclusively. Many students who notice Norman’s socks are often intrigued by them, especially his most recent pair, which feature a robot against a bright orange background.

“People really seem to have an interest in them. They ask a lot of questions,” Norman said.

The socks worn by Staples students have come a long way from the crude, animal skin versions worn by people thousands of years ago, and Harrison Knapp ’16 wears modern, crazy socks with gusto.

“Wearing [crazy] socks is just a way to be different,” Knapp continued, “They are also great conversation starters.”

While the quirky sock trend is quickly gaining momentum, some students are still reluctant to wear such socks. Paige Murray ’15, encourages all Staples students to start wearing fun and unique socks. Murray started off wearing crazy socks to bed because she found them to be very comfortable, but by Nov., she began confidently wearing them to school.

“If you like the way your socks look then why not wear them, right?”