Being over 300 lbs, I have extremely large legs (20" calves), which makes finding knee-high socks (real socks, not just nylon hose and trouser socks) just about impossible.
I pretty much haven't worn knee high socks since middle school (225 lbs, or thereabouts).
Then, a few years ago, I discovered an online shop, Sock Dreams and fell in love with their socks.
The online store lists sock length and calf and cuff stretch for most socks and the customer sock reviews help too, because reviewers can leave their own calf and thigh measurements and often post pics.
The website has a plus size section, but it doesn't include every sock that might fit plus size legs, so it pays to check out the rest of the site and check out the reviews.
The socks are a bit pricey, IMO, but I'm a bit of a cheapskate, so $10-$20 for a pair of knee-highs seemed kind of crazy at first - which is why it took me a couple years of online window-shopping before I actually placed an order (last winter).
They seem a lot more affordable now that I've worn and fallen in love with them, especially considering that the alternative is no long socks. I didn't realize how much I missed being able to find and wear knee socks (especially during Wisconsin winters).
They seem a lot more affordable now that I've worn and fallen in love with them, especially considering that the alternative is no long socks. I didn't realize how much I missed being able to find and wear knee socks (especially during Wisconsin winters).
Glad you conquered the price hurdle & ordered - it's hard for us frugal types to do things like that. Kudos to you for not only finding the site but investing in good socks! Bless you, I cannot imagine a Wisconsin Winter without knee socks!
Glad you conquered the price hurdle & ordered - it's hard for us frugal types to do things like that. Kudos to you for not only finding the site but investing in good socks! Bless you, I cannot imagine a Wisconsin Winter without knee socks!
It was SO hard to place that first order, but each order gets easier, because the socks are so cute and comfortable.
I even bought some denim to make a skirt so I can show off the cute socks.
I love this site and all the wonderful socks and plan to buy some at some point, but given the cost and I still have a lot to lose I want to wait until I'm thinner. *sniffles*
Last edited by Jesslan Rose; 11-09-2014 at 10:33 PM.
Reason: Typos
I love this site and all the wonderful socks and plan to buy some at some point, but given the cost and I still have a lot to lose I want to wait until I'm thinner. *sniffles*
I get it, but I'd encourage you not to wait. At goal weight, it will be easy to find inexpensive, beautiful socks that fit, and you'll be able to see and touch to judge quality before buying.
I hate buying good clothes while losing weight, because I figure they won't fit for long, but the socks you wear as knee-highs today can be worn as thigh-highs after weight loss.
I also think it's easier to lose weight when you're doing it to reward and pamper Now-you, rather than postponing all of the rewards for Future-you (why should she have all the fun, when Now-you is doing all the work...)
Buying a cute pair of socks NOW makes me feel like I'm worth the work I'm doing for myself. I'm rewarding the current me with knee-highs and my future self with thigh-highs, at he same time. Both me's (and all the mes inbetween) get to have the fun.
Winter especially is hard for me. I have health and pain issues that always get worse in the winter. My hunger increases and motivation and physical activity decreases. Weight loss and exercise are harder, and less fun than in the warmer months. I even feel fatter and less attractive in winter clothes.
My socks from sock dreams really help me remember that I'm worth the splurge and it gives me a calorie-free way to splurge on myself. Before, when I felt like splurging, I would have splurged on a dinner out (easily the cost of a pair of socks).
I also think it's easier to lose weight when you're doing it to reward and pamper Now-you, rather than postponing all of the rewards for Future-you (why should she have all the fun, when Now-you is doing all the work...)
Yoyoma - It's nice to know that even made sense to (let alone resonated with) someone other than me.
JessIan Rose - I only just noticed that you've lost more than 130 lbs. Wow! Come on girl, certainly that's worthy of a pair or two of Awesome, Rockin' socks!
If the expense is holding you back (there were times when hubby and I only had $25-50 for groceries for the month, so I understand tight budgets), start a sock funds jar and put in your spare change or give yourself a weekly sock allowance.
The nice thing about Sock Dreams is no added cost for shipping, so you can buy one pair at a time and not feel you're losing money on shipping.
I know I sound like an evangelist, trying to sell you on my sock religion, and I guess when it comes right down to it, that's exactly what I am doing (if you substitute the word passion for religion).
When I placed the first order, I thought I was just buying socks, but when I tried on my first pair, I realized they were so much more.
These socks aren't just socks to me, they're a symbol of all the things, big and small, I did without for decades because I didn't think I deserved them, or that just weren't available (even if I did feel I deserved them) because I was "too fat" for them.
I always postponed my rewards until I reached my goal weight, but because I never reached my goal weight, I was never rewarded for all my hard work. Or maybe, I never reached goal, because I never rewarded myself for all that hard work.
Weight loss itself feels like reward enough in the beginning, but as weight loss slows and gets harder, it starts to feel hopeless - having to work harder and harder for smaller and smaller rewards. If a pair of socks can make up some of the difference, how cool is that?
I never would have thought a pair of socks could make any difference, but having "real" socks that easily reached the tops of my knees took me back to the days that I took knee socks for granted.... and I realized that was probably gradeschool or early middleschool.
It also made me think of all the things I had to give up and all the things I gave up (even though I didn't have to) because I didn't think I deserved them, or because they didn't seem appropriate for a fat person.
A simple pair of knee socks reminded me that I wasn't ever unworthy of anything. I deserve a lot of things just because I'm a human being doing the best I can, just like everyone else (even supermodels). No better, no worse.
Sock Dreams, love this shop
