Derby Fashion: Socks

One of the first things one notices about derby is the clothing. There is a certain derby fashion sense that, in addition to the protective gear, usually involves some combination of socks, booty shorts, and glitter (and sometimes tutus). We each choose our clothing based on comfort, visual appeal, and, of course, the coolness factor.

I mean, could I be any cooler?!

Socks are a way for us as derby girls to both have fun and to express some part of our persona. Or maybe we just wear what we have clean at that moment. The world "clean" is probably even subjective.

Before I even tried out for the team, I went out and bout 10 new pairs of socks and as many tights and fishnets as I could find, because derby.

There are not enough pictures of cats in sock piles on the internet--get on that, guys!

But really, socks serve a purpose beyond the aesthetic ones listed above. As this blogger mentions, socks serve to protect the skater and to maintain a level of comfort.

We fall quite a bit and we usually skate on cement or a finished wooden floor. Sliding on either of these floors doesn't feel great no matter what, but this thin layer of tights and socks does protect us from burns that can occur (a quick search for roller derby bruises and you'll see they can be brutal...and yeah, socks won't do much to protect us in that regard).

Every girl has different sock standards. I wear tights, knee highs, and sport socks because that added padding helps me feel comfortable in my skates. Some girls just wear one pair of socks. And some girls, it smells like, have never heard of socks.

Socks, no matter why, or how they are worn, are an important part of derby. And an important part of awesome cat pictures.

Important.