Sock selection

In a decidedly pointless poll, among other things it has been found that 96.7% of Japanese women are irritated when they see men wearing trousers that are either too short or too long.

The survey was conducted by Fukuske Corporation (a maker of socks), which in regards to trouser length makes some kind of sense. But the company was inexplicably joined in its research by the drug-manufacturing firm Janssen Pharmaceutical.

Anyway, regardless of the tenuous link between trousers, socks, and pharmaceuticals, the survey also looked at key areas such as dirty shoes and faded creases in the centre of trouser legs. All based around the topic of male grooming and appearance.

The women questioned had the option of four responses ranging from “It doesn’t worry me” to “It bothers me a lot.” In regards to faded trouser creases, the ladies were quite forgiving, with 24% saying they weren’t especially perturbed. Dirty shoes also managed to escape the wrath of those surveyed, getting away with relatively light criticism.

But like the aforementioned ill-fitting trousers, un-sartorial socks were widely condemned. As when asked, “What item can cause you to become disillusioned and think that the person has no style?” a surprising 18.4% of women said, “socks.”

So there we go gentlemen. To get a bit of action, sock selection is of the utmost significance. Choose carefully.

And with this in mind, maybe I should delay buying these traditional tabi socks I was looking at recently.