I see dress socks as a necessary evil. As much as I love socks, I’ve never been excited about them. And how could I be, with a drawer full of beautiful creations from Darn Tough, DeFeet, Sock Guy, Thorlos, Patagonia, and Balega, to name a few?
When it comes to dress socks, I just try to make sure they match my outfit. And that I can change into something better ASAP.
But when I was recently introduced to Nice Laundry, that all changed. The company sells men’s dress socks in fun, colorful designs, and they sell them in 6-packs, making it easier for guys to give their entire sock drawer a makeover.
I might not be their typical customer. Sure, I had a corner of my sock drawer filled with plain black, brown, and blue dress socks. The difference is, these rarely if ever left the drawer. I’d substitute my nicer hiking socks when possible. When not possible, I at least went with some type of argyle or subtle polka dot styled dress sock.
Those socks were sometimes hard to find, though. And they didn’t fit that well. And I certainly wasn’t going to pay $30+ for a fancy name brand dress sock that may or may not have been any more comfortable. Now, it’s so much simpler!
The Nice Laundry socks cost $49 for six, which is not a bad price. Plenty of average to good quality dress socks cost $9 per pair in stores, making Nice Laundry look like a bargain. They even have a referral program where you get a free pair of socks for each friend you refer (similar to how Dollar Shave Club does it.)
So, what do you get for your money?
“Our socks are meticulously crafted to stay in place all day, provide the ultimate comfort, and stay soft wash after wash.”
Sounds good to me!
I was lucky enough to receive a promotional sample after the company’s ultra-successful Kickstarter campaign. I opened up the package and inside was a neat black drawstring bag labeled “Nice Laundry.” Inside that, there were 6 pairs of socks within another plastic bag.
Which pack could it be… it’s the Trailblazer collection! This is awesome because not only are they colorful, they are all different designs! It’s like they curated this pack just for my tastes!
Great job on the first impression!
Here’s what I think after wearing the socks…
Color/Style
It should come as no surprise that this is my favorite part. I love the bright colors and variety!
Nice socks are a great way to stand out when everyone has some fancy tie clip, pocket square, etc. The pink stripes pair got me some compliments the first day I wore them! And I don’t remember anyone else getting comments on their socks! 😉
They’re soft and thin, but not too thin. I think they’d be suitable for almost any occasion.
There are other subscription services for men, I think they do socks and underwear together, but it’s just to replace your boring worn out socks with fresh and clean yet still boring socks. If you live a mundane life, that’s for you. If you want to be happy and cheerful, Nice Laundry is a better option.
Size/Fit
Wait, did I select a size? No, I did not.
These socks are supposed to fit men’s shoe sizes 7-13, and my size 11 feet are right in that range. Still, I’m always wary of the one size fits all stuff.
Fortunately, the socks seem like they were made for my feet! It’s not as amazing of a fit as the Balega running socks, but for a dress sock, they’re excellent.
Comfort
They’re soft against my skin, and they fit well, which means no seams to chafe me. Alright!
They’re actually more comfortable than they look. You don’t realize just how comfy they are until you put them on.
Do they live up to the hype? Do they really stay in place all day?
Kind of. Not all day long, but most of the day. It depends on how much you move around. I never had them slide down so much that they bunched at my ankles. The key, though, is that they remain comfortable even when they slip down a little!
Durability
The “Nice Laundry” writing wears off the first day, but otherwise, my socks are still in good shape.
Only time will tell. I’ll need a few more months of continuous use before forming an opinion. As long as they don’t fall apart in the washing machine, I’ll be happy.
I know there’s no way they’ll be as durable as Darn Tough socks. That’s a given. But they also won’t be subjected to long hikes through the mountains. (Or maybe they will?)
How could you say no?
Well, as nice as the socks are, they’re still mostly cotton. And whether I’m in the woods or in the office, I prefer wool.
So there is one downside, which is that Nice Laundry doesn’t offer any wool socks.
My final verdict is…
Although Darn Tough has a pretty darn cool striped “lifestyle” sock, I do need real dress socks on occasion. You probably do, too. Nice Laundry makes some very nice socks at a very nice price, so if you want to upgrade your sock drawer, Nice Laundry gets my vote.
Official website: www.NiceLaundry.com
Company: Nice Laundry
Product: Nice Laundry Socks
Reviewed by: Coach Levi
My Rating: out of 5
Date last updated: 2014-10-11
Obtained Product: Free sample from company.
CoachLevi.com Advertiser: No.
Click here if you would like to get your product reviewed on CoachLevi.com.
Levi Bloom is an experienced endurance athlete who has been training and competing for over 17 years. A former Cat 1 road and mountain bike racer (professional class on the regional circuit), he is now a cycling coach (USA Cycling Level 3 Certified) and sports nutrition coach (Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certified).
I was wearing these before you did. Long story short, these socks are particularly incredible. I’ve worn most brands out there, but will more than likely fill my drawer with these nice socks. They hold up well, are fairly comfortable, and have nice colors and patterns that look just as good or better in reality.
These socks look very vibrant and fun, exactly what I was looking for. So many choices. Pretty awesome.
Did you used the recycling program?
@Kim
No I didn’t. I applaud them for offering it, but socks are such useful bike rags and storage containers, I re-purpose them myself!
Try these Levi: http://www.nicelaundry.com/products/legend
@Brad
Looks like they released those the week after I published this review! I had no idea they were even thinking of doing running socks.
It’s funny though, the running socks are fairly plain compared to the dress socks! Where are all the fancy colors like Feetures and Injinji have?
Perhaps I should get these for my husband. He refuses to buy new socks himself.
@Shelly
Assuming your husband isn’t too conservative, it’s not a bad gift idea! (If in doubt, here are 50 more gift ideas.)