7/31/2019 Socks Oliver
2/7
Edouard Balladur served in the French govern-
ment for 15 years, climbing the ranks from the
Secretary General to the Presidency to PrimeMinister from 1993
to 1995. And as one of the
most powerful men in France even Europe
Balladur could take a few fashion risks. He
would often wear red cardinal socks, purchased
from an Italian papal tailor, to match his per-
fectly tailored Savile row suits. Outgoing Prime
Minister Franois Fillon is also known for his
red socks, perhaps inuenced by his predeces-
sor Balladur and his English wife, Penelope
Clark. While those in government have adopt-
ed the bright red, men on the Parisian streets
have been leaning toward an even more open
approach to their under-footwear. French-
American Oliver Haugen shows us the ropes.
Mr. Haugen nds himself a bit between the old
guard and the new. At thirty-ve years old, he
can still remember an era before the personal
computer and the cell phone. He still appreci-
ates the baggy t of the 90s, but fell in love
with women in midriff scarf tops. Though heloves jazz from the
1920s and crooners like
Frank Sinatra, he still has a nice collection of
Radiohead, Coldplay, and even a few songs
from the Black Eyed Peas. Somehow, it all ts.
His friends call him a real chef in the kitchen,
a space that is also kept painstakingly organ-
ized and clean. Though books are stacked
on shelves, against walls, and on tables, youcant say his 6th
arrondissement apartment is
cluttered. The man is known to sing in tune
when the occasion calls for it. Well-traveled,
Haugen has lived in New York, Geneva, Lon-
don, and now Paris. And as a policy analyst
with a background in international affairs,
some would call Oliver Haugen a Renais-
sance man. He says hes just well-rounded.
His wardrobe reects his past, a bit of every-
thing from each decade. He sheepishly points
out a pair of baggy jeans that are not of this
era. I silently agree that the slim t is a bet-
ter look. While he doesnt do much clothes
shopping, he does make room for a few, qual-
ity purchases from time to time. His most
recent acquisition? Following his French
brethren, Haugen has taken to bright socks.
Purchasing socks was never a purposeful
action for me... up until recently, that is. Itwas always very
utilitarian, similar to buy-
ing milk, or eggs, or even butter except at
a lesser frequen
cy. They are something I usually pick them
Im not insensitive to a good pair of socks, but I neverfelt
comfortable buying a bright sock until my girlfriend bought
some for me.
Opposite page, Shirt:
Danyberd; Trousers:
Sandro; Socks: Le
Chaussetier; Shoes:
Paul Smith; Sunglasses:
vintage
2
7/31/2019 Socks Oliver
5/7
u p
at a shop if they are
on display. At the same time, Im not insen-
sitive to a good pair of socks, but I never felt comfort-
able buying a bright sock until my girlfriend bought
some for me. I never thought I could pull it off.
To have just become a sock connoisseur, onewould never know it
by the look of his sock
drawer. Haugen denitely has enough color-
ful, bold socks to last him a week or more. But I
guess that depends on how often he changes them
each day. I assure you, I choose one pair for the
day. If it were me, Id have a problem choosing.
Its a trend that sees more and more traction each
day among Frenchmen, but one that was already
well underway in the rest of Europe. Most well-
known for their bright and quirky footwear are the
English and Germans who take any opportunity to
play up an otherwise dull business suit. A quick
look over to street style photographer Scott Schu-
mans The Sartorialist reveals plenty of stylish men
with under-footwear preferences. While many are
taking a sans socks approach, others have seen
another pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, or
rather the more colorful options on the spectrum.
Even the New York Timess Claire Cain Miller
and Nick Bilton have noticed the trend, albeit in
5
7/31/2019 Socks Oliver
6/7
the country of tech start-ups, Silicon Valley. In a land where
the
uniform jeans, hoodies and ip-ops is purposefully non-
chalant, and where no one would be caught dead in a tie,
wearingashy socks is more than an expression of your personality.
It
signals that you are part of the in crowd. Its like a secret
hand-
shake for those who have arrived, and for those who want to.
So for a man like Oliver Haugen, the statement sock is
a harmonious complement for a man who likes his un-
derstated dress while his qualities surely are not.
Right now, Im happy to wear colorful socks. I gravitate
towards
the more garish now, like the red, orange or purple, which
arenteven colors in my regular wardrobe. Its a nice contrast to the
khaki,
grey, and blue that currently represents the bulk of my
closet.--
For a man like Oliver Haugen, the statement sock
is a harmonious complementfor a man who likes hisunderstated
dress while hisqualities surely are
not.
Opposite page, Jeans:
Zara; Socks: Le
Chaussetier; Boots:
Banana Republic
