Mismatched Socks: Get the look with Kieran Culkin

As ‘Awards Season’ gets into its stride, with Hollywood descending upon LA for the 2024 Golden Globes this past weekend, it is clear that long-gone are the days of playing it safe when it comes to menswear – something we can see on and off the red carpet. From sequins to bold colours to mismatched socks, the best looks at the Golden Globes were sophisticated but playful, a chance to show personality and style.

Actor Kieran Culkin – styled in Dior and London Sock Company by stylist Michael Fisher – and his wife Jazz Charton on the red carpet at the Golden Globes 2024.

Among the best dressed was Succession star Kieran Culkin, who won the award for best actor in a TV drama. Styled by the brilliant celebrity stylist Michael Fisher – the man behind The Block Collection, Culkin added a twist to his sleek head-to-toe black Dior look with mismatched colourful socks from London Sock Company. He was shown flashing a pink sock and a purple sock combo to red carpet interviewers from WWD – specifically Pink Friday and Thistle Purple, two shades from London Sock Company’s Simply Sartorial collection.

A close up of actor Kieran Culkin's feet in black dress shoes. He has colourful bracelets on his arm and he is pointing to his socks, which are mismatched – a pink sock from London Sock Company on the right foot and a purple sock from London Sock Company on the left foot. — Kieran Culkin showing off his mismatched socks in Pink Friday and Thistle Purple to the interviewers at WWD on the Golden Globes red carpet

Kieran Culkin on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon wearing a black tshirt and black jeans, with mismatched socks in two different shades of turquoise by London Sock Company.

He said they were chosen to match his colourful charm bracelets, designed by his two daughters. If done right like Kieran here, mismatched socks can be a fun and subtle way to add some roguish charm to an outfit. Here are a few tips top pulling off mismatched socks like Kieran:

Your outfit should be simple and ideally monotone. Black works really well and keeps it classy, whether black trousers and a black t-shirt or jumper, or timeless black tie. It’s best with black.
Make sure your socks are beautifully crafted dress socks in block colours. Nothing novelty or patterned. Kieran picks socks from London Sock Company’s Simply Sartorial range; smart ribbed socks in luxurious Scottish Lisle cotton, which come in 36 different shades. Plain and stylishly simple.
The sock colours should complement each other. Pink Friday and Thistle Purple work well. Or you can be even more subtle, with two of the same colour in slightly different tones, as Kieran did on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon with Ocean and Olde Turquoise Simply Sartorial socks.
For the intentional and ‘stylishly eccentric’ effect, your trousers should be beautifully tailored with the hem sitting at the top of your shoes. This will result in the unexpected pops of colour showing when you sit down. Or, as with Kieran at the Golden Globes, when you pull the trousers up to show the socks off.