The weather here has been getting pretty cold and as silly as some styles may appear at first glance, more Dreamers seem to be cozying up to faux fur and other fuzzies and finding them fantastic at keeping warm.

Fuzzy fur is a great choice for keeping those toes warm at home. New Zealand Bed Sock styles are practically slippers (and some have treads and just are slippers!) and the plush, woolly fur that they’re lined with doesn’t mat, keeping fluffy and trapping that warm air for you!

• New Zealand Bed Socks with Hearts •
• New Zealand Bed Socks with Polka Dots •
• New Zealand Bed Socks with Stripes •

For more subtle daily fuzziness, the touches of silky-soft microfiber on these styles adds a bit of snuggliness.

• Feather Cuff OTK 2-Pack •
• Cotton Legging with Microfiber Cuff •

But, the ultra-ultimate in furry warmth has got to be furry leg warmers. Fabulous faux fur keeping you crazy cozy.

• Wild Furry Warmers •
• Furry Lurex Leg Warmers •

We’ve got lots more styles (and more due as the cold progresses) so try out the “Furry – Fuzzy” Advanced Search and check ‘em out!

Lightweight over the knee socks are a great choice for springy weather and they keep rocking when you layer them over coloured tights when the weather cools down.  I’m a big fan of combining lighter-weight tall socks with warm leg warmers in the morning. Then later, when the sun asserts its dominance, the legwarmers can go into my bag and my lightly clad legs can continue being comfy!

The Vertically Inclined Stockings are probably one of the ultimate lightweight sock options, with subtle, almost-openwork that keep your legs from suffocating in warm temperatures.  And probably my current favourite legwarmer are the Harajuku Furry Warmers—mine are getting a little beat up, even, from how much I wear them.

Openwork over the knees are a great layering option for this trick. These three are some of our favourite and most popular:

• Open Crochet Over the Knee •
• Crochet Lover Over the Knee •
• Havana Thigh High •

We offer a wide selection of leg warmer weights, from barely-there to super cozy.  For this layering trick, shorter styles are best, with less bulk.

• Pia Marled Popcorn Stitch Leg Warmer •
• Ribbed Knit Leg Warmer •
• Super Warmer – Long •

If you want a little more coverage that is just as light, a lot of the styles in our Frills & Lace post in February are just as perfect now as earlier in the year, only now you don’t need to layer solid tights under them!

A couple more styles that are great to layer with after the jump!

The soft as a dream Wrinkle Press Knee High are a great transitional layer.  Pair with tights, or leggings—like the Foot Traffic Floral Leggings—for a little bit of peek-a-boo layering.

These ultimate lightweight, semi-openwork knee highs even have an almost perfect arm warmer match in the Ethereal Arm Warmers, which are also great layering options for late spring.  Arm warmers in general are great for any in-between season, adding that extra bit of warm while the weather figures out where it’s going.

• Harajuku Garden Arm Warmers •
• Leopard Texture Arm Warmers •
• Chevron Sleeves •

There are a lot of layering possibilities, do you have a favourite pairing to keep your legs warm in the morning but comfy in the afternoon sunshine?  How are your socks greeting the change in seasons?

• Kabella Wool Cable Trouser Socks •
• Greyson Merino Microplane Midcalf •
• Lucille Wool Crochet Trouser Socks •

It’s also getting to be time for tights and leggings, to add that extra layer of warm when you need it.  Maybe it isn’t quite cold enough for cotton-lined wool, but lighter weight, open-knit cotton tights like the Codori Crochet Tights will help you keep rocking shorts and skirts as the leaves start to fall.  They’re available in two new colours too, Graphite and Espresso! We don’t have images for them yet, but they’re the same as the same colours in the Doris Crochet Trouser Socks.

A couple more transitional options and my favourite OTK trick for when the weather warms up after the jump!

Cozy OTKs that cuff well in wool or cotton are also the perfect thing.  I wear a pair of over the knee socks pulled up when I walk to work and end up cuffing them to knee high by the end of the work day.

• O Woolies •
• Pebble Ribbed Over the Knees •
• NZ Sock Lady Merino Thigh Highs •

Now, I’ve got short legs so to get OTKs to cuff properly on me I have to double-cuff them, unless I want to slouch my socks—which I love, but doesn’t work for all styles.  It’s a super easy trick that makes all the difference. (Ooh, these socks are in our new item queue and I LOVE them, so keep an eye on What’s New this month for sure!)

It’s also time for leg warmers and arm warmers! We’re already seeing people start to stock up—they’re great because you can layer them when it’s cold and take them off and pop ‘em in a pocket or purse if it warms up.

• Foot Traffic Ribbed Knit Leg Warmers •
• Orkney Angora Wrist Warmers •
• Super Warmers Long •

So how do you transition into fall?  Is there a sock or style that you have to stock up on once the leaves start turning?

Angora rabbits are distinctly fuzzy, a result of the lightness of the fiber that makes up their coats.  Soft and silky, the fiber has a fluffy halo that works with hollow fibers to create the ultimate thermal wool.  Because it doesn’t have much elasticity it is most often mixed in small amounts with other wools, imparting its softness in a beautiful blend.  I also like to think that their natural cuteness gets passed on to the wearer with the wool.

More like hair than wool, Alpaca fleece is strong and lightweight, making it perfect for technical applications.  It’s also lanolin-free, making it hypoallergenic.  Like angora, it has partially hollow fibers that add to its already impressive thermal abilities, even when wet.  I think it’s an added bonus that such a serious, business-like fiber comes from one of the most goofy animals.

Here at Sock Dreams we’ve got some amazing options in both fibers, from sport-ready anklets to crazy cozy legwarmers. After the jump I list a few, and you may be surprised what styles are hiding one of these lovely luxury fibers!

• Orkney Angora Leg Warmers •
• Alpaca Cable Knit Arm Warmers •
• Argyle Baby Booties •

• Ultra Light Trail Anklet •
• Angora Rose Garden Knee Highs •
• Expedition Knee Highs •

Do you have a favourite in one of these fancy fibers?  I love the Orkney Angora Wrist Warmers and the amazing arch support of the Dahlgrens, but I’m wondering how other wool-phobic folks feel about the un-irritating fluffiness of angora and the hypoallergenic aspects of alpaca.

The adorable pictures of the baby angora rabbit and the two inquisitve alpaca were shot by Chronographia Strangehours and used with permission.

• Kabella Wool Cable Trouser Socks •
• Orkney Angora Wrist Warmers •
• OTK Tube Socks •

Ooh, I’m all excited to break out the arm warmers and leg warmers now! 
What are your fall favourites?

Bootsocks

To keep yourself safe from playa foot, your feet need to be kept from the alkali desert floor by socks and close-toed shoes.  Several styles of our recycled cotton DreaM Stockings are terry-lined, making them cushy and absorbent bootsocks:

From left to right:

• Authentic Military Boot Socks •
• Dreamy Knee High Tube Socks •
• M Bootsocks •

If terry isn’t your thing, here are three more great styles, ranging from super thick wool to nice and thin recycled cotton.

From left to right:

• Coarse Knit Ski Socks •
• EG Smith Ribbed Bootsock •
• EG Eco Marled Bootsock •

But what about the fun and stripes and legwarmers?  Well, we have our favourite recommendations for those too, but you’ll have to jump below the cut . . .

Leg Warmers

Stripes and sparkles dress up the total usefulness of legwarmers when it comes to layering.  They roll up small in your bag, but make all the difference in keeping your legs comfy during those cold desert nights.

From left to right:

• Leg Warmers w/Brass Snaps •
• Super Long Open Crochet Leg Warmers •
• Lurex Leg Warmers with Pom Pom Tie Tops •

From left to right:

• Super Warmers – Long •
• Microfiber Chenille Leg Warmers (and matching armwarmers!) •
• Fuzzy Stripes Leg Warmers •

Arm Warmers

You can’t have your legs getting all the attention, but that’s what arm warmers are for—and they’re super nice for keeping off the chill when you’re not wearing much else.  The first two are our favourite basics (with high cotton content for you fire dancers!), and then there are some fun, patterned options

From left to right:

• Basic Fingerless Gloves •
• Simone’s Sleeves •

From left to right:

• Tie Dyed Fingerless Gloves •
• Harajuku Vitamin Arm Warmers •
• Checkerboard Fingerless Gloves •

What have we missed?  What are your favourite socks and accessories for the playa?

Because I work in the warehouse at SDHQ, I’ve got to wear closed-toe shoes.  This keeps me from one of my favourite warm-weather ‘sock’ styles, stirrup leg warmers. Which! I know the idea of a leg warmer in August heat is intimidating, but hear me out—

Don’t tell anybody, but at heart I’m a barefoot gal.  My toes like freedom to wiggle and scuff at dirt.  But shoes are a must for running errands or going grocery shopping and I am so not going to put on shoes without socks.  Stirrup leg warmers like the Color Pop Stripes are the perfect compromise.  I can slip on sneakers without having that sweaty foot-to-shoe feeling, or hop in some flip-flops ‘cause my toes are still free.

The Color Pop Stripes are by the Japanese brand Tabbisocks, who make some of the silliest and most fun sock styles.  They’ve got two other cottony stirrup options that I’ve got my eye on, I just don’t know what colour to get!

The Marled Stirrup Leg Warmer comes in this colour we’re calling “Mint” for now, even though Niqkita pointed out it’s more like the underside of a mint leaf.  But it also comes in a soft blue and in a black that definitely appeals to my gothy side while still being all marled and summery:

And then there is the Cuffs & Stripes Shortie Leg Warmer.  I know they are totally kind of Flashdance, but that only makes them appeal to me more. It’s not a true stirrup, because the heel is covered (like the Crochet Lover Toeless Socks), but the soft terry scrunchableness of the cuff wins me over:

What socks have become your staple over this summer?  Is there one you’ve been eyeing lately and want to try before we fade into fall?