October '22

Perhaps you wonder whether this ideal harmony of function and form is at all attainable. And, if yes, whether it comes at a cost that is too high. The answer is most obvious: bricks and brutalism. If there is any proof in the world that an item can blend the functional with the appealing, then it must be a brick since it is both literally and figuratively a pillar of much of what humans have built. The brick has not its practicality to thank, though, but rather its beauty, which contributed to the popularity of brick veneers on walls that have not been made of real bricks. As proven by ancient sgrafitti that imitate a brick wall structure, this is not a fad.

But is this investment in appearances anything but profligacy? Should we not reveal the functionality and learn to admire the barren simplicity of such ingenuity? This very thought bewitched many a builder and stood at the birth of brutalist architecture full of concrete walls and devoid of any ornaments. However, the human soul and eye demand more. When one British television programme asked the public which edifices should be torn down, eight out of the twelve candidates were of a brutalist provenance.

While an eye-pleasing wall can survive for centuries, an eye-displeasing edifice’s longevity can be more limited. We Sockfellows, therefore, believe that aesthetically pleasing socks will also last longer. It has been near-scientifically proven that good-looking socks are better protected against Oddsockeaters. The maintenance of pretty socks is also made easier by the time-tested fact that everything is easier with a smile. Including the month ahead.