Leg Avenue Athletic Knee High

The athletic knee high, with the stripe at the top and nothing complicated anywhere else. It is the most useful piece of hosiery in the drawer because it goes with far more than it has any right to, and it never looks like it is trying.

Knee highs sit at the easiest point on the leg, which is why they work with a skirt and a sneaker, with shorts and a boot, or with a slip dress when the contrast is the whole idea. They are a costume staple too, anchoring anything that wants a sporty register without needing the rest of the kit. Black is the quiet option and the black and white stripe is the loud one. Machine cool or hand wash, and dry flat rather than hot, which is what keeps the elastic top from giving up.

Cheap knee highs slide down the calf by lunchtime. A proper ribbed cuff is the whole difference, and it is the reason these stay where you put them.

• Style: Athletic knee high socks with a ribbed cuff
• Wear with: Skirts and sneakers, shorts and boots, slip dresses, costume looks
• Care: Wash cool, dry flat, avoid high heat
• Available in: Black/White or Black, One Size