Socks with sandals? Blame the Romans

by Sean McLachlan on

Last month we reported on a survey of the worst fashion violations men commit while on vacation. Speedos, of course, came in first, and while the banana hammock is certainly the worst of all fashion sins, wearing socks with sandals got high marks too.

Now it turns out we may owe this particular form of geekiness to one of the greatest of all ancient civilizations–the Romans. According to a new excavation in Yorkshire, England, the culture that gave us much of our law, language, and architecture may have also given us this travesty.

Archaeologists excavating a Roman site discovered a rusty nail from a 2,000 year-old Roman sandal that had impressions of fiber on it. Evidence of more socks comes from several Roman graves also found on the site. While Romans often wore boots in bad weather, it appears they didn’t mind using their sandals as long as they had some socks to keep their tootsies toasty.

Yorkshire is full of Roman remains to visit. The Aldborough villa has some wonderfully preserved mosaics, and there are the remnants of a Roman fort near Richmond. Plus local museums are full of Roman artifacts. While exploring England’s rugged north, it’s easy to imagine tough Roman legionaries marching through the moors. Now we have to imagine them with socks on.

Hey, at least the Romans didn’t invent Speedos. Imagine a bunch of greased-up gladiators fighting to the death dressed only in banana hammocks. Um. . .actually don’t think about that.


Image courtesy user Hebrides via Wikimedia Commons.

Stow your wireless mouse in a toddler-size sock – Packing tip

by Gadling Staff on

If you’re traveling with your laptop and bringing a wireless mouse with you, stick it inside one of your toddler’s outgrown socks.

A toddler’s sock is the perfect size to cushion this delicate hardware. Plus, it’s a great way to recycle clothing you’d normally toss in the garbage or use for a rag.

Also: it’s cute.

[Photo: Flickr | FHKE]

Take your shoes off, but keep your feet clean – Airplane tip

by Gadling Staff on

Removing your shoes to pass through security doesn’t mean you have to pick up dirt, germs, and everything else left behind by fellow travelers. In a plastic baggie in an exterior pocket of your carry-on, store a bag of hand wipes along with an old pair of socks, or disposable slip-on booties like hospital workers wear.

Slide those on when you slip your shoes off, and after passing through security, peel off those germy socks or booties and return them to their resealable bag for your return trip, while putting clean feet in your shoes.

Use the hand wipes and you’re good to go — germ-free!

Galley Gossip: Flight Attendant Pet Peeve #2: Back to your seat, please!

by Heather Poole on

Socks on the airplane have been the subject of many conversations in the galley. As well as the cause of a flight attendant nightmare or two. Personally, I don’t care what you wear – shoes, socks, even no socks – but it’s where those shoes (socks and even no socks) are headed that bothers me. Why? Because they’re wandering up and down the aisle and into the lavatory. And…umm…you do realize that’s not water on the bathroom floor, right?

The socks have just exited the bathroom and have now entered the galley.

“Excuse me, miss, can I get a glass of water?”

“Of course,” I say, as I place my lunch on the counter and try not to flinch when I see the socks. I reach for a plastic cup and a bottle of water as you inch your way closer to me. I smile. You smile. We’re both smiling as you slowly bounce up and down on the toes, jangling loose change in the pocket.

“Here you go,” I say, handing you the glass, but before I can even twist the cap back on the bottle of spring water, you say, “A little more, please.”

“Oh sure.” I untwist and pour. Hey, you don’t have to explain it to me. The glass is small. You’re thirsty. I get it. That’s fine.

But now you’re peeking inside an insert. I imagine you’re thinking to yourself, hmm…what do we have in here? Just orange juice and dry ice, I want to say, but don’t, because that’s when I notice you’re eyeing a cup of lemons and limes with a little too much intensity. I’m just about to ask you if you’d like one, when I watch in horror as a hand reaches inside and takes a few.

You smile at me, so I smile back at you, even though I no longer feel like smiling due to the fact you’ve just stuck your hand in there without asking, a hand that recently exited the lavatory before entering the galley. I make a mental note to toss the lemons and limes as soon as you leave. Then I find myself wondering if you’re ever going to leave, because you’ve just placed your empty cup on the counter and you’ve decided to enjoy the view outside by cupping your hands around the small port hole located on the other side of the galley. Now I can’t breathe. Why? You’re still in the galley. Don’t you know it’s against federal aviation regulation to loiter around the galleys and lavatories. Didn’t you hear the captain’s PA?

Guess not. Because you’ve just draped your arms over the other jumpseat, the one right beside me, resting your chin on your arms as you take in a view from the back of the cabin. I try to remain calm. Surely I won’t have to say anything because you’ll be taking your seat anytime now, right?

Wrong.

You bend over and touch your toes. You’ve decided this would be the perfect time to start doing those doctor recommended calisthenics. While you’re bending and stretching, I’m about to have a nervous breakdown. I’m sorry, but I do get a little claustrophobic from time to time. I don’t know why. Perhaps it’s because your butt is now in my face.

Look, unless you’ve actually been invited into the galley (it does happen), you do not – I repeat – you do not, for any reason, step onto the linoleum floor – for any length of time. And if you do, try to make it quick. Do not loiter. Do not help yourself to whatever you happen to see. And please do not bring your baby to the back to crawl around. It’s filthy in there. Not to mention, we break glass in there. And do you really need to do your exercising in the galley? Can’t you simply take a walk the length of the cabin to get the blood flow going when the seat belt sign is not on. I mean is Pilate’s really necessary?

Imagine I came to your place of work and peeked into your drawers and helped myself to all those little nicknack’s you have on your desk – ya know, the jelly beans, the picture of the wife and kids, the Rubik’s cube. What’s the problem? I just came by to say hi. To see what’s up. Don’t really care if you’re eating lunch or in the middle of a project. Not when I want to be near you. What’s the big deal? I’m just taking a break. Stretching the legs. Inviting whomever passes to join me in your tiny little office space. Mind if I do a few lunges in here? Right beside you. Rubbing up against you. Hey, you gonna eat that sandwich?

Admit it, you’d get a little annoyed, too. Now go back to your seat. The seat belt sign is on.

Big in Japan: Spider silk socks warm the toes and sooth the soul

by Matthew Firestone on

In case you thought Japanese technology couldn’t get any cooler, wait until you hear about the latest and greatest invention from the land of the Rising Sun.

This week, the Reuters Life! division reported that Japanese researchers were successful in creating the first ever pair of socks made entirely from spider silk.

Yup. You read that correctly – spider silk socks!

Dr. Masao Nakagaki, a professor at Shinshu University in central Japan who developed the fiber after 10 years of research, gave the following press release:

“By genetically modifying silkworms, I thought it might be possible to create good spider silk. I [also] think it is better for the environment to replace artificial fibers that use up precious oil with natural recyclable fibers.”

Dr. Nakagaki went on to explain how his team succeeded in creating spider silk that was 10 percent spider proteins and 90 percent silk by injecting genes from a golden orb weaving spider into silkworms.

(For the non-scientists out there, I’ll explain what this means a little later on in the post).

Anyway, at this point, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “So why exactly are spider threads so damn strong?”

Good question! Allow me to explain…

Spiders can produce at least seven different types of silk, which are used for a variety of different purposes. For instance, extremely tough threads are used to attach the web to trees, while light and elastic fibers are use to build the web’s matrix.

In fact, some spider silk is molecularly stronger than steel, and lighter than all-known artificial fibers, such as the Kevlar found in bullet-proof vests.

Right now you’re probably thinking to yourself, “So why is that spider silk clothing isn’t available at my local Walmart?”

Another good question! Allow me to explain…

The problem with harvesting spider silk is that it’s difficult to near impossible to mass-produce due to the limited amount that spiders can make.

This of course is why the work of Dr. Nakagaki is so groundbreaking.

By injecting spider genes into a silkworm, you can take advantage of the strength of spider threads while capitalizing on the ability of silkworms to produce mass quantities of fibers.

(At this point, I’ll resist the temptation to throw in a good Spiderman joke here!)

The benefits of spider silk socks don’t just stop there!

In addition to warming your toes, the research team wants their line of spider silk socks to be as therapeutic as possible for the wearer.

Although they’re still keeping hush-hush about the project, their aim is to simultaneously revitalize the wearer’s feet while possibly inducing anti-ageing compounds.

Working alongside the research team is Yoshiyuki Ueda of the Okamoto Corp, who gave the following press release:

“The Japanese sock industry has been overwhelmed by Chinese manufacturers, which is why we want to distinguish ourselves with our unique efforts.”

In case you’re wondering, spider silk socks are expected to hit the consumer market as early as 2010, though you can expect that there will more clothing and accessories to follow in the years to come.

** All photos were sourced from the Wikipedia Commons project **