Socks During Sex: Warm Feet, Dirty Thoughts

Everything is coming off. The shirt, the underwear, possibly your good judgement. Then somebody looks down and realises the socks have survived the entire operation.

For some people, that's a crime against seduction. For others, it means their feet are warm and the rest of the evening looks very promising. A pair of socks doesn't have to start an argument before anyone gets to the good bit.

Warm feet are allowed to join in

If you like your socks on, keep them on. You can fancy someone enormously without wanting bare feet on a cold floor or under a chilly sheet.

Being comfortable makes it easier to forget about the room and enjoy the person in it. Shivering through a moment because you think nakedness needs to be completed properly is a fairly silly bit of bedroom admin.

Besides, socks can make an otherwise very naked person look unexpectedly casual. There's something funny about having absolutely nothing left to hide except your ankles. If you both like the look, excellent. That's one less item to find in the morning.

A fresh pair makes a better impression

Clean socks chosen for bed and the pair you've worn inside work boots all day are different proposals. If yours have had a long shift, swap them. Your feet don't need to announce where they've been.

You don't have to buy fancy bedroom socks, but a fresh pair is a small kindness to the nose sharing your bed. Sometimes the fix really is that ordinary.

And if the rest of the outfit has had a bit of thought put into it, socks can simply be the practical extra. Our guide to choosing lingerie you'll love wearing puts the focus on what feels good, rather than making every item of clothing audition for a romantic film.

Fancy a different look? Say it normally.

You can prefer bare feet. You can find a pair of fluorescent gym socks distracting. “Would you take those off?” is a simple request, and “I'd rather keep them on” is a simple answer.

Neither needs to become a judgement about how much you fancy each other. The person beside you might be very keen on sex and very attached to having warm toes. Those interests can coexist quite happily.

If the teasing is funny to both of you, have a laugh. If one person is sick of the sock jokes, find another joke. There's usually a fitted sheet behaving badly within easy reach.

Let the rest of the evening do the work

A softer lamp, a lovely bit of lingerie or simply a partner giving you their attention will usually have more to contribute than a strict ankle dress code.

Our bedroom lighting ideas and sex playlist guide offer a little atmosphere without making the night into a production.

Or leave everything as it is and enjoy each other. The socks aren't doing the flirting, but they don't need to be marched out before you can. Horny and cosy is a perfectly good combination.