I passed the 11-Plus and went off to grammar school.  Clever kid.  Grey socks were the order of the day.  I bought a pair of grey socks last year, the first since 1971. 

Red socks equalled chancing your arm.  Lecture from headmaster on 'gang' associations.  Very appealing. 

Grammar schools abolished in Derbyshire.  Red, orange, orange with black hoops and lime green in abundance at the old secondary modern. 

Only soul boys wore white (towelling socks) a la Robert Elms. 

I wore red socks until I was 48. 

Now: black, navy blue, maroon, grey, nutmeg, Argyle. 

But pillar box red was the only true colour.

(Dedicated to Winstons, Big Six and Nixons.  You know who you are).