Mid-calf is the length that solves the specific problem of a trouser leg riding up when you sit down and showing skin above the sock. It stops short of over-the-calf, which some people find too much sock, and it stays put better than a crew.
Merino is the fibre that makes a wool dress sock wearable indoors all day – it regulates temperature rather than simply insulating, and it resists odour well enough to matter across a long day in shoes. The patterned design is aimed at somebody who wants the sock to be visible rather than to disappear.
Boardroom Socks is a North Carolina company selling direct rather than through department stores.
