 Despite the mocking, short sock lovers aren't giving up so quickly. Millennials and Gen Xers associate higher socks with their parents and call it the ultimate dad style. Sales, however, say they may be losing the battle. At Hanes, sales of socks that rise above the ankle are up 5.9% since 2021, while sales of low-cut socks are down 3.8%. And at retailers that cater to young people, the change is even more drastic.