A classic episode of “All in the Family” entitled “Gloria Sings the Blues” featured an argument between Carrol O’Connor’s stubborn Archie Bunker and his son-in-law, actor Rob Reiner’s Michael Stivic (aka the Meathead). Archie is trying to get Mike out the door for a fishing trip and observes that the SIL puts on his socks and shoes one foot at a time. He tells Mike that everybody dresses in the “sock and a sock, shoe and a shoe” order, and a discussion of the benefits of the two methods ensues.
When we examine the ordinary things in life, we realize just how polarizing our set ways of living can become. To put this argument about foot coverings in perspective, let’s look at it from a few angles.
Archie’s method–sock, sock, shoe, shoe–requires a person to draw up their legs one at a time and twice; once to put on each sock, and once for each shoe. Mike’s method–sock, shoe, sock, shoe–cuts the dressing time to how long it takes to raise each leg to fully complete the task.
Neither method provides full protection of the feet, but in having socks already on, the dresser has more protection than if dressed in only one sock and/or one shoe while the other foot is still bare or incomplete.
For the physically challenged, raising one’s foot once per task is probably preferred, so this would mean sock and shoe on one foot at a time. For those who bend forward to don footwear, however, it’s likely they will stay doubled over to do everything at once regardless of the order. As I’ve gotten older I find bending over while seated is more stressful on the lungs, so it’s not my preferred method. Also, since the type of sock was not mentioned, I’ll add that compression socks do not go on easily using any of these techniques (I know this from helping others with them, not myself).
In terms of speed, it is possible with some types of footwear to throw on the socks and slide into the shoes and leave lacing for later. For fashion reasons, it is not recommended to wear socks (especially in white) with any type of sandals.
Both methods do the job, but to say that everybody does something one way leaves restrictions on how life can run smoothly for everybody if we are just more accepting of how life allows for some variety. In the end, they got to the fishing trip, and Mike had socks and shoes on.
What bothered me more about the episode was that Mike did not take a moment to roll up his socks before ramming his feet into them, but that’s another story.
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