by Ki Hackney

Yesterday, I bolted outside to an appointment wearing my fur hat from the new Kokin shop (Third Avenue between 78th and 79th Streets)…and sheer, knee-high stockings. My feet were freezing. Silly me. So, when I found out that Paul Stuart carries their colorful cashmere socks all year round, just knowing that it wasn’t too late to get great winter necessities made my tootsies feel warmer.

“We’ve had them for as long as I can remember; at least the 70s” says the store’s director of merchandising, Sandy Neiman. “The socks have gotten more pastel-y or brighter over the years, and we keep changing the colors.” Right now, the Madison Avenue emporium has 12 different shades: charcoal, medium brown (rust), navy, lilac, tangerine, maize, hot pink (strawberry), denim, red, violet, olive…and black.

The socks are Scottish cashmere. Neiman says that the store considers them luxury essentials, and the best selling colors alternate between charcoal, maize and hot pink.

The dozen socks in the photo are $98.50 per pair, available in the Sock Arcade at Paul Stuart, 350 Madison Avenue at 45th Street, 212-682-0320. Just so you know, the belt in the photo is glazed alligator, in gold, black, dark brown or burgundy, at $376, and it is also from Paul Stuart.