Give Dad the joy of socks

Back when the Mirror was but a wee compact, the only gift that could be ordered to arrive in Dad’s mailbox every four weeks (well, that Mom would allow, anyway) was a dull Fruit of the Month Club selection.

Thankfully, times have changed, and today it’s possible to remind your father of your feelings (or, at the very least, your existence) 12 times a year with door-to-door deliveries that include wine (www.wineofthemonthclub.com), cheese (www.cheesemonthclub.com) neck wear (www.thetiebar.com/tie_of_the_month.asp), premium cigars (www.cigarmonthclub.com), artisanal bacon (www.gratefulpalate.com/?p=Category_11) — and now men’s dress socks.

For $70, a new, Vancouver, B.C.-based service called Monthly Socks (www.monthlysocks.com), will ensure that a pair of black, brown or khaki-colored dress socks are delivered to Dad’s doorstep each month for an entire year (the price, in U.S. dollars, includes shipping; less-frequent deliveries are available from $20 to $50).

The socks are a blend of 80% cotton, 15% nylon and 5% spandex and come in two sizes: small to medium (7 to 10) and large to extra-large (11 to 13). Unlike traditional dress socks, the ones custom-made in the Philippines for Monthly Socks have a double-layered sole more often found in sport socks.

The site is the brainchild of David Verlee, who came up with the idea nearly two years ago after realizing most men are loathe to shop for something as frequently worn (and worn out) as socks. To hammer the point home, the site, which launched in December, includes a sock calculator. (The Mirror was surprised to find he’d been the proud owner of approximately 1,230 pairs.) Verlee says that since the launch he’s sold “thousands and thousands of socks” and noticed a particular uptick in business as Father’s Day approaches.

“We can tell they are ordering for their dads because there’s a place to put in a note once you order and many of them are saying things like: ‘To keep you warm, Dad’ and that kind of thing,” he said.

If you’re thinking of socking it to your dad this season, Verlee recommends getting your order in no later than the first week of June.

adam.tschorn@latimes.com