Knocking your socks off

One could not believe how cold Mississippi can be from March until September.

Sounds crazy, huh?

So maybe I am lathered in sticky perspiration after my 10-foot walk from front door to car. And let's not even begin to talk about the puddle I turn into on my hike from parking lot to office.

But once the doors of the Martindale Student Services center pop open, it's like walking onto a frozen tundra. The theory behind air conditioning in the South is to make any visitor feel instantly comfortable. Consider it part of our Southern hospitality.

For me, however, hospitality comes at a price.

The price I pay is constantly shivering at my desk, huddled in a tattered polar fleece. Luckily for me, I've come across a more stylish solution.

Avril Lavigne isn't the only one who can pull off the sock arm warmer. And arm warmers don't have to relegated to tube socks and punk rock.

My more neutral and professional versions involve woolly strips and sleek fern patterns. It's as close as you can get to a gloved hand without fumbling across your keyboard. And you'd be amazed at how warm your whole body feels when your arms are insulated.

Another bonus: Arm warmers are much more discretely put on and taken off as the temperature changes, and they store better in a desk drawer.

In less than an hour I made three pair for under $6. I keep one pair in my satchel and a second at work. The third pair (a la Avril Lavigne) are for nonwork hours, and they usually hang out in my car.

Be sure to pick socks that are interesting but not too distracting. Also, the longer the tube of the sock the more coverage you're getting on your arm. My fern-filled arm warmers are made from women's trouser socks, and they go midway up my forearm. Another pair I made from argyle knee-highs (argyle + knee-high = wicked cool) provide coverage up to my bicep.

Each arm warmer involves two cuts: a thumbhole and a hole for the rest of your fingers. The thumbhole should be cut out of the heel of the sock. I usually guestimate on the placement and size of the hole.

Rule of thumb(holes): Cut smaller than you think you'll need and you'll always have room for improvement. If you cut your hole too large on the first try there's not much you can do to save the sock.

Now you basically have a energy-inefficient mitten. Slip that bad boy on your hand, slide your thumb out of the thumbhole and start cutting near the base of your fingers.

Warning: Do not cut off any fingers.

You should begin with four digits in the toe of your sock and end with four digits wiggling from the top of your armwarmer.

One trick to achieving that goal is to carefully cut a tiny slit in the edge of the sock, between the thumb and index finger. Then, slip your scissors inside the slit and cut in a circle around the top of your palm.

Now you have a complete arm warmer. You could stop here and be fine or you could finish the cut edges by folding over and sewing in a hem. A happy medium would be to use a finishing product like FrayCheck to seal the ends. FrayCheck is a glue, though, so be sure not to seal your armwarmers shut. That would be unfortunate.

So, get on some arm warmers before the summer freezes you to death. But be warned: converting sweaters to tank tops is just around the corner.