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Vanessa Friedman

ON THE RUNWAY

The first time could have been chalked up to charming idiosyncrasy. The second time, it seemed like an effort to bring some levity to a complicated situation. But the third and fourth (and fifth and so on) times that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada wore themed socks on a public occasion, it seemed clear that something more calculated was going on.

You’ve heard of fashion diplomacy, or frock diplomacy? The practice whereby a female politician, or the wife of a world leader, uses clothing to convey unspoken messages about a platform or position or as a form of outreach?

Well, this is clearly sock diplomacy. It’s a new tactic in the political playbook.

And it reached an apogee of sorts on Sunday, when Mr. Trudeau marched in Toronto’s Gay Pride Parade wearing a rainbow-striped pair printed with the words “Eid Mubarak” in recognition of the Islamic festival that marks the end of Ramadan, and which coincided with this year’s parade. Yes: He honored two communities with one pair of socks. And he did so while also supporting local industry: They were made by a Toronto-based company, Halal Socks, and cost $14.99. All that doesn’t happen by accident.

It also followed closely on an appearance in regular rainbow socks for a Pride flag-raising on June 14 in Ottawa, and one on the syndicated TV show “Live with Kelly and Ryan” on June 5 in patriotic maple leaf socks — which he also wore in 2015 at a gathering of Canada’s provincial heads of government.

There was another smart socks show in May during a NATO meeting in Brussels, when Mr. Trudeau wore one blue sock and one pink, each with the NATO flag emblazoned on the side.

And that followed a much documented meeting with Enda Kenny, then the prime minister of Ireland, to which Mr. Trudeau wore “Star Wars” socks (it was International “Star Wars” Day). I could go on, but you get the idea.

In each case, Mr. Trudeau’s socks were not just fun, though they kind of were, especially compared to the usual politician’s navy or black; they also contained a message of solidarity with a group. Rarely have a man’s ankles said so much.

It’s pretty clever. Men, after all, have significantly fewer options than women when it comes to implicit communication via clothing.

Unlike Hillary Clinton with her white pantsuits, they can’t use color to support an idea. They can’t really wear suits by different tailors for every country they visit to support local industry, the way Michelle Obama often did and the Duchess of Cambridge does.

Wearing a themed tie might be a bit obvious. Occasion-appropriate cuff links would probably be too hard for anyone to spot. But socks? They’re subtle enough not to be distracting, but visible enough that you can’t miss the point. That’s an original solution to the problem. And it’s working.

Mr. Trudeau’s socks have begun to take on a life of their own, chronicled, and mostly celebrated, by observers everywhere.

There are, of course, those who take exception to a head of government wearing what have historically been treated as joke, or kitsch, accessories.

The point being that the socks reinforce the early criticism of Mr. Trudeau, voiced during his campaign for office, as a lightweight. (On the other hand, you could also see them as his attempt to own that stereotype and reverse it, now that he’s in power.)

And there are those who pointed out, vis-à-vis the Eid/Pride twofer, that many Muslim countries persecute or sometimes even kill gay citizens, and accused Mr. Trudeau of eliding the issue in his desire to acknowledge everyone at once.

But overall the socks have been a source of, well, pride and applause on an international scale — a symbol both of Mr. Trudeau’s ability to embrace multiculturalism and of his own position as a next-gen leader not bound by antiquated traditions and mores. Besides, they’re a good icebreaker. (See: Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany bending down to admire Mr. Trudeau’s choice at NATO.) After all, even when there’s no obvious theme to celebrate, Mr. Trudeau rarely chooses the plain pair, opting for argyle or stripes instead, among other patterns. When he met the chairwoman of Xerox, he was wearing a diamond style. She complimented him.

While it’s doubtful Mr. Trudeau will immediately inspire a copycat trend of funky sock-wearing among other world leaders — even those, such as President Emmanuel Macron of France, who appear to be like-minded — it has nevertheless opened up possibilities for the future.

In the meantime, the world watches, and waits, for Mr. Trudeau’s next sock statement.