white socks

So it came into my attention while in Germany that I was the only one during a party wearing white socks. My initial reaction was that it was european to prefer black socks. Last night in Cincinnati we all took off our shoes and again I was the only one wearing white socks.

My grandmother always bought me white socks, I thought they were the standard. I wonder how much an influence the fact my grandmother is japanese played into the decision to always purchase white socks. Is it always so hard to recognize the things you do and regard as normal when they are not in fact so universal?