Off-topic: Socks in Winter

Der Spiegel has published an article mocking the British. Among the habits they criticize are:

"The drinking of very much beer in a very short time, going for a walk without socks in winter, the delusion that 42 years after its last win, the national soccer team belongs to a world elite - and, of course, the fact that the Hun is still enemy No 1 - even in the age of Osama bin Laden."

Going for a walk without socks??? What's wrong with that???