I like to wear AB/DL or girls' patterned socks, but of all things to wear, socks are quite easy to accidentally reveal, and there's been a few instances where I've nearly been caught out wearing girls/AB socks.
A few years back, a colleague at work was randomly asking people if she could measure their height, and asked people to take their shoes off to do it. I couldn't, because I was wearing frilly pink ankle socks with teddies on them. It was difficult to think of a reason not to take part, as it was something the others were doing just for fun, so I came over as being quite odd for not doing it. I told them I have a foot odour issue, which for once wasn't actually true. Wearing socks like that in Japan is also not a great idea, since many restaurants and even public buildings (like shrines) and most private residences require you to take off your shoes (often with the option of putting on a pair of open toed slippers), again not ideal when you are wearing Care Bear socks and don't want people to know you are.