Cryptic crossword clue
Decided on conservative socks 5

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word CHOSE

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
C
H
O
S
E

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Decided on" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case decided on = chose.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does CHOSE mean?

CHOSE verb
  1. To pick; to make the choice of; to select.
  2. To elect.
  3. To decide to act in a certain way.
  4. To wish; to desire; to prefer.
CHOSE noun
  1. A thing; personal property.

Latest crossword clues with full explanations