Basic Considerations — How to Wear Corduroy
by Ianthe Wright
Forget all the tired tropes about corduroy and its loose association with geography teachers; this fabric is sumptuous and should be treated with the same age-old affection as its cousin denim.
Corduroy is essentially a ribbed velvet – which explains its lovely lustre. Championed in recent collections by designers from Prada to Grace Wales Bonner, it’s now been embraced by the high street, meaning there’s a wealth of choice available for the autumn-winter season.
It can conjure images of elegant elderly men of the countryside in a deep khaki wale trouser, or Jarvis Cocker in a fine mustard three-piece suit. But that shouldn’t dissuade you – quite the opposite! Retro nostalgia isn’t always the order of the day, though, so to temper its somewhat fusty reputation we love it paired with crisp cotton blouses or a chic cashmere knit.
Basic Browns
Wood Wood Althea Trousers, £175 woodwood.com; Dries Van Noten Trousers AW17, mytheresa.com; Prada AW17 via vogue.co.uk, Zara Corduroy Trousers, £39.99 zara.com.
Easy Neutrals
Ganni Stretch Corduroy Pants £180, ganni.com; Lacausa Trousers via NYC Bambi, lacausaclothing.com; Monki Belted Corduroy Jacket £50, monki.com; Monki Corduroy Jacket £50, monki.com; MiH High-Rise Corduroy Trousers £255, matchesfashion.com.
Bright Thinking
Isabel Marant Corduroy Trousers matchesfashion.com; Paloma Wool Wadi Pant $155 lisasaysgah.com; Zara Corduroy Trousers £69.99 zara.com; Staud Hayley Jacket staud.clothing.
Classic Navy
Isabel Marant Corduroy Wide Leg Trousers $480 lagarconne.com; Acne Studios Corduroy Coat £750 acnestudios.com; Re/Done Originals Stovepipe Corduroy Jeans £260 matchesfashion.com; Other Stories Wide Corduroy Trousers £69 stories.com.
Ianthe Wright is a London-based stylist and contributing fashion editor for Patter. @ianthewright
Related Content
Label to Love — Arket
Aug-2017The inspiring and accessible new store from Swedish group H&M; don't be put off by its corporate roots, this is a brand with meaning and awareness.
Label to Love — Sara Lanzi
May-2018Meet designer Sara Lanzi, the understated Italian whose cultured label caught the eye of Rei Kawakubo.
Natural Environment — 6 Hats for Reconnecting with the Outdoors
Sep-2018Make a stylish yet functional segway into the new season with our edit of new headgear fit for the outdoors.
Travel List — Tokyo by Ianthe Wright
Jun-2018Our regular rundown of places to discover and things to do in the world's most vibrant cities, compiled by the women we love.
Subscribe
There are two ways to subscribe to Patter. Join for free to receive our latest features and recommendations, or become a Patron to support independent publishing while enjoying early access, invitations and partner perks.