How to Style Corduroy

The tricky thing with corduroy is that you don’t want to look old and stuffy…

It’s easy to associate corduroy blazers (especially ones with suede elbow patches) with older gentlemen. It’s a quintessential 60’s and 70’s fabric, after all, but there are a few tricks to making corduroy look modern and incredibly chic.

Brands these days are branching out beyond the blazer and are using corduroy for everything from bomber jackets to backpacks. They have slimmed down the silhouettes in most cases, and changed the the mindset on how to style it.

One of the easiest ways to wear the corduroy trend is to pair a cord button down shirt with denim. It has a western flare (see my Wild Wild Western trend board), but also feels very James Dean or Marlon Brando. It’s understated-cool. Just tuck in the shirt and wear a leather belt to finish the look.

Another great take is to throw a cord blazer over a sweatshirt and denim. It’s smart, but fresh at the same time. Like that hot English Lit teacher you had in college.

Also think about mashing up tailoring and sportswear. My go-to dressed up look during the Fall is a cord or tweed suit with a turtleneck, but what if you pair the combo with a pair of sneakers? It instantly adds a sporty twist to an otherwise polished look. Tuck in the turtleneck and it brings it into 2019!

Five pocket corduroy pants have been around for a few decades and you can find them in almost every store, but I still get a fair number of questions about the appropriate way to style them. My advice is always pretty simple: just pretend they’re a pair of chinos. However you style chinos, that’s the right way to style a 5-pocket cord.

And lastly, my biggest tip to not looking “old” or stuffy in corduroy: avoid traditional button downs, pocket squares and ties. The sportier you take the look, the better! If you need a little more outfit inspo, check out Brunello Cucinelli, Mango, Sandro and Ralph Lauren. They’re all nailing it this season.