Corduroy pants are back in fashion. I tried the trend

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The last time I wore corduroy, I hated it. Let me set the scene. It was my 10th-birthday party, and my mom suggested that I wear a pair of brown corduroy pants (cargo-style, complete with big pockets down the leg) and a matching jacket. I don't even know how this ensemble got into my closet in the first place—I never would have approved. Still, I generously agreed, and paired it with an electric turquoise cotton shirt underneath. I remember feeling like I should be walking into a stuffy boardroom, when actually I was going to McBead Creations to make DIY jewellery with all my friends. The outfit is forever frozen in time, in one of my mom's photo albums.

Needless to say, I had fully accepted that my corduroy days were over, but like so many nostalgic fashion trends of this recycling-obsessed era (*cough* leg warmers *cough*), it was not to be.

For starters, Gucci sent a few matching corduroy suits down the fall 2022 runway—a classic ’70s-inspired brown set, styled with a striped sweater vest and tie (very Dead Poet's Society), as well as a sporty bright cobalt tracksuit-style set in collaboration with Adidas.

Also, luxury outerwear brand Moncler showed corduroy puffer coats in extra-wide-wale fabric, while cool New York brand Khaite put its money on deep chocolate corduroy suit separates. Ubiquitous It girl Hailey Bieber was papped wearing one of Khaite's double-breasted, dark brown corduroy blazers with a white tee and baggy jeans. Not long after, her husband, Justin Bieber, was snapped in his own take on the trend—a roomy, caramel-coloured corduroy hooded sweat suit—an official confirmation that this is not going anywhere.

Of course, corduroy has been a winter staple for decades. Most corduroy is made from 100 per cent cotton, but it can be wool (although, the "wales" (its raised ridges), on wool corduroy are not as visible), or a cotton blend with wool, rayon or polyester. This typically determines the price point—the least expensive cords are a cotton-synthetic blend. Either way, it's sturdy yet soft and warm enough for even the most frigid days thanks to its wales. The rule of thumb: The lower the wale number, the thicker the ridges on corduroy fabric will be. You’ll typically find around 11 wales per inch on most standard cords. Wide-wale elephant corduroy has 1.5 to 6 wales per inch, while pinwheel corduroy can have up to 21 wales per inch. Go ahead and impress your fashion-forward friends at dinner with this one.

Sturdy, dependable corduroy was popularized in the ’70s and became associated with the working class and the anti-establishment movement, then secured its spot as a disco-era staple (hello, bell bottoms!), alongside shaggy jackets and paisley prints. Later, influencers of the ’80s and ’90s—Princess Diana, Kate Moss, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and the fictional Annie Hall—styled cords with simple yet elevated basics, showing us all how practical, and not at all kitschy, corduroy pieces can be.

"They’ve always been relevant," says Tania Tonello, a fashion expert who styles the trends of the day on Cityline and Breakfast Television. "They just have their peaks, and they’re more trendy at times. But I think there's always been a place for them, when styled the right way."

So what is the right way for right now? Well, Tonello says when shopping for corduroy, you want to pay attention to the wale: a thicker wale (read: more visible ridging) may resemble the pair you wore in the early aughts, a look you may or may not want to revisit. It gives off a professor vibe, especially if worn with other academia-inspired pieces like neckties, button-down shirts and sweater vests. On the other hand, a thinner wale feels more elevated and modern, and is versatile enough for many different occasions. (From far away, the fabric can look like suede if the wale is thin enough.)

Colour-wise, Tonello recommends sticking with browns and other earthy tones for the daytime and playing with bolder colours like hot pink or indigo for evening, which gives a less traditional spin on the look. "There are some really fun colorways now that we did not see in the ‘70s," Tonello explains.

If you’re worried that you’re going to look more KIDZ BOP than Kate Moss in your own pair of cords, Tonello advises opting for no front or back pockets to give a more elongating and timeless look. Also, avoid pleats unless you want to lean more into that retro academic feel. TL;DR: If you’re feeling tentative, opt for thinner wale cord pants with a wide or straight leg and minimal pockets. And maybe stay away from corduroy overalls, unless you’re going to a 10-year-old's birthday party.

I knew I was going to give corduroy pants another shot. All it took was a quick 1 a.m. doom scroll to come across this tried-and-true fabric at H&M, Dynamite, Topshop, Madewell, Zara, Rachel Comey and Gap. I paid a visit to Nordstrom Yorkdale to try on a selection of options and went home feeling ready to style corduroy 2.0 on my own. Here's how it turned out…

Outfit 1: ’90s nostalgia

I channeled the people's princess, Diana, for this casual, "I’m just popping out for errands" ensemble. With a collegiate crewneck layered over a white turtleneck and chunky dad sneakers, these high-waisted, straight-leg, light pink Madewell cords from Nordstrom were giving ’90s Lady Di street-style vibes. I had no trouble styling these—I just treated them like my fave pair of mom jeans.

Outfit 2: Collegiate core

Send me to Harvard, stat, because I’m ready to teach Philosophy of Language 101 in this ‘fit. As soon as I saw these rich brown corduroy flares from Gap, I knew I wanted to pair them with a thicker-wale beige corduroy blazer. I was worried it wasn't going to match (a jacket in the same colour would have been ideal), but am really happy with how it turned out, especially with cognac-coloured croc-stamped boots.

Outfit 3: Leather and lace

This was the hardest outfit to style because A) I rarely show this much skin and B) how do you make such a wholesome, dad-like fabric appropriate for a night on the town? Both my styling advisor Nancy at Nordstrom Yorkdale and Tonello suggested that I pair the pale pink cords with something sexier and softer on top, so I opted for a lace bustier. Spicy, I know. I topped it with a vegan leather shirt jacket and high-shine boots. And you know what, it works! I think 10-year-old me would be proud…

Shop the trend

Gap pants, $100, gapcanada.ca SHOP HERE

Lean into the nostalgic appeal of these high-waisted corduroy flares, made from a blend of cotton and rayon with a touch of Spandex for stretch.

Frame blazer, $846 (on sale for $507), holtrenfrew.com SHOP HERE

Perfect for the office, this sharp-shouldered blazer gives a sleek silhouette when paired with a form-fitting bodysuit and pointed-toe boots.

Madewell pants, $163, nordstrom.ca SHOP HERE

The lived-in look and feel, comfortable high-waisted fit, straight-leg ’90s style and soft blush hue means you’ll be wearing these all winter long.

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