Just in time for the blustery cold winter that has suddenly hit the US here comes the Corduroy suit to save the day. In the 70’s, corduroy suits were the norm for men and women. The difference between today’s corduroy and its predecessor is the overall tailored fit and size wale of the cords. The new age corduroy suit has smaller, less plush cords that don’t make you look like an old school pimp (not bad for some people though). With these upgrades you can take a corduroy suit from the classroom to the office.
Corduroy is great for the winter because it is warmer than most fabrics and will stay rather firm as you move (does wear down from day to day use). Personally, I chose a black corduroy suit because it works well in those winter “black tie” parties, as well as, a great addition to my work wardrobe. When pairing shoes with corduroy you will want to primarily wear leather ones. Suede shoes will look too similar to the corduroy fabric and you will begin to look like one of Jim Henson’s Muppets.
One of the best traits of a corduroy suit is that it can be worn as separate pieces with denim and other heavy suit material (wool, tweed etc). So, give corduroy a try this winter. Brands like J.Crew, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren just to name a few are spear heading the corduroy surge this fall/winter. For a great and recent post on corduroy head to The Style Blogger and check out his take on things.
