Your Guide to Wearing Stretch Corduroy

‘Tis the season for corduroy. Are you ready for it?

There’s a reason, after all, that a Google search for “Fall corduroy” yields over one million pages: corduroy is one of the best fabrics for the fall season. Sure, on a basic level, corduroy is just another form of cotton—but once you try it on, you’ll see that it’s not exactly the same thing as that pair of cotton chinos you have in your dresser.

If you don’t have a pair of stretch corduroy trousers in your closet, now’s the time to think about getting one.

First Things First: Why Stretch Corduroy?

Have a look at the stretch corduroy options here at Vintage 1946 and you’ll have part of your answer: corduroy is a perfect textural complement to autumn. Not only does it add a little bit of “snuginess” to your overall look, helping to keep you looking and feeling warm, but it pairs perfectly with fall colors like maroon and olive.

You might think of stretch corduroy pant as something of a transition between your usual summer trousers and the heavier pants you’ll want for winter. Corduroy is a different form of cotton, but it’s still cotton, which means it’s breathable enough to handle autumn’s remaining warmth. Corduroy doesn’t quite have the insulation properties of wool, which means it won’t have you feeling stifled and hot even as the temperature drops. Think of corduroy as something to wear as soon as the mercury starts dropping and you need to keep your legs warm with a single layer.

What to Wear with Stretch Corduroys

Convinced yet? If so, then the only question isn’t whether or not you will wear stretch corduroys, but how to wear them. Gone are some of your summer clothes—white polo shirts and the like—and in are some of the characteristic clothes of fall: everything from canvas belts to plaid buttoned shirts.

Corduroys pair well with other fall colors, textures, and patterns. Plaid is an obvious complementary choice. You can continue to wear oxford cloth button down shirts, but the expectation is that you might pair them with a light jacket.

As for shoes, fall is a time to transition to boots; casual boots like desert boots are always a great option, but so are the kinds of work boots you might pull out for winter.

Adding Stretch Corduroy to Your Wardrobe

Even if you’re a newbie to fashion, stretch corduroy isn’t so complicated that you’re going to have difficulty adding it to your wardrobe. Think of them as cool-weather pants that pair with cool-weather clothes. All it takes is one purchase of stretch corduroy to completely add a new dynamic to your closet, allowing you to feel warm, look comfortable, and match with the changing seasons. It’s after Labor Day, after all, which means it’s time to disregard all of your favorite summer clothes and wear something a little more seasonally appropriate. Nothing will get you in “fall mode” quite as fast as stretch corduroys, so shop Vintage 1946 to all your fall apparel.