We’ve had chokers, mesh vests, pockets, flares – we’ve pretty much had the whole 90’s come back this year. But there’s only one thing that my mum has been on about since the summer. And it’s corduroy. Yes, you’ve heard it right. Corduroy is the final piece of the puzzle. And it’s not just another 90’s trend. Corduroy fashion spans throughout the past century – have a look at the infographic at the bottom put together by Chums – a fashion brand with a huge corduroy collection! My mum’s most beloved piece of clothing ever had apparently been a forest green cord jacket she nicked from her older brother. And that was back in the 70’s. Now cord’s back in all its mighty – its resurrection even managed to create a brand specialising solely in corduroy pieces! But don’t limit yourself to just one brand – corduroy will hit every single clothes shop this autumn/winter season!
What’s corduroy?
Strangely enough, corduroy actually isn’t the most popular name of this very specific material. If you’re from the continental Europe then you perhaps know it by the name of ‘Manchester’. The origin of its name apparently comes from the industrial England where corduroy was worn by townspeople from the most industrial parts of the country. The cord is a very sturdy material which does not just keep you warm – it also protects you quite well from the wet and damp weather as well as the wind.
The Whale vs the Wale
But WHAT IS corduroy, really?! It is a type of fabric where an extra set of fibre is weaved into the cloth to form a specific set of ridges. These ridges are often referred to as the wales. And the wales usually set the tone for the type of cord you’re looking at. The count of wales varies from 1.5 (super thick) to over 20 (super thin), however, the most traditional corduroy is around the number 10.
3 cool ways to add ‘Manchester’ into your wardrobe
JACKET
There’s no easier way to add a corduroy piece into your wardrobe other than getting a cord jacket. They are ever so cosy to wear (and warm!) and go pretty much with all styles – you can be a sporty kind of girl or perhaps a jeans-wearing bloke. You can wear it with a skirt or over a dress. I remember my first cord jacket was a proper 2000’s boxy fit from a shop called Orsay. It was poop brown with large plastic buttons but I loved it and worn it to absolute death!
SKIRT
A corduroy skirt is another easy take on wearing more corduroy fashion. I find them as quirky as for example those latex skirts. On their own you think damn how am I mean to even wear that? But eventually, you figure out that they look dead cute with an oversized jumper or something super plain to balance out their visual dominance.
Trousers
Not gonna lie – a pair of cord trousers is a little more out there than said jacket or a skirt. They tend to need a little more thought given to their styling because in my eyes there’s an incredibly thin line between looking classy in a pair of cords and looking frumpy as a grumpy bean. Sticking to a white shirt and a belt definiting your waist is one of the safer routes. And if you are one of the brave us then I totally recommend going with a two piece. They look absolutely stunning but man, they are hard to pull off!
Images: jacket,